The Technology Strategy Board issue a variety of calls across a range of industries and project types throughout the year. Below are some of the latest collaborative research and development calls for proposals and the dates which they open.
If you wish to discuss a project you are undertaking which may be relevant for one of these calls please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss a potential application
Current and Upcoming Calls
Technology Area – Formulated products – meeting the product and process design challenge
Programme – Collaborative R&D
Scope - The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to £5m in feasibility projects and collaborative research and development to accelerate the development of new ways of designing, improving and manufacturing complex high-value formulated products in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, food, agrochemicals, paints, adhesives, lubricants and formulated process chemicals. A further £1m is available for collaborative research and development from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Key Dates
- Open date – 29th April 2013
- Briefing Event – 1st May 2013
- Deadline for application – 19th June 2013 (Expression of Interest)
Investment – Strand 1 makes up to £5m available for collaborative R&D projects. These must be business-led, include an end user formulating company, and last one to three years. Businesses can attract up to 50% public funding for their project costs (60% for SMEs). Projects will focus mainly on industrial research.
Strand 2 offers up to £1m for feasibility projects. These must be business-led, may be collaborative or led by single companies, and should last six to nine months. Businesses can attract up to 65% public funding for their project costs (75% SMEs).
Projects are expected to have a total value (including grant and private sector contributions) of up to £1m for collaborative R&D and up to £100k for feasibility projects. Projects larger than this are eligible to apply but applicants should first contact competitions@innovateuk.org before submitting their expression of interest.
Technology Area – Nutrition for life - providing safe and healthy foods
Programme – Collaborative R&D
Scope - The Technology Strategy Board, together with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Scottish Enterprise, is to invest up to £8.5m to stimulate innovation in the food and drink sector.
Sitting between on food safety and quality, and forms a significant part of UK manufacturing output. The aim of this competition is to encourage innovative technologies and processes, to ensure that what we eat and drink can be made as safe and healthy as possible.
Key Dates
- Open date – 20th May
- Briefing Event – 21st May
- Deadline for application – 3rd June (Expression of Interest)
Investment – The competition comprises two strands:
Strand 1: Feasibility studies must be collaborative, and may attract up to 65% public funding of project costs (75% for SMEs). We expect feasibility study projects to range in size from £50k to £100k and to last from six to 12 months.
Strand 2: With collaborative R&D projects, we are primarily seeking to fund industrial research, with a business partner attracting 50% public funding of their project costs (60% for SMEs). We expect collaborative R&D projects to range in size from £250k to £1m and to last from one to three years.
Technology Area – Emerging Energy Technologies
Programme – Feasibility Studies
Scope - The Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are to invest jointly up to £3m in technical feasibility studies to stimulate innovation and support the development and commercialisation of emerging energy technologies.
The TSB have identifies the following as areas where targeted investment is timely and potentially of high impact:
• Improved integration of energy storage technologies into the energy system
• Novel low-carbon heat technologies
• Novel thermodynamic cycles
• Innovations that can deliver a step change in the cost or performance of low carbon sources of energy
Key Dates
• Open date – 10th June
• Briefing Event – 4th June & 11th June
• Deadline for application – 24th July
Investment – Projects must be led by a UK business and may be developed by a single company or be collaborative with other companies and/or universities. Proposals should be for feasibility studies and should be of a maximum of one year duration.
Technology Area – Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative
Scope - In December 2011 the Secretary of State announced the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative. Up to £125 million was made available through the first two rounds of the initiative to improve global competitiveness of UK advanced manufacturing supply chains by supporting innovative projects where the UK is well placed to take a global lead.
Key Dates
- Open date – 21st March 2013
- Briefing Event – 21st March 2013
- Deadline for application – 29th May 2013
Investment – Additional funding of £120M for two further AMSCI rounds was announced in the 2012 Autumn Statement. This will support research and development, skills training, and capital investment to help UK supply chains achieve world-class standards and encourage major new suppliers to locate in the UK.
The new rounds will be based around a single funding pot, and will be open to applications from all organisations operating as part of a manufacturing supply chain. Applicants who were previously unsuccessful in AMSCI Rounds 1 and 2 are also welcome to apply with improved versions of their project proposals.