What is a KTN

What is a KTN and what does it do? It's a good question and one that came into sharp relief when the team were attending a "Talking to the media" course several weeks ago. You can imagine the scenario: The recorder is capturing every moment of silence with painful accuracy and your tongue is tied in a knot. So what do you say?

Our own website states: "The Integrated Products Manufacturing Knowledge Transfer Network's mission is to assist UK industry with research and technology-transfer activities in the design, development and manufacture of complex products with integrated electronic and mechanical function. With the goal of bringing cutting-edge technology into today's market place, the Integrated Products Manufacturing KTN utilises existing UK and European funding initiatives to the benefit of the UK economy."

Which is true, but does not exactly roll off the tongue. I also find that Knowledge transfer as a topic has its own entry in wikipedia but as there is no entry on Knowledge Transfer Networks, that doesn't help.

A recent government report "Innovation Nation" states: Knowledge Transfer Networks promote the benefits to organisations of communicating their own ideas and learning from others. Which is a statement of aspiration, but it is not a definition.

So back to the media training day. It is a mock telephone interview with live local radio. One of the team members is "volunteered" to go first. The pressure mounts. The phone rings and introductions are made.

So what is a KTN and what you do?

Inspiration strikes more or less as follows........

A KTN is a Knowledge Transfer Network, funded by the UK government through the Technology Strategy Board. Our main role is to put companies and innovators in contact with the knowledge and funding that they need to bring new products and processes to market. Membership to our KTN is free, and gives access to technology watch reports on current developments, on-line meetings, information on funding, opportunity to take part in government industrial consultations, and more. The website also lists a growing number of successful case studies.

Tell me about one of your successes.....

And the interview proceeds, while I frantically make notes on one of the best definitions of a KTN I have heard to date.