May 2021 funding landscape: Latest funding, awards and grants

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Scope of Call

•Any technological area.

•Game changing, innovative, ambitious, ready for commercialisation soon after project end.

•Strong business and delivery plan.

Aim: Any innovation with significant potential for growth or scale-up, taking customer and user needs into account.

Available funding: total £25m: For project durations between 6 & 18 months, total costs between £25k – £500k; project duration 19 to 36 months, total costs £25k – £2m. For costs up to £3 m, seek approval ten days before deadline.

Eligibility

•UK registered business or RTO.

•RTOs can partner, academics cannot lead.

Dates

•Closes: 26 May 2021 (11:00)

•Project start: by 1 November 2021 (latest)

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Key Considerations:

•Must be led by UK business, of any size.

•Project must include at least one micro or SME.

•Shorter (6-18 month) projects may be single SME, but more likely a collaboration led by business (large or SME).

•Larger projects must be collaborative. Non-grant claiming partners’ costs are included in total eligible project costs.

•Subcontractors permitted, no specified limit but must be justified and appropriate.

•Must demonstrate intention to commercially exploit project result(s).

•Funding level is function of project type (feasibility. industrial research, etc.) and organisation size.

•One resubmission allowed.

•Research partners max. 30% total costs.

•Highly competitive.

•Standard application form + EDI, additional financial considerations (e.g. for UID).

General Recommendations:

•A commercial exploitation path must be evident for all business partners.

•Preference is given to projects with potential for growth in global markets.

•There is a focus on identified customers and users to show value & potential of solution.

•Time to market is important.

•Clear project management approach, availability of necessary skills and appreciation of risks and their management is needed, i.e., strong project management should be evident in application.

•Need to identify if the project is feasibility (shorter, but higher funding levels), industrial research or experimental development (larger, but lower funding %).

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Any technological area, thus aligns to all NBIC themes.

•HEI’s cannot lead.

•Expectation of clear significant economic impact potential from an innovative, disruptive new product, with rapid commercialisation potential.

Sectors and Market Alignment:

•Typically any sector with potential for rapid growth & global reach.

•Customer & user needs must be evident.

•Projects can be feasibility, industrial research or experimental development.

•For small projects, a micro or SME must lead or be a collaborator; NBIC academics should try and partner.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

Relationship to PDME

•SMART projects applies to any technology area, but must have potential to be innovative / disruptive and be ahead of the field.

Possible application of Biofilms

•Competition welcomes projects that address the identified Grand Challenges, but is not a requirement; biofilms appear best suited to ageing society and clean growth (of UK economy). Cf. investment accelerator and SBRI competitions

Key Collaborators

•Public facing organisation giving customer/user component is beneficial.

•NBIC researchers can support associated SMEs, spin-outs or businesses.

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Scope of Call:

Medical devices and in vitro diagnostics.

Aim: Translational R&D of medical devices for NHS use, addressing any disease or health area where there is a clear unmet clinical need.

Available funding: total unspecified

Project costs: £unspecified; 3 – 5 years.

Grant: 100%; 80% (HEI.)

Eligibility: Lead: SME, NHS Trust, HEI.

Must include NHS Trust or NHS service provider

At least two organisations involved.

Dates: PDA22: opens: 14 April 2021, closes 9 June 2021

Challenge Awards Call 12 opens: 14 April 2021, closes 10 June 2021

Key Considerations

• Projects can be led by an SME, an HEI or NHS provider.

• Minimum of two organisations must be involved.

• At least one collaborator from NHS.

• Research proposals may address any disease or healthcare area.

• Technologies must already have demonstrated safety & efficacy.

• Proof of concept must exist already.

• Two-stage application process.

• Lead applicants must be based in England

• Project durations: 24 months (min.) and 36 months (max.)

General Recommendations:

• This competition is for projects that have already demonstrated proof of concept. Early stage research is not fundable.

• Any existing medical device for which further prototyping and development is needed can be funded

• Of particular interest is techniques or technologies from a different industry sector applied to the healthcare setting.

• A plan for adoption into the NHS is necessary, therefore partnering with an NHS trust or provider is essential.

• A commercial strategy showing how the product or technique will be taken to market is needed, that shows appreciation of the regulatory pathways for healthcare products.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

• This topic is of relevance to all NBIC themes, P, D, M & E.

Sectors and Market Alignment:

• Targeted at the healthcare sector specifically.

• R&D of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic devices.

• The target user is the NHS in the first instance; commercialisation partner could be a provider of services or product to the NHS.

• Target application must be somewhere that a clear clinical need has been identified, and where benefits over current practice can be shown.

• Project must present a significant innovation with the potential to change clinical practice, and show clear commercialisation strategy.

• Patient and public involvement (PPI) needs to be shown.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

Relationship to PDME

• P: protection of surfaces, cleaning and re-use of clinical instruments.

• D: sensing of microbial contaminants, in vitro detection and identification of pathogens.

