Funding competition Open programme round 3

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £15 million. This is to deliver game-changing, cutting-edge innovations with significant potential for impact on the UK economy.

This competition is now closed.

Start new application

Competition sections

Description

Projects may last between 6 and 36 months. Total eligible project costs should range from £25,000 to £1 million depending on the type of research and development (R&D) to be undertaken. It is important to note that any project with total costs outside this range will be deemed out of scope and ineligible.

An applicant can only submit one project application per competition round. If more than one application per round is submitted, only the first application will be considered for assessment.

To lead a project you must:

  • be a UK-based business
  • be a business of any size
  • carry out your project in the UK
  • work alone or in collaboration with others (businesses, research base and third sector)

If you have a current Smart programme funded project which has its final close out meeting after midday 9 August 2017, then you are not eligible to apply for this round of the open competition.

Where appropriate, we will share application details with potential public sector co-funders.

Funding type

Grant

Project size

We expect projects to range in size from total eligible costs of £25,000 to £1 million

Find out if you are eligible to apply

The competition is open to the best business-led cutting-edge or disruptive ideas or concepts with a view to commercialisation.

These can be drawn from any technology and applied to any part of the economy. This area can be one that fits into, or be outside of, any one or more of Innovate UK’s 4 priority sectors for growth.

To be in scope, a proposal must:

  • demonstrate cutting-edge, game-changing or disruptive innovation leading to novel, new products, processes or services
  • articulate a clear, anticipated growth and commercialisation impact for businesses with considerable, demonstrable potential (as you would set out in a pitch to any serious investor) to lead to a significant return on investment (ROI)

Priority will be given to proposals that are likely to lead to sustainable gains in productivity and/or access to new overseas markets through export-led business growth.

For all research organisations, the total level of project participation is set at a maximum of 30% of total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation, this maximum will be shared between them.

Projects that we won't fund

We will not fund proposals that:

  • do not address the competition scope
  • do not address the size, potential of, and access to the market for the innovation
  • cannot present evidence that their idea or concept has the potential to lead to significant ROI, growth and scale-up of the business
  • have a current project funded through the smart programme that will not have its project completion meeting before the close date for this competition

Funding and project details

We have allocated up to £15 million to fund innovation projects in this open competition.

Successful applicants can attract grant funding towards their eligible project costs.

The percentage of costs that we pay through a grant varies. It depends on the type of research being carried out and size and type of organisation involved.

Projects can focus on:

  • feasibility studies which may include market research
  • industrial research
  • experimental development depending on the challenge identified and proposed solution

For feasibility studies and industrial research, you could get:

  • up to 70% of your eligible project costs if you are a small business
  • up to 60% if you are a medium-sized business
  • up to 50% if you are a large business

For experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you could get:

  • up to 45% of your eligible project costs if you are a small business
  • up to 35% if you are a medium-sized business
  • up to 25% if you are a large business

Find out if your business fits the EU definition of an SME.

Projects may last between 6 and 36 months. Total eligible project costs should range from £25,000 to £1 million depending on the type of R&D to be undertaken, with value for money always a consideration.

It is important to note that any project with total costs outside this range will be deemed out of scope and ineligible.

An applicant can only submit one project application per competition round. If more than one application per round is submitted, only the first application will be considered for assessment.

Competition scope

Innovate UK’s open competition aims to overcome barriers to cutting-edge, game-changing innovation becoming a successful commercial reality and/or resulting in significant, sustainable business growth.

We provide funding for innovation-based enterprises. Such enterprises should demonstrate their readiness to deliver a project leading to new, highly-innovative processes, products or services.

Competition demand is likely to be very high. Only those proposals with a clear innovation, demonstrating the most robust business plans and highest potential for return on investment and impact, are likely to be funded.

You will be competing against some of the best technological innovations in the UK and beyond. You need to ensure this is the right competition for your business model, and that your proposal is right for the open competition.

Vision and aims

We know that true innovation disrupts. It will create new products, services and industries that we don’t even know about yet.

It’s our vision to help the UK economy grow head and shoulders above other nations by inspiring and supporting pioneering UK businesses to create the industries of the future.

The open research and development (R&D) competition provides support for businesses to undertake an innovative project and is designed to:

  • help businesses overcome barriers to innovation
  • reduce the risk financially and technically in developing an innovative idea or concept for commercialisation and scale up
  • enable businesses to address high-growth opportunities if their concept doesn’t fit one of the Innovate UK sectors or has multiple themes with differing scopes
  • speed up the journey from an idea to commercialisation where timing can make all the difference to prospects
  • position businesses to be able to access private investment to support their innovative ideas
  • provide crucial support for businesses with significant ambition and potential for growth, to develop highly innovative products, processes or services with commercialisation potential and scale up, preferably with access to global markets

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

There is also the opportunity to apply for another support mechanism: Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs). This is not part of however, and should not be included in, the open application which refers specifically and only to the project that is to be funded through open.

For KTPs, applications are accepted across all disciplines.

For further information please see the guidance for KTPs. Interested parties should contact the relevant KTP adviser on how to apply.

Any applications for KTP need to go through a separate application process. KTP applicants are subject to the same application deadline as stated above.

To clarify, you do not need to apply for KTP as part of this competition which is quite separate. We are simply informing you of the opportunity to do so.

12 June 2017
Competition opens
14 June 2017
9 August 2017 12:00pm
Competition closes
7 December 2017 9:25am
Applicants notified

Before you start

To start an application you must create an account as the lead applicant, or sign in as a representative of your organisation. Once you have an account you can track the progress of your application.

As a lead applicant:

  • you are responsible for collecting the information for your funding application
  • you can invite other organisations who will participate in the project as collaborators if your application is successful
  • you can invite colleagues to contribute to the application
  • your organisation will lead the project if your application is successful

Partner organisations can be other businesses, research organisations, public sector organisations or charities.

