Funding competition Eureka Disaster Resilience Programme Collaborative R&D 2024
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £1 million to develop technologies in the field of Disaster Resilience, Response and Recovery, in partnership with organisations from participating Eureka countries.
- Competition opens: Friday 14 June 2024
- Competition closes: Thursday 31 October 2024 11:00am
This competition is now closed.
Competition sections
Description
Text update 24/06/2024: A country has been removed from the ‘Projects must include’ list.
Text update 25/06/2024: A country has been added to the ‘Projects must include’ list.
This competition is for UK businesses that want to apply to the Eureka Disaster Resilience Programme Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) 2024 call. Please visit the Eureka call for proposals web page if you are not a UK applicant.
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £1 million to fund CR&D projects focused on industrial research.
The aim of this competition is to support international collaboration on R&D projects that create innovative products, processes or services for commercialisation. We will fund projects in the field of Disaster Resilience, Response and Recovery.
Your project must have high market potential and develop at least one of the following:
- innovative products
- technology-based applications
- technology-based services
Projects must include at least one partner from one of the Eureka countries participating in the competition. The countries are:
- Austria
- Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia)
- Canada
- Chile
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- France
- Lithuania
- Singapore
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Türkiye
In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition has a funding budget of up to £1 million, so we may not be able to fund all the proposed projects.
The UK lead applicant must submit your Innovate UK application by 11am UK time on the deadline stated in this Innovate UK competition brief. We cannot guarantee other government or third party sites will always show the correct competition information.
Your overall project team must submit the Eureka project application form to the Eureka website by 5pm Central European Time (CET) (4pm UK time) on 31 October 2024.Funding type
Grant
Project size
UK applicants can apply for total grant of up to £250,000 for each project.
Accessibility and Inclusion
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.
You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.
We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline.
You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).Who can apply
Text update 01/08/2024: We have added additional text in the funding section around percentages of available funding for research organisations.
Your project
UK applicants can apply for total grant of up to £250,000 for each project.
Your project can last up to 24 months and is expected to start from 1 June 2025. The start date depends on the national funding procedures of the Eureka members involved in the selected projects.
Projects must involve collaborations with organisations from other participating Eureka countries.
To be eligible for grant funding from Innovate UK your collaboration:
- must include at least one grant claiming UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME)
- must include at least one other eligible partner from another of the Eureka countries participating in the competition
Under current restrictions, this competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian or Belarusian entity as lead, partner or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian or Belarusian source.
If your project’s grant funding request or duration falls outside of our eligibility criteria, you must provide justification by email to support@iuk.ukri.org at least 10 working days before the competition closes. We will decide whether to approve your request.
If you have not requested approval or your application has not been approved by us, you will be made ineligible. Your application will then not be sent for assessment.
Eureka terminology and roles
The terminology differs between Eureka and Innovate UK. In the Innovate UK application the ‘project lead’ is responsible for the entire project but Eureka uses the term ‘main participant’. For partners in the collaboration Eureka uses ‘other participants’.
Even if the project lead is from a participating Eureka member other than the UK, the UK registered partners can still claim funding from Innovate UK. These collaborations must include at least one UK registered SME.
UK lead applicant
The UK registered partners in your Eureka project must nominate one business, of any size, to start an Innovate UK application. We refer to them as the ‘lead organisation’ and the person they nominate to have overall responsibility as the ‘lead applicant’.
The lead applicant has an overall view of the application and must:
- start the application
- monitor the partners’ application progress
- make sure all UK partners complete their parts of the application
- click submit once the application is complete
The UK lead applicant must collaborate with at least one organisation from a Eureka country participating in the competition. It must be a separate legal entity, not linked to the UK partners.
Overall Eureka project team
The organisations from participating Eureka members must meet the funding and eligibility conditions of their respective national funding bodies. These will be published on the Eureka call for proposals web page when this competition opens. These organisations must apply through their own funding bodies and not through the Innovation Funding Service.
Each partner must carry out the majority of their funded work within the Eureka country from which they receive funding, for example the UK for Innovate UK funding.
There must be a genuine collaboration. No more than 70% of the total eligible project costs can be claimed by a single partner or by all partners from a single participating Eureka country collectively.
UK project team
The UK lead applicant can also collaborate with:
- other UK registered businesses of any size
- UK registered research organisations
Your project must include at least one grant claiming UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME).