• M: decontamination of surfaces, applying preventative surfaces to reduce cross-contamination.

• E: laboratory cultures for identifying or developing anti-microbial agents, development of screening processes using bio-film based instrumentation.

Key Collaborators

•NHS providers and clinicians.

• Suppliers of services or laboratory equipment to clinical settings.

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Scope of Call:

A funding opportunity for businesses and organisations in Scotland working in any sector where innovative projects have the ability to deliver carbon savings, leverage investment and create jobs

Aim: Development and uptake of innovative technologies, products and services to support a circular economy, exploring new markets and developing innovative business models

Available funding: total £18 m

Project costs: up to £1M

Grant: 25% (large); 35% (med.); 45% (small).

Eligibility: Lead: SME Business based in Scotland

Dates: Open competition: information and proposal form available on website.

Key Considerations:

•This is an opportunity for Scotland-based small businesses working in the circular economy

•Topics of interest are:

•Built environment

•Food systems

•Bio-economy

•Energy infrastructure

•Heat and Energy

•Waste

•Large companies (non SME) and public sector bodies including academic institutions are not eligible for funding under this scheme.

•Collaboration is actively encouraged where it strengthens the overall proposal, but note that only SMEs and registered 3rd party organisations are eligible for funding.

General Recommendations:

•Projects need to show how they will benefit the circular economy in Scotland

•Carbon savings should be presented in terms of tonnes CO2 equivalent

•The project may show how an innovative technology can add value to a ‘waste’ product or material

•Projects should be well advanced in development. Early-stage research or basic science projects are not supported under this fund.

•Proposed projects must outline the circular economy benefits of the project, and must plan to take a product, model, service, technology or invention towards commercial scale development.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Aligns with themes: Manage and Engineer.

•Aligns with NBIC’s activities: Next generation enabling tech; sectorial challenge; Improved Customer Products. Sectors and Market Alignment:

•Any sector in which carbon savings can be generated, or where industrial waste can be reclaimed and re-used. Collaboration:

•An opportunity for an SME NBIC member company based in, or operating in Scotland to work with small industrial companies and/or academic researchers or for a UK-based member company to ally with a large industrial concern in Scotland

•Other: Demonstration at commercial scale will be necessary

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

•Relationship to PDME

•Manage: New business models to re-use materials usually classed as waste, possibly due to bio-fouling; application of new approaches to manufacturing to reduce or sequester CO2 produced.

•Engineer: Create technologies to reduce bio-degradation of re-usable materials, creation of carbon reduction or sequestration processes or products

•Possible application of Biofilms

•Use in carbon sequestration or process modification for carbon reduction or materials re-use

•Key Collaborators

•See opposite.

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Scope of Call:

Part of the SSPP, Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Programme Smart & sustainable plastic packaging for consumer products.

Deliver cleaner growth across supply chains.

Aim: Deliver dramatic reduction in plastic waste entering the environment by 2025.

Available funding: total £48m: Project costs: £200k to £4m; Grant: 50% (large); 60% (med.); 70% (small).

Eligibility: Lead: Business, collaboration allowed, research organisations max of 50% total eligible costs

Dates: Opens:29 March 2021, closes: 30 June 2021

Key Considerations

•SSPP Challenge aims to establish the UK as a leading innovator.

•Projects must make plastics packaging supply chain more circular; deliver the targets of the UK Plastics Pact; embed life cycle thinking and end of life in packaging design and decisions.

•Must explain how the UK’s plastic packaging system’s overall environmental impact is reduced.

Particular interest in:

•Minimised plastic packaging

•Refill at scale

•Sustainable solutions for film

•Food grade recycled PP/PE

•Behavioural change for less waste

•Address Plastics Pact target for unnecessary or single use plastic packaging

General Recommendations

•These are business-led research projects, but must show clear target of their research in respect of the considerations.

•Clearly explain reductions in UK plastic packaging system’s overall environmental impact.

•Demonstrate contributing to meeting one or more of the UK Plastic Pact targets.

•The project can be a mix of industrial research and experimental development. The scale of the project would reflect this mix.

•Note that experimental development components of a bid carry lower recovery rates.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment

•Aligns with all themes: Prevent, Detect, Manage, Engineer.

•Aligns with NBIC’s activities: Interdisciplinary research and sectorial challenge; Improved Customer Products.

Sectors and Market Alignment: Any practical innovative solutions to help reduce plastic waste and the harm plastics have on the environment, including recycling, reuse, tracking, etc.

Collaboration: Ideal for an NBIC member company to collaborate with one or more of the NBIC University research teams.

Other: Demonstration of value for money will be expected.

NBIC Specific Recommendations

Relationship to PDME: 

•Prevent: bio-degradability; reuse & refill.

•Detect: marking & tracking of packaging to improve supply chain circularity or sustainability.

•Manage: New business models to reduce plastic going to landfill; behaviour change to use less packaging, increase recycling; reduce dependency on plastics.

•Engineer: Incorporate biofilms into packaging; develop food grade plastic packaging that may be recycled etc..

