This project investigated the curriculum of a new industry-collaborative PhD in technology innovation. While the programme was in its early stages, we focused on conceptualising its curricular design with the aim of unpacking its complexity and, where possible, mitigating its tensions. The use of an activity theory framework to delineate the learning environment led to our envisioning the doctoral curriculum as an 'instrument' in the educational activity system. In our exploration of tacit and explicit understandings of the curriculum, we found areas of productive tension reflecting competing pressures on the stakeholders in the system, including the programme's candidates. These tensions mainly relate to integrative and accelerated aspects of the programme and the multi-disciplinarity of its research focus. Our report on these findings will contribute to the programme's evaluation, as well as informing ongoing curriculum refinement.