UK research organisations cannot lead or work alone. They must be able to show how they will exploit the results of the project to grow the wider sector in the UK.
Subcontractors
Subcontractors are allowed in this competition but they must not account for more than 20% of the UK partners’ total eligible costs. Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK. Where subcontractors are non-UK based, please justify why you are unable to use a UK alternative.
We would expect subcontractor costs to be justified and appropriate to the total eligible project costs.
Partners not claiming funding
A non-grant claiming UK partner cannot lead on a project.
Your collaboration can include organisations from Eureka countries that are not participating in this funding competition provided:
- they have secured full funding elsewhere
- you describe in your application why and how they will be involved and where they have secured financing from
Number of applications
If a business is leading an application it cannot collaborate on any other applications.
If a business is not leading any application, it can collaborate in one application.
A research organisation can collaborate on one application.Use of animals in research and innovation
Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.
Applicants must ensure that all of the proposed work within projects, both that in the UK and internationally, will comply with the UKRI guidance on the use of animals in research and innovation.
Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.
Previous applications
You can use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.
We will not award you funding if you have:
- failed to exploit a previously funded project
- an overdue independent accountant’s report
- failed to comply with grant terms and conditions
Subsidy control (and State aid where applicable)
This competition provides funding in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Further information about the Subsidy requirements can be found within the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk).
Innovate UK is unable to award organisations that are considered to be in financial difficulty. We will conduct financial viability and eligibility tests to confirm this is not the case following the application stage.
EU State aid rules now only apply in limited circumstances. Please see the Windsor Framework to check if these rules apply to your organisation.
Further Information
If you are unsure about your obligations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 or the State aid rules, you should take independent legal advice. We are unable to advise on individual eligibility or legal obligations.
You must always make sure that the funding awarded to you is compliant with all current Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom.
This aims to regulate any advantage granted by a public sector body which threatens to, or actually distorts competition in the United Kingdom or any other country or countries.
Funding
We have allocated up to £1 million to fund innovation projects in this competition.
For industrial research projects, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:
- up to 70% if you are a micro or small business
- up to 60% if you are a medium-sized business
- up to 50% if you are a large business
The UK registered research organisations in your consortium can share up to 30% of the UK total eligible project costs. Of that 30% you can get funding for your eligible project costs of up to:
- 80% of full economic costs (FEC) if you are a Je-S registered institution such as an academic
- 100% of your eligible project costs if you are an RTO, charity, not for profit organisation, public sector organisation or research organisation
If your consortium contains more than one UK research organisation, this maximum will be shared between them.
Your proposal
The aim of this competition is to support international collaboration on R&D projects that create innovative products, processes or services for commercialisation. We will fund projects in the field of Disaster Resilience, Response and Recovery. Your project must have high market potential and develop at least one of the following:
- innovative products
- technology-based applications
- technology-based services
Your collaborative R&D proposal must demonstrate:
- a clear game-changing or disruptive innovative idea leading to new products, processes or services
- a strong and deliverable business plan that addresses (and documents) market potential and needs
- sound, practical financial plans and timelines
- good value for money, which will always be a consideration in Innovate UK funding decisions
- a clear, evidence-based plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment (ROI) and growth through commercialisation, as soon as possible after project completion
- clear, considerable potential to significantly benefit the UK economy or national productivity
- the benefit of participants from the countries working together and how this adds value
- a clear definition of where intellectual property (IP) can be used and shared between the participants and countries
- a clear route to market within two to three years of project completion
Specific themes
Your project must focus on one or more of the following application areas or any other that has clear links to disaster resilience, response and recovery.
