R&D Funding Opportunities

In Spring 2022, the UK government announced its largest ever investment in R&D for the period 2022-2025 of £39.8bn.

The majority of funding is being delivered through the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and its partner organisations. The budget allocations will allow the government to deliver on the ambitions set out in its Innovation Strategy.

What does it mean for my organisation?

R&D grant funding helps to de-risk the innovation process. Accessing public funds allows organisations to create new and innovative products, processes and services with less investment of their own required.

This significant Government investment in innovation means there are numerous R&D funding opportunities available for academia, small, medium and large businesses across a wide range of sectors. However, navigating this funding landscape can be time consuming and complex.

As part of our commitment to help support and commercialise innovation, FIS360 is minimising the effort you need to find the funding you require by signposting you to the most up to date information on public sector R&D funding. We are also offering to send funding alerts to those organisations who wish to be kept up to date on new funding opportunities.

Where to look?

There is no ‘one-stop-shop’ that tells you about all of the available funding sources, however, there are a number of useful sites that between them, signpost you to the vast majority of the available public sector R&D funding opportunities:

The Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTN) Funding Opportunities page covers most UK public sector funding, EU opportunities and also private sector challenges available through their own Innovation Exchange programme.

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Finder covers all of the funding competitions run by UKRI including all of the Research Councils.

The Innovate UK Innovation Funding Service (IFS) covers all funding competitions (grants, loans and R&D contracts) run by Innovate UK both on their own behalf and on behalf of other Government Departments.

For Ministry of Defence (MoD) funded opportunities related to the Defence and Security sectors and technology transfer, the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) website provides information of open innovation competitions, innovation focus areas and themed competitions.

Game Changers is managed by FIS360. in partnership with NNL and funds feasibility and proof of concept projects that address challenges set by the nuclear sector. It also provides invaluable access to the end users

The Net Zero Technology Centre, is a public/private partnership based in Aberdeen. It funds R&D challenges to drive investment in net zero-related technologies. Its funding opportunities can be found here.

NB. Whilst the above sites capture the significant majority of the Governments announced.

R&D. funding, we recognise that other funding opportunities may exist.

Opportunities

Here are some of the most recent public sector R&D funding opportunities:

Gov.uk Funding

Innovate UK Smart Grants: July 2022

Key features:

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovation that can significantly impact the UK economy. This funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.

This competition is open to single applicants and collaborations.

Opening date: 28th July 2022

Closing date: 26th October 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Women in Innovation Awards 2022/23

Key features:

Women with exciting, innovative ideas who will inspire others can apply for an award which includes a £50,000 grant and bespoke business support.

This competition is open to single applicants only.

To lead a project you must be a woman founder, co-founder or senior decision maker within a UK registered micro or SME business that has been operating for at least one year by the competition closing date.

Opening date: 22nd August 2022

Closing date: 19th October 2022

Apply here
SNM stores inspection - corrosion

SNM stores inspection - corrosion

Key features:

Sellafield Ltd would like to explore opportunities to improve their understanding of the corrosion of a supporting steel framework inside a difficult to access store environment.

Closing date: 20th October 2022

Apply here
SNM package inspections - ex-situ

SNM package inspections - ex-situ

Key features:

Sellafield Ltd would like to explore opportunities for the capture of accurate and reproducible images of the entire surface of SNM packages during ex-situ inspection. This includes the top and bottom of the cylinder as well as the sides.

Closing date: 20th October 2022

Apply here

SNM package inspections - in-situ

Key features:

Sellafield Ltd would like to explore opportunities to obtain accurate and reproducible images at precise locations on the surface of SNM packages whilst resident in store.

Closing date: 20th October 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

DASA Competition: Defence Innovation Loans

Key features:

Loans of up to £1.6m with a below market interest rate of 7.4% per annum to help convert mature defence innovation into a strong business proposition for defence procurement.
Open indefinitely
Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Knowledge transfer partnerships (KTP): 2022 to 2023 Round 4

Key features:

Innovate UK: UK registered academic institutions, RTOs or Catapults can apply for a share of up to £9 million to fund innovation projects with businesses or not for profits.

To lead a project your organisation must:

  • be a UK registered higher education or further education institution, research and technology organisation (RTO) or Catapult
  • The business must contribute to the project’s costs. collaborate with a UK registered business of any size, charity or charitable business with 2 or more full time employees
Opening date: 20th September 2022
Closing date: 16th November 2022
Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Innovation Loans Future Economy Competition – Round 6

Key features:

Innovate UK: UK registered businesses can apply for loans for innovative projects with strong commercial potential to significantly improve the UK economy.

This competition is open to single small and medium sized enterprise (SME) applicants registered in the UK.

