Trio of businesses launch KTPs

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Three Cornish businesses are launching a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the University of Plymouth.

Truro-based Made for Life Organics, Alan Harper Composites in Saltash and Redruth firm Bluefruit Software will be working with the university over the next two years. The three businesses are each hosting a KTP Associate who will focus on an innovative new project.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships is a UK-wide programme that helps businesses improve their competitiveness and productivity by collaborating with a university. A graduate KTP associate works within the business to deliver a project, with support from the university.

Based at the Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre in Truro, Made for Life Organics creates a range of natural and organic skincare and beauty products.

Lorena Lizarraga has joined as KTP associate and R&D scientist. Working in the business and with experts at the university, she will help the company to develop new and reformulated 100% organic and natural skincare products using innovative new ingredients and manufacturing methods. These products are developed for people with sensitive and sensitised skin, including those undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Alan Harper, owner and MD of Alan Harper Composites, is embarking on a KTP with the University of Plymouth to develop a new technology to repair composites. Colin Hague, who grew up in Cornwall and graduated from the University of Plymouth, has joined as KTP associate and will help the business develop innovative and more environmentally-friendly commercial methods to repair composite materials.

Through its KTP, software specialist Bluefruit is aiming to establish a new offer to medical companies. KTP associate and University of Plymouth graduate, Trudy Ward, will carry out detailed research to help the company develop a compliance service for its medical clients.

General manager, Steve Forth, said: “We are known for producing high quality, high end software, particularly for the research and medical sectors. However, we are not experts at research so needed the University of Plymouth’s expertise to help with developing our latest product. We also needed someone to bring strong analytical skills to the team.”