Innovative and resilient construction
For example:
- building behaviour modelling during and after disaster situations
- seismic isolation or damper technologies
- disaster-resilient architectural designs
- advanced building materials and technologies, including but not limited to fire resistance, water resistance, shock resistance, non-toxic
- durability-increasing adaptations, including but not limited to for buildings on weak soils or floodplains
Digital technologies
For example:
- damage prediction and early-warning systems
- advanced geographic information and remote sensing systems
- artificial intelligence-based sensing algorithms
- sensor technologies
Search and rescue
For example:
- automated and intelligent drone systems
- rapid and effective search and rescue
- portable equipment and devices capable of imaging and detection
Resilient communications
For example:
- non-interruptible communications systems
- portable communications devices
- battery technologies and alternative energy sources
- resilient infrastructures and systems
Health
For example:
- disinfection, filtration and storage solutions
- autonomous environmental disinfection and sterilisation
- mobile medical devices
- resilient health services and infrastructures
- nutrient-enriched and functional foods and drinks
Post-disaster waste management
For example:
- safe demolition technologies
- separation or classification and management solutions for construction and demolition waste (CDW)
- transformation of CDW into building materials and other secondary raw materials in line with circular economy principles
Relevant industry sectors include but are not limited to:
- materials
- construction
- health – services, public health, medical devices
- water – public and private utilities, tech developers
- energy – utilities, tech developers
- information Communication Technologies
- electronic components and systems
- software
- agrifood
Research categories
Projects we will not fund
We will not fund projects that:
- work on non-civilian technologies
- are not in scope
- do not meet Innovate UK’s eligibility criteria
- do not submit all mandatory documentation
We cannot fund projects that are:
- dependent on export performance, for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country
- dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product
- 13 June 2024
- Live launch event at the Eureka Global Innovation Summit in Istanbul, Türkiye: register to attend at Global Innovation Summit 2024 - Info (b2match.io)
- 14 June 2024
- Competition opens
- 19 June 2024
- Online UK briefing event: watch the recording (Briefing slides are available to download from supporting information)
- 9 September 2024
- Eureka Resilience Call 2024 Seminar at 1pm: register here
- 31 October 2024
- Eureka deadline 4pm UK time (5pm CET)
- 31 October 2024 11:00am
- Competition closes
- 9 January 2025
- Applicants notified
Before you start
You must read the guidance on applying for a competition on the Innovation Funding Service before you start.
Your Innovate UK application will be ineligible if you do not upload the appendices where requested, including the completed Eureka project application on question 3.
UK led consortium
If you are a UK lead applicant, you must:
- submit an Innovate UK application
- complete the Eureka application on behalf of your project following the process at the Eureka call for proposals
Non-UK led consortium
If your consortium is led by an organisation from a non UK participating Eureka member, one of the UK grant claiming partners must be the Innovate UK lead applicant. They will submit the Innovate UK application. Only include UK organisations in the application.
More information about the application process for non UK participating Eureka members is provided at the Eureka call for proposals once the competition opens.
What we will ask of you
The application is split into four sections:
- Project details.
- Application questions.
- Finances.
- Project Impact.
Accessibility and Inclusion
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.
You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.
We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline.
You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
1. Project details
This section provides background for the assessors and is not scored.
Application details
The lead applicant must complete this section. Give your project’s title, start date and duration.
Application team
Decide which organisations will work with you on the project. Invite people from those organisations to help complete the application.
Project summary
Describe your project briefly and be clear about what makes it innovative. We use this section to assign experts to assess your application.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Public description
Describe your project in detail, and in a way that you are happy to see published. Do not include any commercially sensitive information. If we award your project funding, we will publish this description. This could happen before you start your project.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Scope
Describe how your project fits the scope of the competition. If your project is not in scope, it will not be sent for assessment. We will tell you the reason why.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.2. Application questions
The assessors will score your answers to these questions except for questions 1,2, 3, 4 and 5. You will receive feedback from them for each question.
Your answer to each question can be up to 400 words long. Do not include any website addresses (URLs) in your answers unless we have explicitly requested a link to a video.
Question 1. Applicant location (not scored)
You must state the name and full registered address of your organisation and any partners working on the project, including non-UK participants. We are collecting this information to understand the geographical location of all applicants.
Question 2. Animal testing (not scored)
Will your project involve any trials with animals or animal testing?
You must select one option:
- Yes
- No
We will only support innovation projects conducted to the highest standards of animal welfare.
Further information for proposals involving animal testing is available at the UKRI Good Research Hub and NC3R’s animal welfare guidance.
Question 3: Eureka application (not scored)
You must upload a copy of your completed Eureka application as an appendix. It must be in a PDF format. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Type ‘Eureka application attached’ as your answer.
Question 4. Permits and licences (not scored)
Will you have the correct permits and licences in place to carry out your project?
We are unable to fund projects who do not have the correct permits or licences in place by your project start date.
You must select one option:
- Yes
- No
- In process of being applied for
- Not applicable
Question 5. Awareness of funding opportunity (not scored)
How did you become aware of this funding opportunity?
