Sustainable bio-based materials and manufacture: CR&D

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), as part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £12 million for this competition. The funding is intended to support projects that can demonstrate how the use of biomanufacture based products can reduce waste and carbon emissions, as well as improve the efficiency of the production process. Ultimately, the goal is to create more sustainable products that have a positive environmental impact. 

The goal of this challenge is to create and implement innovative, disruptive, sustainable biomanufacturing by 2050. enhancing the UK's ability to compete globally by encouraging cooperative research and development (CR&D) across various industries and sectors. 

Businesses and researchers will be able to collaborate on projects to create more innovative and sustainable bio-based products, biotechnology processes, and products. 

Your project must: 

• have total costs between £300,000 and £1 million 
• start by 1 October 2023 

• end by 30 September 2025 
• last between 12 and 24 months 
• be collaborative 
• carry out all of its project work in the UK 
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK 

In accordance with current restrictions, Russian, Belarusian, or Myanmar organisation cannot serve as the lead, partner, or subcontractor in any procurement, commercial, business development, or supply chain activity funded by this competition. All Russian, Belarusian, and Myanmar goods and services fall under this category. 

Your proposal must support organisations in biomanufacturing in the future to be: 

• net zero and resource efficient 

• resilient and responsive 
• technologically advanced and digital 

Your project must address the challenge of developing innovations in sustainable biomanufacturing processes like: 

• increasing the use of bio-based feedstocks 

• using biotechnology for alternative bio-based chemical replacements including low carbon polymers and, liquid and gaseous fuels for transport, heating and renewable energy 
• enhancing the sustainability profile of biotechnology processes 
• innovative use and re-use of renewable feedstocks 
• biotechnology-based manufacture processes for sustainable and circular products with whole systems approach 
• consideration of broader life cycle thinking 

Competition opens: Tuesday 7 March 2023 

Competition closes: Wednesday 3 May 2023 11:00am 

More Information:  

The applications are open until Wednesday 3 May 2023 11:00am. For more information and registration, please check here. 

RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK funding! If you would like help in putting together a competitive proposal, contact us today. 

by Jonny O'Rourke

Energy Catalyst Round 10: Early, Mid and Late Stage

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will collaborate with Innovate UK, a division of UK Research and Innovation, to invest up to £10 million in innovation initiatives. This funding is part of the Ayrton Fund. 

This contest aims to quicken the innovations required to expand or improve clean energy access in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or the Indo-Pacific regions. In order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 and 13, an equitable and inclusive energy transition must be established, and all people must benefit from clean energy. 

Your proposal must focus on: 

• improving energy access in Official Development Assistance (ODA)eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Indo-Pacific regions 
• having a technology or business model which is affordable, reliable and low carbon 

This competition is split into 3 strands: 

• Energy Catalyst Round 10 – early-stage 
• Energy Catalyst Round 10 – mid-stage 
• Energy Catalyst Round 10 – late-stage 

More Information:  

The applications are open until Wednesday 28 June 2023 12:00pm. For more information and registration, please check here. 

RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK funding! If you would like help in putting together a competitive proposal, contact us today. 

by Jonny O'Rourke

UK - Singapore Collaborative R&D Round 2

Innovate UK will collaborate with Enterprise Singapore to invest up to £5 million in innovative projects. The parameters of this contest are open. The scope of this competition is open. 

This competition aims to provide funding for collaborative research and development (CR&D) initiatives driven by business that are centred on industrial research. At least one partner from Singapore and one partner from the UK must be included in the proposal. The projects are expected to result in a new product, industrial process or service. They must be technologically advanced, innovative, and have a significant market potential in the participating countries. 

Applications from the aforementioned industries are especially welcomed: 

• Advanced manufacturing and materials 
• Agrifood tech 
• Mobility and transport 
• Cybersecurity 
• Health and life sciences

Your project must: 

• apply for a maximum grant of up to £350,000 
• start by 1 November 2023 
• end by 31 October 2026
• last between 24 and 36 months 

UK project partners are required to complete the majority of their project work in UK and to plan to use the findings in UK.

