Category / Business Engagement

Innovate UK – Open funding competition – £15m

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

InnovateUK_LogoA_Interim_RGBx320govuk[1]

This competion is open to the  best business–led ideas or concepts that can be drawn from any technology, engineering or industrial area, including Innovate UK’s four priority sectors for growth.

Projects may focus on:

•market research;

•technical feasibility;

•industrial research;

This call opens on 6 June.

For more information including dates and deadlines and competion scope  click here .

General competition guidance.

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

Funding opportunity – Developing impact through innovation (HEIF)

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

andrew archery

Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF): money available to support your business engagement and knowledge exchange ideas – call to open soon

HEFCE provide funding for knowledge exchange –  Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) to support and develop a broad range of knowledge-based interactions between universities and colleges and the wider world, which result in economic and social benefit to the UK. The current round of funding is referred to is HEIF 5+1+1 and runs until 31st July 2017.

BU has a proven track record with this funding stream and our success continues. Currently there are 13 live projects funded from HEIF 5+1. Examples of current projects can be found on the project pages on the BU research website and include:

Interim funding has been made available to run from 1 August 2016 to 31 July 2017. This is known as HEIF 5+1+1. (Funds cannot be carried over.)

A call will open soon and circulated internally inviting colleagues to bid for funds to run a 12 month HEIF 5+1+1 project.  (These innovative projects can be new or build on existing activity that may strengthen and/or facilitate future funding applications.)

These projects will need to reflect our interim strategy sent to HEFCE (as below):

“BU will continue to invest in innovation themes with a strong focus on network creation, with a particular focus on digital and creative industries, health and wellbeing, and regional development. The additional year of funding will enable BU to continue to develop our existing area in addition to investment to develop new innovations. This will allow BU to create innovations in key areas, whilst developing closer links with regional initiatives to enhance local development opportunities, working with the Dorset LEP and other organisations. We will also consider the use of HEIF funds to invest in effective mechanisms for engaging with business/industry. Our core strategy of investing in sector-specific themes with a strong focus on network creation remains; what has changed in light of emerging opportunities is the nature of the themes in which we will invest and the mechanisms through which we will engage with the region.”

Themes could include but are not exclusive to:

  • Biodiversity, Natural and Cultural Assets (e.g. environmental sciences, archaeology,)
  • Global Security
  • Healthcare technologies (e.g. sensors, robotics, virtual reality, augmented reality, gamification, mobile apps)
  • Economic growth and innovation.

Interdisciplinary working will need to be evident in successful proposals. Project boards including academics and external organisations will also need to be identified as part of the proposal.

If you are considering an application for HEIF funding you may find it helpful  to speak to the current HEIF project leads (HEIF 5+1: 01/08/15 – 31/07/16) to identify how best to develop your proposal and consider existing HEIF project activity where relevant.  More information is listed below:

 

PI PI email PI ext Title of proposal
Adrian Newton anewton@bournemouth.ac.uk 65670 Development of a toolkit for modelling natural capital
Alison McConnell amcconnell@bournemouth.ac.uk 62313 Final stage development and validation of a mobile device App to reduce blood pressure
Genoveva Esteban gesteban@bournemouth.ac.uk 68936 The Dorset Coast Digital Archive (DCDA)
Heather Hartwell hhartwell@bournemouth.ac.uk 61712 FoodSMART (proof of concept)
Hongnian Yu yuh@bournemouth.ac.uk 66150 Sensor-Integrated Urometer for measuring real-time urine output
Jian Chang jchang@bournemouth.ac.uk 61881 Virtual Prototyping of New Lifeboat Launching System with Unmanned Vehicles to Enhance Safety
Kathy Hodder khodder@bournemouth.ac.uk 66784 Enhancing Urban Green Space for Pollinators – Decision Making Hub
Kevin McGhee kmcghee@bournemouth.ac.uk 68189 Psychiatric Genetic Counselling for Healthcare Professionals (PGC4HP): First UK pilot study, regional knowledge exchange and global impact.
Mark Brisbane mbrisbane@bournemouth.ac.uk 65166 Building Roman Britain: Innovative investigations of Roman building material and knowledge exchange through museum interpretation and learning.
Richard Stillman rstillman@bournemouth.ac.uk 66782 Simply communicating complex research to inform environmental decision-making
Sarah Bate sbate@bournemouth.ac.uk 61918 Superior Face Recognition: Generating Knowledge Exchange with the Police Force
Stephen Jukes sjukes@bournemouth.ac.uk 65630 Hazardous environment training for journalists: a mobile training platform
Wen Tang wtang@bournemouth.ac.uk 62498 “PLUS” Knowledge Exchange Partnership Building with Regional Police Forces on Developing  New Police Training Methodologies Using Role-playing Games Technology