Please indicate the primary channel through which you heard about this competition:
- UKRI website
- Innovate UK Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X or newsletter
- Innovate UK employee
- Eureka website, newsletter, LinkedIn or Social channels, for example, Facebook, Instagram, X
- Eureka promotion or events
- Gov.UK website
- Innovate UK KTN
- Innovate UK EDGE
- Northern Irish, Scottish or Welsh government agencies
- Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)
- third party website
- events
- other LinkedIn channel
- other Facebook, Instagram or X
- other
Question 6. Need or challenge
What is the business need, technological challenge or market opportunity behind your innovation?
Explain:
- the main motivation for the project
- the business need, technological challenge or market opportunity
- whether you have identified any similar innovation and its current limitations, including those close to market or in development
- any work you have already done to respond to this need, for example if the project focuses on developing an existing capability or building a new one
- the wider economic, social, environmental, cultural or political challenges which are influential in creating the opportunity, such as incoming regulations
Question 7. Approach and innovation
What approach will you take and where will the focus of the innovation be?
Explain:
- how you will respond to the need, challenge or opportunity identified
- how will you improve on the similar innovation that you have identified
- whether the innovation will focus on existing technologies in new areas, the development of new technologies for existing areas or a totally disruptive approach
- the freedom you have to operate
- how this project fits with your current product, service lines or offerings
- how it will make you more competitive
- the nature of the outputs you expect from the project (for example report, demonstrator, know-how, new process, product or service design) and how these will help you to target the need, challenge or opportunity identified
You can submit one appendix to support your answer. It can include diagrams and charts. It must be a PDF, up to two A4 pages long and no larger than 10MB in size. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Question 8. Team and resources
Who is in the project team and what are their roles?
Explain:
- the roles, skills and experience of all members of the project team that are relevant to the approach you will be taking
- the resources, equipment and facilities needed for the project and how you will access them
- the details of any vital external parties, including subcontractors, who you will need to work with to successfully carry out the project
- the current relationships between project partners and how these will change as a result of the project
- any roles you will need to recruit
You can submit one appendix. This can include a short summary of the main people working on the project to support your answer. It must be a PDF and can be up to four A4 pages long and no larger than 10MB in size. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Question 9. Market awareness
What does the market you are targeting look like?
Describe:
- the target markets for the project outcomes, any other potential markets (domestic, international or both)
- the size of the target markets for the project outcomes, backed up by references where available
- the structure and dynamics of the target markets, including customer segmentation, together with predicted growth rates within clear timeframes
- the target markets’ main supply or value chains and business models, and any barriers to entry that exist
- the current UK position in targeting these markets
- the size and main features of any other markets not already listed
- what the market’s size might to be
- how your project will try to explore the market’s potential
Question 10. Outcomes and route to market
How are you going to grow your business and increase your productivity into the long term as a result of the project?
Explain:
- your current position in the markets and supply or value chains outlined, and whether you will be extending or establishing your market position
- your target customers or end users, and the value to them, for example why they would use or buy your product
- your route to market
- how you are going to profit from the innovation, including increased revenues or cost reduction
- how the innovation will affect your productivity and growth, in both the short and the long term
- how you will protect and exploit the outputs of the project, for example through know-how, patenting, designs or changes to your business model
- your strategy for targeting the other markets you have identified during or after the project
If there is any research organisation activity in the project, describe:
- your plans to spread the project’s research outputs over a reasonable timescale
- how you expect to use the results generated from the project in further research activities
Question 11. Wider impacts
What impact might this project have outside the project team?
Describe, and where possible, measure the economic benefits from the project such as productivity increases and import substitution, to:
- external parties
- customers
- others in the supply chain
- broader industry
- the UK economy
Describe, and where possible, measure:
- any expected impact on government priorities
- any expected environmental impacts, either positive or negative
- any expected regional impacts of the project
Describe any expected social impacts, either positive or negative on, for example:
- quality of life
- social inclusion or exclusion
- jobs, such as safeguarding, creating, changing or displacing them
- education
- public empowerment
- health and safety
- regulations
- diversity
Question 12. Project management
How will you manage your project effectively?
Explain:
- the main work packages of your project, indicating the lead partner assigned to each and the total cost of each one
- your approach to project management, identifying any major tools and mechanisms you will use to get a successful and innovative project outcome
- the management reporting lines
- your project plan in enough detail to identify any links or dependencies between work packages or milestones
You must submit a project plan or Gantt chart as an appendix to support your answer. It must be a PDF, can be up to two A4 pages long and no larger than 10MB in size. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Question 13. Risks
What are the main risks for this project?
