Hello and welcome to the October 2019 edition of my funding opportunities blog.
In this funding blog you will find millions of pounds worth of government investment into research and development (R&D). The modern Industrial Strategy is now in place and an up to £4.7 billion challenge fund for R&D is starting to be pumped into UK organisations via these highly competitive competitions. For this reason, Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (Dorset LEP) has a fully funded Bid Writing Support Service to help Dorset organisations to win some of this money.
In the past month we have supported 4 companies looking to bid into future funding competitions and have helped 2 companies to submit bids into competitions that closed in October. If you are a Dorset-based organisation looking to lead or partner on a challenge fund / IUK competition then you can apply for one-to-one support with our fully-funded specialist bid writing service by clicking here.
Here are some of the latest competitions from Innovate UK (click on the blue links for more information):
SBRI UK Global Navigation Satellite System: receiver concept development
UK businesses can apply for funding to explore the development of receivers for a future UK Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
Closes: 13 November 2019
Commercialising quantum technology: technology projects round 1, expression of interest
UK businesses can express an interest in applying for a share of up to £30 million to collaborate on quantum technology development projects. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
Closes: 27 November 2019
Driving the electric revolution: building regional centres of excellence
Up to £30 million is available to create regional centres of excellence for the development, prototyping and scale up of power electronics, machines and drives technologies. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
Closes: 4 December 2019
NATEP: helping SMEs innovate in aerospace, autumn 2019
UK micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can apply for a share of up to £2.5 million for industry led civil aerospace research projects.
Closes: 4 December 2019
Innovate UK Smart Grants: October 2019
Opportunity to apply for a share of up to £25 million to deliver ambitious or disruptive R&D innovations that can make a significant impact on the UK economy.
Closes: 8 January 2020
SBRI: modernising energy data access and information, phase 1
In this first phase applicants can apply for a share of up to £480,000 for modernising energy data access. This is being funded by Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, in collaboration with BEIS and Ofgem.
Closes: 8 January 2020
Agri-tech catalyst round 9: agriculture and food systems innovation, early stage
Agri-tech catalyst round 9: agriculture and food systems innovation, mid stage
Agri-tech catalyst round 9: agriculture and food systems innovation, late stage
UK organisations can apply for a share of up to £5 million across three competitions to work on agri-tech and food chain innovations in Africa.
Closes: 8 January 2020
UK-China: precision for enhancing agricultural productivity
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £5 million to work with Chinese partners to develop new integrated precision farming technology and help achieve net-zero emissions. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
Closes: 22 January 2020
ISCF transforming foundation industries: fast start projects
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of £5 million for fast start projects to improve the resource and energy efficiency of foundation industries. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
Closes: 5 February 2020
Other funding opportunities:
SBRI: innovation in automated tunnel examination
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1.5 million, plus VAT, for projects that develop and demonstrate innovation to automate the examination of tunnels.
Closes: 13 November 2019
SBRI: innovation in rail security surveillance analytics, phase 1
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £968,000, plus VAT, for innovations that demonstrate security surveillance analytics in Network Rail stations.
Closes: 13 November 2019
GCRF demonstrate impact in meeting the sustainable development goals: phase 1
Organisations can apply for a share of up to £9.3 million to demonstrate market-creating innovations in lower income countries and emerging economies. This funding is Official Development Assistance from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).
Closes: 13 November 2019
Enabling data access in accountancy, insurance and legal services: CR&D
Apply for a share of up to £3.5 million from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, to enable data access and innovation in accountancy, insurance and law.
Closes: 20 November 2019
Innovation loans: September 2019 open competition
Loans for game-changing innovations with strong commercial potential that will significantly improve the UK economy.
Closes: 27 November 2019
ISCF healthy ageing trailblazers: stage 1
This is stage 1 of a 2-stage competition. A total fund of up to £2 million is on offer for stage 1 to conduct research and develop a business plan for a healthy ageing ‘trailblazer’. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
Closes: 27 November 2019
CELTIC-NEXT autumn 2019: innovative 5G infrastructure and applications
UK organisations can apply for a share of up to £2 million for 5G collaborative R&D projects in the EUREKA CELTIC programme.
Closes: 11 December 2019
SME support to evaluate innovative medical technologies: round 5
UK registered SMEs can apply for a share of £1.5 million to support the evaluation of innovative medical devices, diagnostics and regulated digital health products.
Closes: 11 December 2019
Innovate UK Smart Grants: October 2019
Opportunity to apply for a share of up to £25 million to deliver ambitious or disruptive R&D innovations that can make a significant impact on the UK economy.
Closes: 8 January 2020
ISCF Future food production systems
Apply for a share of up to £20 million to transform food production systems, improve productivity and sustainability, and help the industry move towards net zero emissions by 2040. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
Closes: 22 January 2020
For all Innovate UK applications click here.