Possible application of Biofilms: As above plus low carbon, non fossil polymers for packaging.

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Scope of Call

•Innovation grants to facilitate interactions between Med Tech SMEs and Knowledge Providers during product development. For example, help to develop or test new or improved products, processes and services.

•Applications assessed on novelty of innovation, clinical need, value for money, strength of team.

Available funding: Up to £7,500 grant (50% of total project cost).

Dates:

Open call, next deadline 9 April 2021, Subsequent deadlines: 9 July, 8 October 2021.

Key Considerations

•SME applies for and justifies knowledge collaboration.

•Simple application process with regular awards committee reviews.

Typical projects include:

•Help to develop or test new or improved products, processes and services.

•Access to information and expertise on care pathways and workflows.

•Tapping into clinical and scientific expertise.

General Recommendations

•Health stakeholders should be involved in any bid, such as patient groups, clinicians or NHS organisations.

•Teaming with an NHS Trust or medical device manufacturer would be beneficial.

•University medical departments are also regarded as a knowledge provider.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment: Could apply to all NBIC themes, drawing on expertise supportive of SMEs.

Collaboration: UK SME led, collaboration with university (or NHS/medical organisation).

•Links with, e.g., the Southampton medical school would be helpful.

•Could form part of an existing relationship between NBIC and health SME, or help to establish new relationship.

•Any MedTech SME needing expertise to support development or testing can access NBIC as a knowledge provider.

NBIC Specific Recommendations

Relationship to PDME: The grants facilitate interaction between SMEs and knowledge providers on any aspect of healthcare, therefore any aspect of PDME could come into play.

Possible application of Biofilms: Fund covers any aspect of health and medical technology, and so any of the many health applications of biofilms already in development through NBIC are relevant. Fund could support an existing link between an SME industry partner and NBIC research institution.

Key Collaborators

•UK SMEs associated with NBIC.

•RTOs or health trusts as knowledge providers.

•Universities / Research Institutes from NBIC.

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Scope of Call:

•Grants available to scientists in all career stages who are affiliated with any research-based institution, university or company.

•Grants offered to stimulate innovative research in challenging areas of future importance.

Funding:

•Grants of €100k – 500k (depending on topic) per year for up to three years, with the option of an extension.

•Can apply for more than one grant, or more than one focus topic

•Initial non-confidential application; successful ones invited to submit full proposal.

Dates:

•Now open, submission deadline 31 Aug 2021

•Selection workshops Nov/Dec 2021

Key Considerations

Topic areas of interest this year are:

•Drug Discovery

•Real time testing and sensors

•Nanoparticle for nucleic acid delivery

•Digital innovation

•Bioelectronics

•Sustainability

•Media recycling for cultured meat

•organoids

•The research topics are looking for new technologies and approaches that will apply to new and emerging challenges in the health and environment sector.

•Details of the expectations under each of the topics of interest are given on the linked web-page.

•Knowledge of the commercial expectations of Merck will be important.

General Recommendations:

•Knowledge, competence, access to facilities and innovative ideas will support a bid.

•Connection to, or collaboration with, a clinical or healthcare provider will add credibility and knowledge of the user.

•Innovative thinking, bringing technologies applied to non-health sectors into the health domain will be of interest.

•Applications will be scored on the criteria of: innovativeness; commercial potential; path forward after 3 years; probability of success; team strength; strategic fit.

•Successful applicants will be invited to a ‘deep dive’ workshop with Merck KGaA in Darmstadt, costs paid by Merck.

•Purpose: jointly optimise the submitted proposals.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Aligns with all NBIC themes, esp. Prevent and Detect, and applies to the improved health sectorial challenge and environmental challenge.

•Research within an NBIC partner institution relevant to vaccine or drug delivery platforms, pathogen control, biosensors or bioprocessing could be proposed.

Sectors and Market Alignment:

•Involvement can create connections between NBIC research and commercial partners, including the pharmaceutical industry.

•Merck are seeking entry to wider markets (e.g. cultured meat production) and research proposals that broaden the application space will be of interest

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

Relationship to PDME

•Prevent: Any application of biofilms that supports identification or categorisation of future health threats.

•Detect: any platform using biofilms for screening or diagnostics of infections in patient management.

•Manage: testing, vector control and delivery systems for emerging health threats.

•Engineer: applications of biofilms in drug delivery, monitoring etc..

Possible application of Biofilms

oAppear to be many relevant biofilm applications at PoC level already underway that are relevant and could form the basis of a bid.

Key Collaborators

•These are research proposals seeking tech solutions towards pandemic preparedness, therefore led by an NBIC researcher or team supported by access to other researchers through NBIC.

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Scope of Call:

•KTN runs iX challenges on behalf of various beneficiaries looking for innovative solutions to specific challenges

•The challenges are updated regularly, and sometimes have relevance for NBIC partners.

•Selected finalists are given the opportunity to present to the challenge sponsor, possibly leading to a commercial opportunity.

