Tagged / Innovate UK

SMART awards – Support for innovative SMEs

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

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SMART  is a grant scheme which offers funding to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in R&D projects in the strategically important areas of science, engineering and technology, from which successful new products, processes and services could emerge.
The scheme supports SMEs carrying out R&D which offers potentially significant rewards and that could stimulate UK economic growth.
Three types of grant are available:
  • Proof of market
  • Proof of concept
  • Development of prototype.
Any UK SME undertaking research and development may apply; applications are accepted on a rolling basis for assessment by independent experts.
 This call closes on 26 November 2015 at 12.00.

Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) – latest calls

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

SBRI

 

The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) is a well established process to connect public sector challenges with innovative ideas from industry, supporting companies to generate economic growth and enabling improvement in achieving government objectives.

SBRI provides innovative solutions to challenges faced by the public sector, leading to better public services and improved efficiency and effectiveness. It generates new business opportunities for companies, provides small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) a route to market for their ideas and bridges the seed funding gap experienced by many early stage companies. It supports economic growth and enables the development of innovative products and services through the public procurement of research and development (R&D).

The following is the list of recently opened & upcoming SBRI funding competitions.

£2.5m funding for Advancing the commercial applications of graphene

Funding opportunities, innovation

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Innovate UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are investing up to £2.5 million in technical feasibility studies to target the applications of graphene with the greatest commercial potential.

More information on this competition.

Competition briefing & other supporting events:

Several briefing & consortium building events are being held  for this competition. In addition to learning more about the competition and scope, and meeting others working in the graphene industry, you will have the opportunity to pitch for collaborators. You are strongly encouraged to attend one or more of these events.

Event    Date   Location   Link to register 
Competition briefing event 8th September Cardiff Register here
Competition briefing event 23rd September London Register here
Competition briefing event 7th October Newcastle Register here

In addition to  Venturefest Manchester on 22 September a short briefing session on this competition will be given at the graphene breakfast meeting.

Queries

For queries about this competition, please contact support@innovateuk.gov.uk

 

 

Top tips for completing business and knowledge exchange funding applications

Guidance, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

For those involved in business and business planning some of  this information would not necessarily be new, however very important when completing any funding application or competition where Innovate UK are the main funder.  Innovate UK is the new name for the Technology Strategy Board and  fund, support and connect innovative businesses to accelerate sustainable economic growth.

A short guide to  to help make clear what an assessor for Innovate UK competitions is looking for has been produced. All of the Innovate UK funding programmes follow a similar pattern and you should bear in mind that the questions are designed to help rather than trip you up. It is important that you answer the questions asked and cover all aspects the Guidance for Applicants describes.
 
Try and  use the language they are looking for: the easier you make it for the assessor to understand and check off the information they seek, the more likely the proposal will score highly. The guidance is noted under 10 headings as follows :
  1. Business opportunity
  2. The market
  3. Exploitation
  4. Benefits,
  5. Project plan
  6. Innovation
  7. Risks
  8. Skills/ Project Consortium
  9. Finances
  10. Additionality

This is a user friendly document and worth reading to assist with  applications for funding large or small!

Horizon 2020 – Innovate UK Webinars

Funding opportunities

The Knowledge Transfer Network invite you to H2020
Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market. The Knowledge Transfer Network in partnership with Innovate UK, is hosting a series of support workshops and events to assist business in accessing, partnering for, and understanding the opportunities presented by Horizon 2020. 
Webinars Announced…
15th Oct; H2020 Webinar: Energy Efficient Buildings Calls (EeB) 2015
 
21st Oct; H2020 Webinar: 2015 Calls for Proposals for Low Carbon Energy projects including renewable electricity, renewable heat, smart grids and energy storage
22nd Oct; H2020 Webinar: 2015 Calls for Proposals for Energy Efficiency projects
 23rd Oct; H2020 Webinar: 2015 Calls for Proposals for Smart Cities and Communities projects
 
20th-21st Nov, London; Pilot Live event: H2020 International Proposal Exercise on Built Environment Calls (EeB and EE)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Past Events 
European Funding for the Materials & Nanotechnology, Chemistry & Manufacturing Communities – Presentations available here.
Sustainable Value Chains – European funding for innovation in sustainable use and supply of resources – Presentations available here.
Get in Touch 
claire.claessen@ktn-uk.org

 
Support for a wide variety of business applying to H2020
The Knowledge Transfer Network events will provide support to a wide spectrum of businesses through a combination of information, networking, pitching, drop in surgeries & consortia building events.
Dates have been announced for a series of webinars covering Energy Efficient Buildings, Low Carbon Energy, Energy Efficiency and Smart Cities  & Communities. Details can be found below.Get involved

Which EU Internet of Things Large Scale Pilots? Consultation and Invitation for Commitment: This is your chance to influence what goes into the work programme – and show some willing, if you are so inclined. Participate here.
15th October; H2020 Webinar: Energy Efficient Buildings Calls (EeB) 2015
The webinar  will present the current Horizon 2020 Call for Proposals for Energy Efficient Buildings projects. The current Call for Proposals has a budget of 72M€ and includes topics on design tools for refurbishment of buildings, buildings design for new highly energy performing buildings and integrated approaches to retrofitting of residential buildings.
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 21st October; H2020 Webinar: 2015 Calls for Proposals for Low Carbon Energy projects including renewable electricity, renewable heat, smart grids and energy storage
This webinar will highlight the forthcoming opportunities in Horizon 2020 Energy within the Low Carbon Energy Call topics. 
More >>
     
22nd October; H2020 Webinar: 2015 Calls for Proposals for Energy Efficiency projects
This webinar will highlight the forthcoming opportunities in Horizon 2020 Energy within the Energy Efficiency Call topics. 
More >>
     
23rd October; H2020 Webinar: 2015 Calls for Proposals for Smart Cities and Communities projects    
 
This webinar will highlight the forthcoming opportunities in Horizon 2020 Energy within the Smart Cities and Communities Call topics. 
 
More >>
     
20th-21st November, London; H2020 International Proposal Exercise on Built Environment Calls (EeB and EE)
 
The aim of this event is to facilitate the creation of potential consortia and smart proposals for 2015 around the EeB calls (Industrial Leadership) and the EE (societal challenge). The event is open only to 60 delegates with a max of 40 from UK and max of 20 from Europe. Please note that your registration is subject to approval by the Knowledge Transfer Network.
 

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For even more information, please go to the KTN website and register on _connect, Innovate UK’s information portal, to receive personal updates relevant to you.