Explain:
- the main risks and uncertainties of your project, including the technical, commercial, managerial and environmental risks, providing a risk register if appropriate
- how you will mitigate these risks
- any project inputs that are critical to completion, such as resources, expertise, data sets
- any output likely to be subject to regulatory requirements, certification, ethical issues and so on, and how you will manage this
You must submit a risk register as an appendix to support your answer. It must be a PDF and can be up to two A4 pages long. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Question 14. Added value
How will this public funding help you to accelerate or enhance your approach to developing your project towards commercialisation? What impact would this award have on the organisations involved?
Explain:
- what advantages would public funding offer your project, for example, appeal to investors, more partners, reduced risk or a faster route to market (this list is not exhaustive)
- the likely impact of the project outcomes on the organisations involved
- what other routes of investment have you already approached
- what your project would look like without public funding
- how this project would change the R&D activities of all the organisations involved
Question 15. Costs and value for money
How much will the project cost and how does it represent value for money for the team and the taxpayer?
In terms of your project goals, explain:
- your total project costs
- the grant you are requesting
- how each partner will finance their contributions to your project
- how this project represents value for money for you and the taxpayer
- how it compares to what you would spend your money on otherwise
- the balance of costs and grant across the project partners
- any subcontractor costs and why they are critical to your project
3. Finances
Each organisation in your project must complete their own project costs, organisation details and funding details in the application. Academic institutions must complete and upload a Je-S form.
For full details on what costs you can claim see our project costs guidance. You can also view our Application Finances video.4. Project Impact
This section is not scored but will provide background to your project.
Each partner must complete the Project Impact questions before being able to submit the application.
More information can be found in our Project Impact guidance and by viewing our Impact Management Framework video.
Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.
Data sharing
Text update 09/08/2024: Link updated to 'contact Eureka directly' and link to the 'Enterprise Europe Network' has been updated in the extra help section.
Text update 19/06/2024: link to the Enterprise Europe Network has been updated.
Text update 24/06/2024: Links and list updated for clarity on assistance to find a project partner.
This competition is jointly operated by Innovate UK, other participating Eureka countries, and the Eureka Secretariat (each an ‘agency’).
Your submitted application and any other information you provide at the application stage can be submitted to each agency on an individual basis for its storage, processing and use. Any relevant information produced during the application process concerning your application can be shared by one agency with the other, for its individual storage, processing and use.
This means that any information given to or generated by Innovate UK in respect of your application may be passed on to each agency and vice versa.
Innovate UK is directly accountable to you for its holding and processing of your information, including any personal data and confidential information. It is held in accordance with its Information Management Policy.
Innovate UK and each agency are directly accountable to you for their holding and processing of your information, including any personal data and confidential information. Data is held in accordance with their own policies. Accordingly, Innovate UK, and each agency will be data controllers for personal data submitted during the application.
Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.
The Information Commissioner’s Office also has a useful guide for organisations, which outlines the data protection principles.Assessment
Your application will be reviewed by three independent assessors based on the content of your application and their skills or expertise relevant to your project. All of the scores awarded will count towards the total score used to make the funding decision unless you are notified otherwise.
You can find out more about Innovate UK’s assessment process in the General Guidance and Eureka’s process in the Eureka Guidance.
Your submitted application will be assessed against these criteria:
Briefing Slides
Briefing slides are available to download here.
Extra help
If you want help to find a project collaborator, register here:
Eureka Resilience Call 2024 - Scope (b2match.io)
If you need help with the Eureka project application form, contact Eureka directly.
If you need more information on submitting to Innovate UK, email us at support@iuk.ukri.org or call the competition helpline on 0300 321 4357,
Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Innovate UK or any of our partners will not tolerate abusive language in any written or verbal correspondence, applications, social media or any other form that might affect staff.
About Eureka
Eureka is an intergovernmental network launched in 1985. Its aim is to support market-oriented R&D and innovation projects by industry, research centres and universities across all technological sectors. It has 47 member states, including the European Union, represented by the European Commission.
With its flexible and decentralised network, Eureka offers project partners:
- rapid access to skills and expertise across Europe
- national public and private funding schemes
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