•Support from KTN and relevant catapults are available to successful applicants.

Sectors and Market Alignment:

•Current calls are related to energy supply and less NBIC relevant, but future challenges may be more relevant.

Dates: Deadline for applications dependent on challenge.

Key Considerations:

•KTNiX provides an opportunity to propose technology applications to commercial users.

•The challenges are set by commercial users – current challenges are based around energy efficiency.

•IP is retained by the solution provider(s).

Collaboration:

•Proposal could be a collaboration of businesses with the right mix of skills.

•Organisations bidding must be UK based.

General Recommendations:

•If successful in the initial round these challenges give the opportunity for a small organisation to raise its profile in what could be a profitable future area.

•Note that a simple registration to KTN-iX is necessary to access details of this and other Innovation Exchange competitions.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Currently no relevant biofilm challenges advertised.

•When a relevant challenge is advertised a biofilm based solution or approach can be considered and proposed.

•Calls could align with any or all NBIC themes, Prevent, Detect, Manage and Engineer

•Specific alignment dependent on challenge advertised 

Sectors and Market Alignment:

•Any sector could be represented, although current ‘hot’ topics are environment and energy, either of which could lead to NBIC relevant technology use.

•Successful development under one of the KTN-iX challenges could lead to opportunities for biofilms to be applied in novel ways or sectors, or lead to translation of technologies between application sectors.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

Relationship to PDME

•Prevent: Protection or removal of biofouling in relevant environment.

•Detect: Detection of build up of biofouling, leading to initiation of response.

•Manage: Opportunity to apply biofouling management processes in diverse applications, possibly cross-sectorially

•Engineer: Creation and application of processes in which knowledge and management of biofilms creates benefit in specific application challenges.

Key Collaborators

•Researchers and application experts.

•Knowledgeable experts in application challenge area.

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Scope of Call:

•Supporting manufacturers of medicines and diagnostic equipment in the UK with capital grant funding.

Aim: To increase manufacturing capacity in medicines, medical diagnostics and MedTech.

Available funding: £20m Project: minimum total eligible cost of £8M, no upper limit.

Duration: 1 year

Eligibility: Lead: UK medical manufacturing business. Collaboration: single company investment only, no collaboration.

Dates: opens: 07 April 2021 close: 30 June 2021 11:59 pm.

Key Considerations

•This is a capital grant funding and is only available to single manufacturing businesses in medicine, diagnostics and MedTech.

•Relevant to investments that will create high value jobs and economic growth, and build the UK’s health resilience using innovative technologies.

•Eligible costs can include:

•Capital equipment

•Costs related to the construction of a new facility or adaptations to an existing facility

•Commercial scale manufacturing

•Pilot plants

•Applicants will need to show that they hold relevant licences or meet relevant regulations for medicine manufacture or medical devices.

General Recommendations:

•This fund could be valuable to a MedTech company looking to invest in growth or develop a new production process.

•Could be beneficial for a supplier to a large manufacturer in the MedTech sector to jointly work on development and installation of new production equipment.

•Fund is not directly available to suppliers of equipment, but only to the manufacturers buying that equipment.

•Initial application is followed by a series of gateway stages leading to full assessment and ministerial review before award.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Relevant to manufacturers in the MedTech sector using bio-film based techniques in their manufacturing process, whether that is for medicine production, diagnostics or a device for these activities sold to medical end-users.

•Could align with any NBIC theme, although most likely to be relevant to Manage or Engineer.

Key Collaborators:

•Collaborators are not allowable – the fund is for a single industrial entity looking to increase their manufacturing capacity.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

•Relationship to PDME

•Proposed solutions could be Management of biofilms that are related to a manufacturing process in MedTech, or Engineering of diagnostic or manufacturing capital equipment.

•Possible application of Biofilms

•There might be beneficial applications that could be investigated such as those used in on-chip medicine production or in-vitro diagnostic equipment.

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Scope of Call: Provides financial support for projects in England in the aquaculture sectors and that enhance and protect the marine environment.

Aim: Supports sustainable growth in the catching, processing and aquaculture sectors and projects that enhance the marine environment.

Available funding: £unspecified Project: £1k – £100k; dependent on application. Grant: 80% fleet, 75% public, 30% SME.

Eligibility: UK business, public body, university/RTO, individual. Collaboration: possible.

Dates: opens: see online for relevant info per application.

Key Considerations

•There are a range of application areas, each with separate conditions:

•Protecting marine environment

•Supporting coastal communities

•Reform of stock and quota management

•Developing industry infrastructure for sustainable growth

•Separate guidance for each activity in the scheme, check online for information including budgets and dates.

•An Expression of Interest can be submitted to check eligibility of a project before it is formally submitted.

General Recommendations:

•Not all areas of the scheme are open at the same time, so need to check what is relevant and eligible.

•If the MMO consider the applicant could afford to pay for the project without additional funding the application will be rejected, therefore ensure that funding is essential to achieve the objective.