Project must demonstrate: 

• a clear game-changing or disruptive innovative idea leading to new products, processes or services 

• a strong and deliverable business plan that addresses and documents, market potential and needs 
• sound, practical financial plans and timelines 
• good value for money which will always be a consideration in Innovate UK funding decisions 
• a clear, evidence-based plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment (ROI) and growth through commercialisation, as soon as possible after project completion 
• considerable potential to significantly benefit the UK economy or national productivity 

• the benefits of participants from the countries working together and how this adds value 
• a clear definition of where intellectual property (IP) can be used and shared between the participants and countries 
• a clear route to market within 2 to 3 years of project completion 

Competition closes: 3 May 2023 11:00am 

Applicants notified: 7 August 2023 

More Information:   

The applications are open until 3 May 2023 11:00am. For more information and registration, please check here.  

RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK Smart Grants and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like help putting together a competitive proposal, please contact us today. 

by Jonny O'Rourke

UK – Germany Bilateral: Collaborative R&D

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK), and Innovate UK, a division of UK Research and Innovation, will be working together to invest up to £4 million in innovation projects. 

This competition aims to provide grant funding to foster business-led innovation collaboration between the UK and Germany. With the help of Innovate UK, UK companies can successfully partner with German companies and increase their chances of expanding internationally. 

Your proposal must enhance the growth of industrial goods, procedures, or technical services. The collaboration between the participants from the two nations must clearly benefit and bring value to your project. Increased innovation capacity, business opportunities, access to R&D infrastructure, or new application areas are a few examples of these. 

Your project must: 

• have a maximum grant funding request of £400,000 for all UK partners 
• start by 1 December 2023 
• end by 30 November 2026 

• last between 12 months and 36 months 

Your collaborative R&D proposal must demonstrate: 

• a clear game-changing or disruptive innovative idea leading to new products, processes or services 
• a strong and deliverable business proposal within your application that addresses and documents, market potential and needs 
• sound, practical financial plans and timelines 

• good value for money 
• how you intend to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment (ROI) and growth through commercialisation, within 2 to 3 years of project completion 
• clear potential to significantly benefit the UK economy or national productivity 
• the benefit of participants from the countries working together and how this adds value 
• a clear definition of where intellectual property (IP) can be used and shared between the participants and countries 

• a clear route to market within 2 to 3 years of project completion 

UK project partners are required to complete the majority of their project work in the UK and to plan to use the findings in the UK. Participants from the UK must apply to Innovate UK, while German partners must apply to the German ZIM programme. Grant funding must be awarded to the successful UK and German applications. A consortium must consist of only unrelated, independent legal entities. This is done to make sure that initiatives promote actual international cooperation rather than just corporate research. Under the parent company, connected businesses are treated as a single entity. 

Competition closes: 7 June 2023 11:00am 

Applicants notified: 1 September 2023 

More Information:   

The applications are open until 7 June 2023 11:00am. For more information and registration, please check here.  

RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK Smart Grants and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like help putting together a competitive proposal, please contact us today. 

by Jonny O'Rourke

Made Smarter Innovation: Industry ready Robotics and Automation

Up to £6 million will be invested in innovative projects by Innovate UK, a division of UK Research and Innovation. These will focus on robotics and automation innovation for advanced manufacturing processes to boost productivity, sustainability, and resilience. 

The objective of this competition is to create and present deployable robotics and automation solutions that are industrially ready and can be used in a factory production area. 

Your proposal must: 

• deliver a novel use of robotics or automation, or an innovative digital development. 
• overcome a technical challenge in a factory producing area's manufacturing operations 

Your project must: 

• have total costs between £200,000 and £4 million 
• not exceed the maximum grant limit of 50% of your total costs 
• start by 1 October 2023 
• end by 31 December 2024 
• last between 9 months and 15 months
• involve at least one factory
• include both manufacturing and digital technology capabilities in your consortium
• be applicable to at least one manufacturing sector
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK 

Funding type: Grant 

Project size: Your project’s total costs must be between £200,000 and £4 million. 