Keep an eye out on the staff intranet, research blog and other staff communication channels for updates as deadlines will be short. For more information on HEIF and other knowledge exchange opportunities, please contact Jayne Codling Knowledge Exchange Adviser (RKEO).

What’s new in KTP?

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

Innovate UK have recently announced new changes across their KTP programme.

“So what’s new in KTP?” (if you’re new to this acronym, an explanation can be found here)

I’m glad you asked.

  • Firstly, the application process has changed.  The previously known Expression of Interest form has now been removed from the process and replaced with a one-page optional Fact Finding Form.  There is also a new application form that is shorter than the previous form yet more or less requires the same information as the previous application form.  This has changed to be more in line with other Innovate UK competitions
  • Innovate UK do not want to see applications for multiple projects with the same company.  A project would have to be deemed as exceptional to receive KTP funding for a third project with a company
  • There are six submission deadlines a year and each deadline is classed as a separate competition and thus each proposal will be ranked among the applications within that competition
  • The awarding process will no longer approve applications subject to amendments – applications will now either be awarded or rejected
  • The Associate employment costs caps as part of the project budget have been removed.  The total amount the partnership can request funding for is £35,000, though as ever, this request will need to be justified
  • The Associate recruitment is a solid nine months to recruit.  If a partnership fails to recruit an Associate in those nine months, the partnership will have to apply for funding again and resubmit their project application

The aim of these changes are to increase the speed of the KTP process to get projects started quicker and to simplify the process of KTP.

If you have any questions about these changes or KTP in general, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP) on (01202 9)61347 or email clarker@bournemouth.ac.uk

KTP@40-block-logo

Funding – 3D printing solutions

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation

InnovateUK_LogoA_Interim_RGBx320govuk[1]

Are you working with a business that may be interested in this funding opportunity?

Businesses can apply for a share of £4.5 million for innovation projects that develop smarter, better connected 3D printing solutions.

Innovate UK is investing up to £4.5 million in industrial research projects that will stimulate innovation in additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing.

Additive manufacturing is a well-established tool for rapid prototyping and tooling. It can provide direct production of end-use components and consumer goods. These can be in a wide variety of global market sectors – from medical devices to aerospace.

Businesses can apply for funding to help them explore and develop their wider digital manufacturing capability. Projects must show a significant innovation step in both additive manufacturing and connected digital manufacturing.

Competition information

  • the competition opens on 23 May 2016
  • applicants must register before noon on 20 July 2016
  • a UK-based business must lead the project and work with at least one other business
  • businesses could receive up to 70% of their project costs for industrial research
  • we expect projects to last between 1 and 3 years
  • we expect total eligible project costs for each project to be between £500,000 and £1.5 million
  • there will be a briefing event for potential applicants in London on 7 June 2016

Click here for more information.

Competion brief can be found here.

Innovate UK launches £15m manufacturing call

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

InnovateUK_LogoA_Interim_RGBx320govuk[1]
Innovate UK has opened a £15-million competition to support the development of novel technologies or production processes across the manufacturing industry.

Projects need to focus on identified technical or commercial challenges. Innovate UK will fund projects that aim to lead to increased UK SME productivity, competitiveness and growth.