•The bid must include a description of the targets and benefits anticipated, against which the performance will be evaluated.

•The scheme covers a wide range of applicants that could be an individual or business or university, so there is a wide range of opportunity available.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•There are a range of bio-film applications that could be relevant, from efficiency of ships by bio-foul reduction to catch management or environment management for fishery operations.

•This funding could also be relevant for the development of products that support the fishing or aquaculture industries, such as in biocides for catch management and processing or gear maintenance.

Key Collaborators:

•The call does not specify whether collaborations are in scope, although the implication is that a single organisation or individual will make the application. It is possible that an business supported by a university, for example, may be eligible.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

•Relationship to PDME

•Proposed solutions could be relevant to Prevention of biofilm fouling or degradation (for example on fishing gear or processing equipment), Detection of biofilm build-up, Management of biofilms that impair performance/ reduce efficiency, or Engineering of beneficial bio growth or bio-degradation components and surfaces.

•Possible application of Biofilms

•It is likely that bio-films are hazards to be managed, such as growth on marine equipment or degradation of catch.

•There might also be applications related to the enhancement of the marine environment through reduction or mitigation of environmental impact.

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Scope of Call:

•Aims to support the feasibility study of technologies for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the UK’s maritime sector

Aim: The two strands of this competition are seeking solutions for all categories of maritime vessels to transition to net zero.

Available funding: £20m Project: £25k – £1M; up to 7 months. Grant: 70% micro, 60% medium, 50% large.

Eligibility: Lead: UK business, research or RTO Collaboration: RTO must collaborate with at least 1 business

Dates: opens: 2 March 2021, close: 02 June 2021

Key Considerations

•Must review the technical and economic feasibility of solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

•Must develop a clear plan for a future tech demonstration to be deployed post project.

•Can start from 1st September 2021 and must finish before 31st March 2022.

•Project lead can be business of any size, research organisation or RTO.

•Research organisation cannot work alone, but must collaborate with at least 1 business

•Subcontractors are allowed but must be justified and appropriate to project cost.

•Academic institutions allowed up to maximum of 50% of project cost.

•Ports and harbours are in scope, including infrastructure for both freight and leisure: On vessel zero emission Port and shore-side solutions Smart shipping technologies.

General Recommendations:

•In this strand a feasibility study is conducted to detail and cost a plan for how a solution will be demonstrated in an operational setting on a vessel or in a port.

•Potential reduction of lifecycle emissions and positive future impacts should be quantified.

•Clean maritime and smart shipping technologies for all sizes and categories of maritime vessel, ports and harbours are in scope, including both leisure and commercial operations.

•The bid should include representative end users relevant to the target of the project.

•It is beneficial to show how the work of the project will boost jobs and economic growth, particularly in relation to established areas of maritime activity in zero emission tech.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Could align with any NBIC theme that can address zero emission targets in the maritime environment; prevention of build-up of bio-fouling, detection or management of bio-films that could hamper or improve performance; engineering beneficial bio-films.

Key Collaborators:

•Lead business may collaborate with relevant businesses or users in the maritime sector, and could collaborate with a research organisation.

•There is no limit to consortium size, but it should be balanced across technologists, business, research and users.

•Subcontractors are allowed, but should be clearly justified and should be UK based.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

•Relationship to PDME

•Proposed solutions could be Prevention of biofilm fouling or degradation (countering bio-degradation of performance), Detection of biofilm build-up, Management of biofilms that impair performance or operation, or Engineering of beneficial bio growth or bio-degradation components and surfaces.

•Possible application of Biofilms

•Bio-films are traditionally seen as negative in the maritime context, although beneficial use of bio-films for emissions reductions or protection of surfaces may exist.

•There may also be applications in improvements in vessel efficiency or energy usage that directly or indirectly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

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Scope of Call:

•Support the design and development of technologies for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the UK’s maritime sector. Aim: The two strands of this competition are seeking solutions for all categories of maritime vessels to transition to net zero.

Available funding: £20m Project: £100k – £4M; up to 7 months. Grant: 70% micro, 60% medium, 50% large.

Eligibility: Lead: UK business, research or RTO Collaboration: RTO must collaborate with at least 1 business

Dates: opens: 2 March 2021, close: 02 June 2021.

Key Considerations

•Can start from 1st September 2021 and must finish before 31st March 2022.

•Project lead can be business of any size, research organisation or RTO

•Research organisation cannot work alone, but must collaborate with at least one business.

•Subcontractors are allowed but must be justified and appropriate to project cost.

•Academic institutions allowed up to maximum of 50% of project cost.

•Clean maritime and smart shipping technologies for all sizes and categories of maritime vessel are in scope, including both leisure and commercial vessels.

•Ports and harbours are in scope, including infrastructure for both freight and leisure: On vessel zero emission Port and shore-side solutions Smart shipping technologies.

General Recommendations:

•In this strand any proposed project must design, develop and test novel clean maritime or smart shipping technologies that reduce greenhouse emissions – this can be from vessels or from shore-side infrastructure.