Competition opens: Thursday 19 January 2023 

Competition closes: Wednesday 5 April 2023 11:00am

More Information:  

The applications are open until Wednesday 1 March 2023 11:00am. For more information and registration, please check here. 

RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK Smart Grants and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like help putting together a competitive proposal, please contact us today. 

by Jonny O'Rourke

Innovation Loans Future Economy Competition: Round 8

Innovative UK offers loans up to £25 million to micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Loans are given to extremely cutting-edge, late-stage research and development (R&D) initiatives with the greatest future potential. A clear path to commercialization and economic impact ought to exist.  

Your project must yield in new innovative products, processes, or services that are far improved to those already on the market, or it must suggest an innovative use of an already existing products, processes, or services. Additionally, an innovative or creative business plan might be used. Your project must be centred on at least one of the future economy sectors included in the Innovate UK action plan. 

You must be able to show that you: 

• need public funding 
• can cover interest payments 
• will be able to repay the loan on time 

The available funds will be allocated among series of competitions, with the following round commencing on the day the preceding round concludes. 

To fund your project's eligible costs, you can apply for a loan between £100,000 and £2 million. The entire project, including the R&D and commercialization phases, may take up to 5 years. Beginning of projects are expected by September 1, 2023. 

• be a UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) 
• carry out your project from or in the UK 
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK 
• give evidence that your business is suitable to take on a loan 

Competition opens: Friday 13 January 2023 

Competition closes: Wednesday 8 March 2023 11:00am

More Information:  

The applications are open until Wednesday 1 March 2023 11:00am. For more information and registration, please check here. 

RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK Smart Grants and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like help putting together a competitive proposal, please contact us today. 

by Jonny O'Rourke

Innovate UK Smart grants: January 2023

Smart is a grant funding programme by Innovate UK. The scheme is designed to assist SMEs and their partners in developing disruptive innovations with the potential to contribute substantially to the UK's economic prosperity.

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation is investing up to £25 million in the most innovative concepts that have the potential to change the world and are geared toward successful commercialization. Truly original and creative concepts are required, not merely ones that are disruptive within their industry.

It is essential that your proposal is business-focused, with realistic, deliverable, adequately resourced plans for achieving returns on investment, growth, and market share following the completion of your project.

This round's Smart questions highlight the significance of achieving financial advantages from public support as well as the possibilities for successful commercialization, growth, and exports. Applications are accepted from any technological field that can be used in any sector of the economy, but not limited to net zero, the arts, design, and media.

Your project must:

• start by 1 October 2023
• end by 30 September 2026
• include at least one micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) as the lead or a collaborative grant claiming partner
• follow specific rules dependent on its duration
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Your project's scheduled completion date won't be extended. All funding for this round of the competition must end by the end by date.

If your project’s duration is 6 to 18 months, it must:

• have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £500,000
• be single or collaborative

If your project’s duration is 19 to 36 months, it must:

• have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £2 million
• be collaborative

You must only include eligible project costs in your application.

Scope

• a game-changing, innovative, and disruptive idea that will lead to new products, processes or services
• an idea that is significantly ahead of others in the field, set for rapid commercialisation
• clear potential to positively impact the UK’s position, productivity and competitiveness within the global economy
• a clear, evidence-based business plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment (ROI) and growth through commercialisation, as soon as possible after project completion
• why Smart funding is the right potential funding for your project, and the journey you have already been on to reach the point of application
• a team with the necessary skills and expertise to deliver the project successfully and on time, and to achieve rapid commercialisation
• awareness of all the main risks the project will face with realistic management, mitigation and impact minimisation plans for each risk
• sound, practical financial plans and timelines that represent good value for money, including the funding of post-project activities

Competition opens: Thursday 19 January 2023

Competition closes: Wednesday 26 April 2023 11:00am

More Information:

The applications are open until Wednesday 1 March 2023 11:00am. For more information and registration, please check here.

RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK Smart Grants and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like help putting together a competitive proposal, please contact ustoday.

by Jonny O'Rourke