Projects need to be led by a business and must involve at least one SME. They can be carried out by an SME working alone or in collaboration with other organisations. Projects with costs of £100,000 or more must involve working with other partners

Innovate UK are looking for projects which focus on any of the technical feasibility, industrial research or experimental development research categories.

Projects should last between 6 months and 3 years. They should range from total costs of £50,000 to £2 million.

Competition brief in full.

Competition guidance.

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

Opportunity to receive updates on knowledge exchange and innovation (AURIL Membership)

Business Engagement, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

AURIL

 

Association for University and Research Links  (AURIL) is the professional association representing all practitioners involved in knowledge creation, development and exchange in the UK and Ireland who work to ensure that new ideas, technologies and innovations flow from their institution into the market place. AURIL has more than 1600 members from universities and public sector research establishments across Europe.

The Association enjoys widespread international recognition through its success in influencing UK government policy. It has strong working relations with the Confederation of British Industry, Universities UK, the UKIPO, the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), HM Treasury and Higher Education Funding Councils.

Bournemouth University is a member of this association with a number of academic and professional services support staff members of AURIL.

A number of events are co-ordinated by AURIL during the year including the annual conference – a good way of keeping up-to-date with  what is happening within the sector aswell as a chance to network and meet industry contacts. For more information on this association click here.

You can also opt in to receive regular updates on topics such as EU funding, Local Economic Partnerships (LEP), Student Enterprise & Employability, CPD, Knowledge Exchange. To check out the full list of topics and to be added or to  update your current listing please contact Jayne Codling in RKEO.

The next series of updates will be sent by the end of the month so get your request in soon!

Business networking session – virtual and augmented reality

Business Engagement, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

impact wordle 2

A networking session will take place on 23 May as part of “Impact Week, with the aim of to taking  a closer look at how research can have an impact and make a difference beyond academia, and the ways in which this can be achieved. Developing relationships with external organisations in order to form partnerships and collaborations are just one such way in which to recognise potential “need” for  research.

This is a themed networking session: H2H – bringing research to life (Human2Human). A business networking event on the topic of virtual and augmented reality

Time: 14.30-16.00

Location: PG10 – Talbot campus

Event description:

Virtual and augmented reality offers users new ways of perceiving and interacting with the digital world.  Not limited to the entertainment sectors, this approach can be adopted for both technical and industrial contexts.

This drop in session provides an opportunity to find out more about the topic and approaches currently being undertaken both within and outside the university.  Attendees will have the opportunity to network with academics from BU and local industry partners that may already be involved in projects or are keen to develop collaborations within this area.

Find out more and book now via Eventbrite

 

 

 

 

‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ – Damien Lee

Business Engagement

The Business School and Centre for Entrepreneurship were delighted to welcome Damien Lee to the EBC yesterday for the fourth in our series of ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ seminars.

Damien Lee, founder of Mr Lee’s Noodles Company Ltd, is an adventurous and focused entrepreneur with a vision to create affordable, healthy fast food options, particularly for young people.

Mark Painter, Business Development Manager for The Business School, said, ‘Damien has founded and run many successful businesses across a diverse range of sectors including oil, leisure and recruitment’, Mark added, ‘It was particularly interesting to hear Damien say that creating a business is ultimately about making money, however, at the same time, Damien believes enterprises should ensure they give something worthwhile back to those societies and communities they serve’.

A cancer survivor – once told “he only had weeks” – and a fervent believer in the role of food in health. Damien is passionate about supporting young people and through Mr Lee’s HEY Foundation aims to raise awareness of the importance of eating good food (Health), provide life coaching (Educate) and encourage young people to get active and set personal goals (Youth).

This was a great opportunity for students and staff to hear about Damien’s personal journey as an entrepreneur and learn more about his own experiences as a business owner and his approach to founding and growing an innovative business.