•The bid should include representative end users relevant to the target of the project.

•Where there are existing regulations covering operations, these should be recognised and incorporated into the proposed solution.

•It is beneficial to show how the work of the project will boost jobs and economic growth, particularly in relation to established areas of maritime activity in zero emission tech.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Could align with any NBIC theme that can address zero emission targets in the maritime environment; prevention of build-up of bio-fouling, detection or management of bio-films that could hamper or improve performance; engineering beneficial bio-films.

Key Collaborators:

•Lead business may collaborate with relevant businesses or users in the maritime sector, and could collaborate with a research organisation.

•There is no limit to consortium size, but it should be balanced across technologists, business, research and users.

•Subcontractors are allowed, but should be clearly justified and should be UK based.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

•Relationship to PDME

•Proposed solutions could be Prevention of biofilm fouling or degradation (countering bio-degradation of performance), Detection of biofilm build-up, Management of biofilms that impair performance or operation, or Engineering of beneficial bio growth or bio-degradation components and surfaces.

•Possible application of Biofilms

•Bio-films are traditionally seen as negative in the maritime context, although beneficial use of bio-films for emissions reductions or protection of surfaces may exist.

•There may also be applications in improvements in vessel efficiency or energy usage that directly or indirectly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

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Scope of Call:

•Feasibility and engineering studies needed to enable an investment decision in energy efficiency and decarbonisation.

Aim: Support studies necessary to facilitate the permanent installation of specific technologies at industrial sites.

Available funding: £40m across 2 strands Project: £30k-£7m, 12 months for feasibility; £50k-£14m, 24 months for engineering study. Feasibility: 70% micro, 60% medium, 50% large; Engineering: 45% micro, 35% medium, 25% large (can be higher for collaboration).

Eligibility: Lead: UK business Collaboration: research max 30% of total cost

Dates: opens: 08 March 2021, close: 14 July 2021.

Key Considerations

•Feasibility studies should aim to demonstrate economic case for the technology and associated emissions reductions.

•A single technology should already have been chosen for study.

•Engineering study should be a project plan that specifies technical and operational requirements (FEED study).

•Must focus on:

•Energy efficiency

•Deep Decarbonisation

•Cannot include measures not integral to an industrial process.

•Must consent to produce a case study for knowledge sharing.

•Collaboration leading to exchange of knowledge or technology is encouraged and leads to higher grant levels for engineering study.

General Recommendations:

•The technology being investigated must improve the energy efficiency, reduce the greenhouse gas of an industrial process, or achieve both.

•The study should be designed to enable the applicant to conclude whether further development is cost-effective.

•For deep decarbonisation studies, the project should focus on technical barriers associated with this technology.

•The project should contribute to the overall objectives of the Industrial Energy Technology Fund (IETF).

•Transportation and CO2 storage are not in scope.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Could align with any NBIC theme where biofilms might form part of a technology solution to carbon reduction applied to an industrial process.

Key Collaborators:

•Lead business will come from an industrial operator able to reduce carbon emissions, and may collaborate with biofilm SME or research team.

•For the engineering study collaboration and knowledge exchange leads to higher grant funding, and is therefore beneficial. No single partner can have more than 30% project costs for this to be available.

•Research partner costs limited to 30% of project cost and they do not count towards the maximum of three partners.

•Subcontractors are allowed; if from overseas should be fully justified.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

•Relationship to PDME

•Proposed solutions could be Prevention or Detection of biofilm fouling (leading to improved efficiencies), Management or Engineering of biofilms that impair performance, improve energy efficiency or support decarbonisation.

•Possible application of Biofilms

•Biofilms might contribute to a decarbonisation process or might be a preventable cause of loss of efficiency that can be addressed.

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Scope of Call:

•Funding to set up a research consortium addressing challenges in the manufacture of nucleic acid therapeutics.

Aim: Part of a wider programme, this fund aims to support multidisciplinary approaches to the development of new genetic medicines.

Available funding: £6m Project: up to £6m; up to 5 years. Grant: 70% micro, 60% medium, 50% large.

Eligibility: Lead: academic organisations or SME UK-based Collaboration: expected – leveraged funding and expertise from industry partners.

Dates: opens: May 2021 close: EoI deadline 16:00 10 June 2021.

Key Considerations

•The bid should be a research consortium addressing challenges in the manufacture of nucleic acid therapeutics.

•Expectation is that manufacturing of NAT will be reduced in complexity and improved platforms will be developed.

•EoI deadline in June before full application invited from successful applicants.

•Manufacturing challenges being addressed include:

•Scale of production

•Product purity and reproducibility

•Sustainable production

•Novel chemistries

•Synthesis efficiency

•Analytical oligonucleotide characterisation

•Collaboration with the NATA hub is encouraged.

General Recommendations:

•The main focus is development of innovative NAT manufacturing approaches, but a bidder should look at the full list of challenges when assembling a consortium.