Opening date: 20th September 2022
Closing date: 9th November 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

SSPP Future Plastic Packaging Solutions – Round 2

Key features:

Innovate UK: UK registered businesses and organisations can apply for a share of up to £2.5 million for early-stage and mid-stage projects in smart and sustainable plastic packaging.

Eligibility:This competition is open to single applicants and collaborations.

Opening date: 12th September 2022
Closing date: 9th November 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

SBRI: Healthy Ageing scaling social ventures

Key features:

Innovate UK: Organisations can apply for a share of up to £3 million, inclusive of VAT, to scale products and services to support healthy ageing.

To lead a project, you can:
  • be an organisation of any size that exists to provide benefits to society
  • work alone or with other organisations as subcontractors

Contracts will be awarded to a single legal entity only.

Opening date: 5th September 2022
Closing date: 19th October 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Ofgem Round 2: Discovery – Supporting a just energy transition

Key features:

Innovate UK/Ofgem: Projects can range in size up to total eligible costs of £150,000, exclusive of VAT.

This competition is open to single applicants only.

To lead a project, you must:
  • be an Ofgem licensed electricity or gas distribution network, transmission operator, or electricity system operator (ESO)
  • work with a consumer representative group or relevant charity
  • work with a relevant local government entity

Competition Opened: 5th September 2022
Competition Closes: 23rd November 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Ofgem Round 2: Discovery – Preparing for a net zero power system

Key features:

Innovate UK/Ofgem Projects can range in size up to total eligible costs of £150,000, exclusive of VAT.

This competition is open to single applicants only.

To lead a project, you must:

  • be an Ofgem licensed electricity or gas distribution network, transmission operator, or electricity system operator (ESO)
  • work with an organisation with expertise focused on data and digitalisation approaches
  • work with at least one other network licensee in addition to the Project Lead, an electricity transmission, electricity distribution or electricity system operator network licensee
  •  

Competition Opened: 5th September 2022
Competition Closes: 23rd November 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Ofgem Round 2: Discovery – Improving energy system resilience and robustness

Key features:

Innovate UK/Ofgem Projects can range in size up to total eligible costs of £150,000, exclusive of VAT.

This competition is open to single applicants only.

To lead a project, you must:

  • be an Ofgem licensed electricity or gas distribution network, transmission operator, or electricity system operator (ESO)
  • work with an academic partner or Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) with the appropriate capabilities
  •  

Competition Opened: 5th September 2022
Competition Closes: 23rd November 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Ofgem Round 2: Discovery – Accelerating decarbonisation of major energy demands

Key features:

Innovate UK/Ofgem: Projects can range in size up to total eligible costs of £150,000, exclusive of VAT.

This competition is open to single applicants only.

To lead a project, you must:

  • be an Ofgem licensed electricity or gas distribution network, transmission operator, or electricity system operator (ESO)
  • work with a relevant local government entity
  •  

Competition Opened: 5th September 2022
Competition Closes: 23rd November 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Mindset extended reality (XR) for digital mental health: strand 2

Key features:

Innovate UK: UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £4 million across two strands of the competition. This is for R&D projects that provide digital mental health therapeutic solutions.

This competition is open to single applicants and collaborations.

Opening date: 2nd September 2022
Closing date: 12th October 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Improving Observation Capabilities of Biodiversity in UK Waters

Key features:

Innovate UK: UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £750,000 for innovation projects that can improve the observation and assessment capabilities of biodiversity in the UK’s waters. This funding is from DEFRA.

This competition is open to both single applicants and collaborations.

You must involve at least one micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

Opening date: 31st August 2022
Closing date: 5th October 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Farming Innovation Programme small R&D partnership projects R2

Key features:

Innovate UK: UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £11million for Small R&D Partnership Projects from the Industry-led R&D Partnerships Fund, a part of the Farming Innovation Programme.

This competition is open to collaborations only.

Opening date: 31st August 2022
Closing date: 2nd November 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Farming Innovation Programme - feasibility round 2

Key features:

Innovate UK: UK registered businesses can apply for a share of £5.5 million for feasibility projects, from the Industry-led R&D Partnerships Fund, a part of the Farming Innovation Programme.

This competition is open to collaborations only.

Opening date: 31st August 2022
Closing date: 12th October 2022

Apply here
Gov.uk Funding

Biomedical Catalyst 2022 Round 2: Industry-led R&D

Key features:

Innovate UK:UK registered SMEs can apply for a share of up to £25 million to develop innovative solutions to health and healthcare challenges. This funding is from Innovate UK.

This competition is open to single applicants and collaborations.

To lead a project your organisation must be a UK registered micro, small or  medium-sized enterprise (SME).

Opening date: 15th August 2022
Closing date: 12th October 2022

Apply here

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