In recognition of Damien’s support for BU’s enterprise activities, at the end of the seminar Mark Painter invited Damien to join the Centre for Entrepreneurship’s cohort of Entrepreneurs in Residence. Mark Painter said, ‘I’m delighted that Damien is able to join our group of Entrepreneurs in Residence and we very much look forward to seeing Damien at further events in the future.’

More information about Mr Lee’s Noodles Company Ltd can be found at www.mrleesnoodles.com

Details of future events being organised by the Centre for Entrepreneurship can be found at www.bucfe.com

 

 

Vocational Learning Technology Fund

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities

online training

The aim of this Ufi Charitable Trust investment programme is to offer early-stage funding of up to £50k to organisations that are looking to develop new services or improve access to and delivery of adult learning through the imaginative use of digital technology. This programme will provide funding and support to help ventures in developing their ideas into a more robust digital product or service. Click here for more information, including  funding criteria and deadlines.

 

 

New £10 million community business fund

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities

coins money

Power to Change, a community enterprise support organisation, has launched a new £10 million Community Business Fund, which will provide grants of between £50,000 and £300,000 to community enterprises in England.

The funding is intended to increase the social impact of community enterprises and support them to increase trading income, secure assets or reduce costs.

Find out more here.

Pollinator Exchange HEIF project connects practitioners and academics in common pursuit of urban pollinator conservation

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

Pollinators are vitally important ecosystem service providers. They have been credited with being responsible for pollinating one-third of the food we eat; indeed many of our crops are wholly or partially dependent on insect pollination. Hence, the decline in pollinator populations has been a cause of concern not just for scientists, but for governments and the public at large. In the UK, this has led to an official government strategy on how to best protect our pollinators: the National Pollinator Strategy (Defra 2014).

Taking into account the growing number of studies that show the vitally important role urban areas can play in pollinator conservation, the strategy recognises pollinator-friendly management across towns and cities as a key component in nationwide efforts to halt their decline. While understanding of urban pollinators’ needs and experience in managing urban green spaces for their benefit is accumulating, it can often be difficult for practitioners to find the practical advice they need to implement the right measures. This was highlighted at a recent meeting co-organised by Defra and the University of Bristol’s Urban Pollinators Project which recommended the establishment of a central repository of information for urban practitioners.

BU’s Pollinator Exchange HEIF project, launched in October 2015 collaboratively between the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Media School, aims to fulfil this role. It will result in an online portal that links practitioners, academics, NGOs, private gardeners, ecological consultants and anyone else with an active interest in urban pollinator conservation. Users are invited to share relevant guidelines, case studies, summaries of peer-reviewed papers and other content that will help urban green space managers make pollinator-friendly choices based on the latest evidence.

The project is supported by Bournemouth Borough Council and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. A stakeholder workshop in May will provide potential users with the opportunity to comment on the portal’s content and usability, ensuring it will be both useful and intuitive when launched in July. For questions or feedback, please contact Project Manager Kathy Hodder (khodder@bournemouth.ac.uk) or Research Assistant Arne Loth (aloth@bournemouth.ac.uk).

‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ – Simon Phelps

Business Engagement

The Business School and Centre for Entrepreneurship were delighted to welcome Simon Phelps, BU Alumni and founder of Fluvial Innovations Ltd, to the Executive Business Centre in the latest in this series of ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ seminars.

These seminars provide an opportunity for BU students and staff to hear the personal journey of a profiled entrepreneur and learn more about their experiences as business owners and their approach to founding and growing an innovative business.

Simon Phelps founded Fluvial Innovations Ltd alongside BU in 2006 and designed, developed and patented the modular flood barrier, Floodstop. Floodstop was specifically designed to fill a gap within the market for a functional and rapidly deployable flood barrier. (www.fluvial-innovations.co.uk)

Floodstop is used throughout the UK, US and parts of Europe and won the Emergency Planners Society’s Award for Most Innovative Product of The Year 2009, was voted “The Most Innovative Product of 2009” by the Emergency Planning Society and was Winner of Climate Week – Best Climate Ready Initiative 2013.