•Enzymatic methodologies are also in scope as well as chemical synthesis.

•The bid should show a step-change in manufacturing approach compared with current NAT manufacturing.

•Collaboration with the new NATA UK research hub would be beneficial.

•Catapults can be part of consortia as investigators, but not project lead.

•This funding is part of the wider NATA programme from the Strategic Priorities fund, and a second research challenge addressing systemic targeting and intracellular delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics is anticipated.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Biofilms may form part of a solution to nucleic acid therapeutics (NAT) manufacturing, in particular in relation to enzymatic methodologies for production or reduction of by-products.

Key Collaborators:

•Projects can be led by academic or SME organisations, and a wide collaboration is encouraged.

•Connecting applicants from across the community and sharing of expertise is an important component of the bid.

•Collaboration with the NATA Hub will allow for access to platform technology and other support on the pre-clinical pathway.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

•Relationship to PDME

•Proposed contributions could be related to Management of biofilms in the manufacturing pathway, or Engineering of biofilm-based catalysing layers, perhaps building on enzyme expression.

•Possible application of Biofilms

•There is an opportunity for biofilms to contribute to a solution to this challenge of nucleic acid therapeutic manufacturing as part of a scalable pipeline.

•Creation of consortia in the clinical therapeutic manufacturing space could open new opportunities and applications of biofilms that can be further exploited elsewhere.

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Scope of Call:

•Addresses key research questions in support of the UK government’s COVID-19 response.

Aim: To develop effective assay system approaches to measuring human cellular immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 natural infection or vaccines.

Available funding: £1.5m (Procurement) Project: Up to £700k; up to 12 months. Procurement: max cost inclusive of VAT.

Eligibility: Lead: Any organisation of any size. Collaboration: with any other organisation working as subcontractor to the lead.

Dates: opens: 26 April 2021 close: 26 May 2021 11:00 am

Key Considerations

•Must start by 1st October 2021 and finish before 30th September 2022.

•Any collaborators must work as subcontractors to single lead entity.

•At least 50% of the contract value should be attributed directly to R&D services, which can include prototyping and field-testing.

•Projects must:

•Have a defined and justified intended use.

•Identify, justify and validate the biomarkers or cellular characteristics.

•Develop or evaluate a sample preparation and assay format.

General Recommendations:

•The project should focus on developing assays to measure cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 rapidly and reproducibly.

•The proposal can be for assays that work in a clinical or a laboratory setting, preferably on whole blood.

•Proposal should show how the proposed assay technique is an improvement on the current antibody recognition assays in use.

•This competition is asking for technical feasibility studies, meaning planned research or critical investigation to gain new knowledge and skills for developing new products, processes or services.

NBIC Theme (PDME) Alignment:

•Biofilms used in vitro as part of an assay system may be appropriate for this call, specifically perhaps in identifying biomarkers associated with cellular response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Key Collaborators:

•This is a procurement contract, and so the contract would be let with a single organisation, that could be an academic or business entity.

•Collaboration and input from other contributors is encouraged, but any additional collaborators would be treated as sub-contractors to the lead organisation.

NBIC Specific Recommendations:

•Relationship to PDME

•Proposed solutions could be related to Detection of biofilm response to infection or its products or Engineering of biofilm based components that form part of an assay pipeline.

•Possible application of Biofilms

•Biofilms may be a novel approach to developing assay components that are responsive to infection and can give rapid confirmation.

•This could lead to other applications of biofilms in similar applications, where they might be used as part of an assay process for infection or infection response beyond the current interest in COVID.

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Horizon Europe is a seven year programme (2021-2027) with €95.5Bn to spend on Global challenges in health, culture, creativity, digital, climate and food, bio-economy, natural resources, agriculture and environment. The current focus of the programme is health and environment, with an emphasis on meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Latest update:

•It has been agreed under the trade agreements concluded at the end of 2020 that the UK will be able to participate as an associate partner in EU programmes under the new Horizon Europe programme launched this year. There are no more negotiations to be done and association will come into force later this year, giving the UK the same rights as other associated countries.

•UK businesses, academic institutions, RTOs etc. are able to apply for funding and to lead and join collaborations in the current calls, however grant agreements can only be signed once association has come into force. This shouldn’t hold up any project since competitions are unlikely to be concluded before the date of association.

•Horizon Europe projects are seen as complementary to Innovate UK initiatives, and are expected to open up collaborative opportunities and export opportunities. UK research priorities are not completely aligned with those of the EU; there is a new strategy to be published by the UK in the Summer.

•The National Contact Point network is still in place from pre-Brexit days, and NCPs are available to help and guide those wanting to find out more about opportunities and participation, or lead bids into the Horizon Europe programme. The list of NCPs, and their sectors, can be found at https://www.gov.uk/business-finance-support/horizon-2020-business-grants-uk#find-your-uk-national-contact-point-for-advice

•The initial calls under Horizon Europe were in response to COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness. These calls are now either closed or will be closed very soon. There are, however, several forthcoming calls in health and environment:

•Strategic Digital and Health Technologies (closes 16th June 2021) – targets digital health and AI in diagnostics.

