Discover how Portsmouth University works with businesses to innovate

April is a month of fun and celebration; flowers bloom, leaves appear on the trees – and we enjoy such delights as April Fools Day and Easter Eggs.

At the University of Portsmouth campus they are celebrating two anniversaries, its Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and Innovation –and you are invited along to find out more about how it could help your business in the future.

This year (2025) marks the 50th Anniversary of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP), and here at your local University they are celebrating with a series of events to spotlight innovation and collaboration. A KTP is a government funded scheme which brings universities and businesses together to work on development projects with strategic importance to an organisation's future.

As part of this celebration, it is hosting monthly Innovate & Elevate online forums featuring academic experts who will share insights on the power of KTPs in driving innovation.

“Innovation can be a challenging journey for business owners, especially when resources and expertise are limited. However, initiatives like KTP provide valuable support, bringing creativity and knowledge from universities to help businesses innovate and reduce risks,” a spokesperson for the university explains.

“For business owners, these partnerships offer more than just problem solving; they ignite new ideas, foster confidence, and encourage groundbreaking achievements. If your innovation journey feels uncertain, collaboration can be a great solution.

“We're inviting everyone to join us for our Innovate & Elevate online forum series, to learn how other companies have benefitted from partnering with experts through KTP and discover the power of collaboration in innovation.”

Click on the link here for more information, or email [email protected].

Smart sustainable plastic packaging challenge celebrates five years of innovation

Leaders from across the plastic packaging supply chain met last month to celebrate the innovation and impact of more than 80 projects over the past five years. They were bought together at the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging (SSPP) Challenge celebration event in London, delivered by Innovate UK.

From cutting-edge recycling technologies, to novel bio-derived packaging materials and major advances in reuse and refill systems, these projects exemplify the power of innovation in shaping a more circular and sustainable future for plastic packaging. The event highlighted the transformative role of these initiatives and explored how they can contribute to the ongoing development of a cleaner, more sustainable plastics industry.

Professor Steve Fletcher, Director of the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth, said at the time “It’s great to be here today celebrating the innovation and impact of these projects, which all signal positive change in the UK plastics packaging supply chain. The Global Plastics Treaty is likely to be a big game changer in how the world processes plastic waste, and these initiatives will put the UK in a strong position to start the transition to a more sustainable plastics supply chain.”