Simon’s achievements include UK South West Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 and HSBC Start-Up Stars Regional Finalist 2008.

Mark Painter, Business Development Manager for the Business School commented, ‘Simon is one of our highly valued ‘Entrepreneurs in Residence’ and we very much appreciate the time he spends supporting our enterprise activities.’ Mark added, ‘It was fascinating hearing about the Floodstop story which started whilst Simon was studying at BU. One of Simon’s key messages to anyone thinking of starting their own business is to remember it is not just about selling a product or service it is about creating a profitable and sustainable business model which will require a considerable amount of time and commitment.’

The next seminar in this series of ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ events is on Wednesday 4th May and will profile local entrepreneur, Damien Lee, founder of Mr Lee’s Noodles Company Ltd. For more information and to book your place click here www.bucfe.com/events

 

 

Invitation to FoodBIZ event – Food@BU 18th May 2016

Business Engagement, conferences, HEIF

On behalf of Professor Heather Hartwell and Professor Dimitrios Buhalis.

foodsmart-logo destination-feelgood-logo

Dear colleagues,

This is an invitation from Professor Heather Hartwell to attend FoodBiz – the Food Research and Innovation @ BU celebration, on Wednesday 18th May 2016 at Bournemouth University, Executive Business Centre (7th floor).

 This FREE event brings together industry and academic partners to celebrate our Food Research and Innovation in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality at Bournemouth University to share findings from research and to take ideas forward within the health and wellness agenda. 

Guest speakers include industry professionals, and an update on the latest research from Bournemouth University.

The event is aimed at businesses and organisations in a range of sectors including food, tourism, hospitality and those associated with nutrition/health operating locally, nationally and internationally.

The programme themes include:

Food Innovation – Chair Professor Heather Hartwell

The research and innovation activities at BU exploit complementary competences and enable the sharing ofknowledge and ideas from research to market (and vice-versa).

 Food@BU4U – Chair Dr Sean Beer

How can the university benefit not only the user but also the foodservice industry, creating opportunities for a business to become aligned with a lifestyle product, and as a result corporate health, in a way which is novel, innovative and demonstrates excellence in science?

 Food science at work – Chair Crispin Farbrother

Bournemouth University’s research in food is international, broad and multidisciplinary.

 

We look forward to welcoming you and co-creating the future of Food Research and Innovation.

Please see the agenda and register for FREE here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/foodbiz-tickets-19780427792 

Follow us on Twitter: @EU_FoodSMART and visit www.foodsmartproject.net 

For more information please contact: Carmen Martins: cmartins@bournemouth.ac.uk  

Amsterdam is European Capital of Innovation 2016

Business Engagement, innovation, international, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

euflag

Following the announcement of a shortlist of nine cities (including Glasgow and Oxford in the UK) in January, Amsterdam has emerged as the winner of the 2016 European Capital of Innovation Award.

The city was chosen for its “holistic vision of innovation related to four areas of urban life: governance, economics, social inclusion, and quality of life” by a panel of independent experts – “for embracing a bottom-up approach based on smart growth, startups, livability and digital social innovation.”

An interesting read and some interesting videos and presentations from  the winners and runners up and those short listed.

Useful information for those following research into such topics as  smart cities, innovation , ecosystems.

In full.

Press release.

 

What does Innovate UK’s latest delivery plan mean to industry ?

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

InnovateUK_LogoA_Interim_RGBx320govuk[1]

Innovate UK   have just published the 2016/17 Delivery Plan. In it, you will discover some important changes in the way  they intend to support business innovation.

Key areas of the delivery plan include:

  • a new sector focus – that is easier for industry, investors and government to work with
  • changing the frequency and nature of our sector funding competitions – so that they are broader in scope than previously and form a single stream of innovation funding
  • forming a single ‘open’ funding programme –  for applications from any technology or sector
  • enhancing the role of our innovation networks – in providing guidance and support to innovative businesses both nationally and regionally

To find out more read more on their blog: A whistle-stop tour of our delivery plan or check  out the website