•Medical Technology and Devices: from Lab to Patient (opens 19th May, closes 22nd September 2021) – initiating clinical evaluations.

•Energy Harvesting and Storage Technologies (opens 19th May, closes 22nd September 2021) – technologies ready for investment.

•Further information is available at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls_en

•The UK can participate in Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC), each operated as a quasi-autonomous legal entity established by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). Further information about the EIT and currently open calls is available at https://eit.europa.eu. There are eight Innovation Communities focusing on different societal challenges:

•Climate; digital; food; health; sustainable energy; manufacturing; raw materials and; urban mobility.

NBIC Relevance:

•The Knowledge and Innovation Communities most relevant to NBIC partners are the: CLIMATE-KIC (includes resource efficiency and raw materials); Food; Health; Sustainable Energy, and Manufacturing.

•The most interesting currently open call is:

•Medical Technology and Devices: from Lab to Patient (opens 19th May, closes 22nd September 2021).

•Funds early stage research on novel Medical Technologies and Devices, advancing from existing proof-of-principle technology to a mature version to initiate clinical evaluation.

•Develop an exploitation strategy, qualitatively and quantitatively outlining the proposed path to patient.

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IETF deployment of energy efficiency technologies, Spring 2021 : total £40 m; closes: 14 July 2021.

•Onsite deployment of technologies to improve the energy efficiency of an industrial process or processes.

•Grant request > £100 k – £14 m; 12 – 24 month projects.

•Aimed at businesses that use energy or produce direct emissions.

•Briefing event 8 June 2021.

•Competition page.

IETF energy efficiency and decarbonisation studies, Spring 2021 : total £40 m Closes: 14 July 2021.

•Feasibility and engineering studies to enable investment decisions in energy efficiency and deep decarbonisation solutions.

•UK business led with or without collaborators. Targeted to a single manufacturing site or data centre.

•Feasibility project costs >= £30 k, up to 12 months; Engineering studies >= £50 k, up to to 24 months.

•Aimed at businesses that use energy or produce direct emissions as a result of their industrial processes.

•Briefing event 8 June 2021.

Knowledge transfer partnerships (KTP): 2021 to 2022, round 2

•Standard KTP scheme. Comprehensive application process.

•Typically project costs are expected to be £75 k per annum, part of this expected to be funded by the business partner; 12 – 36 month projects.

•Technology and Management KTPs possible.

•Opens: 19 April 2021; closes: 30 June 2021.

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Clean Growth Fund

•The Clean Growth Fund (CGF) invests in the most promising and ambitious companies to provide commercialisation expertise and access to markets.

•Looking for any company with a clear and significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gases.

•Provides business support to sectors: power, buildings, transport, industry and waste.

•First round investment £500k – £3M. Find out more. 

NBIC Relevance:

Knowledge transfer partnerships:

•NBIC partners may find the KTP scheme a useful way to involve a researcher from academia in their business. This route can often lead to a recruitment opportunity, as well as improved working relationship with the researcher’s university.

IETF competitions:

•Possibility for NBIC partners to collaborate to assist with energy and process efficiencies where biofilms may be a hindrance (P, D and M).

Clean Growth Fund:

•The CGF is a route to investment capital for an early stage business with an exciting and innovative product looking for growth.

NERC Highlight

•Research addressing environmental challenges.

•Funding up to £4 m over / up to 4 years.

•Competition opened 30 November 2020, closes 25 March 2021

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EPSRC: Manufacturing the future

•Support for engineering and physical sciences research looking at key challenges facing manufacturing in the UK.

•Includes chemistry and materials.

•Up to £2M

•Open now, no closing date 

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MRC: Infections and immunity programme

•Typically grants of £1 m or more for up to 5 years.

•Grants within an academic institution.

•Next round opens 9th May 2021

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UKRI-SBE lead agency opportunity

•Collaborations between UK and US researchers in any discipline including biotech.

•Submission of EoI to NSF and UKRI for consideration.

•Maximum award £1 m, currently open, no closing date 

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EPSRC: Discipline-hopping in ICT

•Relevant for researchers with non-ICT expertise looking to learn ICT research skills and apply them in their home discipline.

•3-4 month support of salary and T&S at 80% FEC.

•Now open, no closing date 

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BBSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, I-UK: EoI: Transforming UK food systems for health and environment

•Academic led, but with industrial collaboration, relevant to production, processing, manufacturing food environments

•Grant funded, £250 k – £2 m, closing date for EoI 22 April 2021

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NBIC Relevance:

•NERC Highlight: Challenges relevant to NBIC – environmental barriers to the spread of zoonotic pathogens and environmental basis for the prevention of zoonotic pathogen emergence.

•MRC: Infections and immunity programme: Some relevance to NBIC through prevention and control of infectious disease, in collaboration with other university departments.