Knowledge Transfer Network launches to spur innovation

Government-backed organisation to improve business links and encourage knowledge sharing in IT

The new KTN will attempt to create links between businesses to spur innovation

Government-backed body the Technology Strategy Board has launched the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) to improve links between IT businesses and overcome hurdles to technological advances.

The association intends to bring together business, academia and government to drive IT innovation for the benefit of the wider UK economy.

The experts leading the KTN will look to create links between businesses to solve IT issues such as intelligent transport, cloud computing, smart metering and mobile data access while encouraging knowledge sharing and eliminating corporate red tape.

“A successful digital society marries the need to access data on the move with a secure and scalable approach to gathering, processing, and using that information,” said director of the digital systems KTN Ian Osborne.

“We will create opportunities to innovate in this field by bringing people together – for example there are many academics making exciting breakthroughs in new tech who don’t have the contacts to make them a reality, there are also innovators who need to be connected to funders,” he said.

The KTN, which consolidates three other existing knowledge transfer networks, will host conferences and online meetings, provide members with guidance on funding sources and allow them to influence future policy decisions.

According to Telefonica Europe/O2 vice president Mike Short, the new digital systems KTN will be a ‘key space for sharing knowledge and ideas that will put innovation into practice.’