Innovate UK is investing £15 million in R&D – strike while the iron’s hot

By Brigette Currin 2 minute read

Here in the East, we tend to hide our light under a bushel. According to figures in the Innovate UK funded-project catalogue 2004-Oct 2015, New Anglia has fewer large companies and academic organisations that have been awarded grant funding over the past 10 years than the UK average.  For every company that successfully applies for grant funding, the New Anglia average grant value is below the UK average. Let’s do something about it.

Innovate UK is offering to invest up to £15 million in innovative R&D projects nationwide, to help businesses develop new products, processes and services with commercial potential. The aim is to enhance UK competitiveness, growth and improve national productivity.

The competition is open to the best business-led ideas or concepts. These can be drawn from any technology, engineering or industrial area, including Innovate UK’s 4 priority sectors for growth.

The competition will be open to both small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies, which can work individually or collaboratively.

Projects should focus on:

  • market research
  • technical feasibility
  • industrial research
  • experimental development

They can range in size from total eligible project costs of £25,000 up to £1 million, depending on the type of project.

The competition opens on 6 June 2016, so get your skates on and get applying!