Please read the general guidance for applicants it will help your chances of submitting a quality application.

Research organisations

Research organisations may participate in applications as collaborators.

There are specific rules for research partners which limit the amount of involvement a research organisation may have in your project. The participation rule will be set out in the eligibility criteria for the competition.

You will not be able to submit your application if your research participation is over the stated percentage for the competition.

What we ask you

The application is split into 3 sections:

1. Project details

2. Application questions

3. Finances

1. Project details

In this section you will provide the details of your project. This section is not scored, but our assessors will use it to decide whether the project fits with the scope of the competition. If it doesn’t fit the scope then it will be immediately rejected. Within project details you will need to complete:

Application details

The title of your project, the start date and project length. This section will also list you as the lead organisation and any partner organisations you have named as collaborators. The lead applicant must complete this section.

Project summary

Describe your project and what is innovative about it. We use this section to assign experts to assess your application so we need a summary of the innovation in your project.

Public description

Describe your project in a way that you are happy to see published. Please do not include any commercially sensitive information. If your project is successful and awarded funding, Innovate UK will publish this description.

Project scope

Describe how your project fits the scope of the competition. If your project is not in scope it will not be eligible for funding and will not be sent for assessment. Innovate UK will provide feedback if we decide that your project is not in scope.

2. Application questions

In this section, answers to these questions are scored by the assessors. Following assessment, you will receive feedback from the assessors for each question.

Question 1: Need or challenge

What is the business need, citizen challenge, technological challenge or market opportunity behind your innovation?

  • describe the main motivation for the project; the business need, the citizen-centric challenge (for Urban Living proposals), technological challenge or market opportunity
  • describe the nearest current state-of-the-art (including those near-market or in development) and its limitations
  • describe any work you have already done to respond to this need. For example is the project focused on developing an existing capability or building a new one?
  • identify the wider economic, social, environmental, cultural and/or political challenges which are influential in creating the opportunity for example, incoming regulations. Our Horizons tool can help here.

Question 2: Approach and innovation

What approach will you take and where will the focus of the innovation be?

  • explain how you propose to respond to the need, challenge or opportunity identified
  • explain how it will improve on the nearest current state-of-the-art identified
  • indicate where the focus of the innovation will be in the project (application of existing technologies in new areas, development of new technologies for existing areas or a totally disruptive approach) and the freedom you have to operate
  • explain how this project fits with your current product/service lines/offerings
  • explain how it will make you more competitive
  • describe the nature of the outputs you expect from the project for example, report, demonstrator, know-how, new process, product or service design. How will these will take you closer to targeting the need, challenge or opportunity identified?

You may submit a single appendix as a PDF no more than 1MB in size to support your answer.

Question 3: Team and resources

Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

  • describe the roles, skills and relevant experience of all members of the project team in relation to the approach you will be taking
  • describe the resources, equipment and facilities required for the project and how you will access them
  • provide details of any vital external parties, including sub-contractors, who you will need to work with to successfully carry out the project
  • (if collaborative) describe the current relationships between the project partners and how these will change as a result of the project
  • highlight any gaps in the team that will need to be filled

You may submit a single appendix as a PDF no more than 1MB in size to support your answer.

Question 4: Market awareness

What does the market you are targeting look like?

Specify the markets (domestic and/or international) you will be targeting in the project and any other potential markets.

For the target markets, describe:

  • the size of the target markets for the project outcomes, backed up by appropriate references where available
  • the structure and dynamics of the market such as customer segmentation, together with predicted growth rates within clear timeframes
  • the main supply/value chains and business models in operation and any barriers to entry
  • the current UK position in targeting this market

For highly innovative projects, where the market may be unexplored, explain:

  • what the route to market could or might be
  • what its size might be
  • how the project will seek to explore the market potential

For other markets, briefly describe the size and main features

Question 5: Outcomes and route to market

How do you propose to grow your business and increase your productivity into the long term as a result of the project?

  • describe your current position in the markets and supply/value chains outlined for example, if you will be extending or establishing your market position
  • describe your target customers and/or end-users, and the value proposition to them (why would they use/buy it?)
  • describe your route to market
  • tell us how you are going to profit from the innovation (increased revenues or cost reduction)
  • explain how the innovation will impact your productivity and growth in the short and long-term
  • describe how you will protect and exploit the outputs of the project for example, through know-how, patenting, designs, changes to business model
  • outline your strategy for targeting the other markets identified during or after the project
  • for any research organisation activity in the project, outline your plans to disseminate project research outputs over a reasonable timescale
  • if you expect to use the results generated from the project in further research activities, describe how you will do this

Question 6: Wider impacts

What impact might this project have outside the project team?

Identify, and where possible measure, the economic benefits from the project to those outside the project (customers, others in the supply chain, broader industry and the UK economy) such as productivity increases and import substitution.

Identify, and where possible measure, any expected social impacts, either positive or negative, for example:

  • quality of life
  • social inclusion/exclusion
  • jobs (safeguarded, created, changed, displaced)
  • education
  • public empowerment
  • health and safety
  • regulations
  • diversity
  • any expected impact on government priorities

Identify, and where possible measure, any expected environmental impacts, either positive or negative.

Identify any expected regional impacts of the project.

Question 7: Project management

How will you manage the project effectively?

  • outline the main work packages of the project, indicating the relevant research category and lead partner assigned to each, and the total cost of each one
  • describe your approach to project management, identifying any major tools and mechanisms that will be used to ensure a successful project outcome. Highlight your approach to managing the most innovative aspects of the project
  • outline the management reporting lines
  • outline your project plan in sufficient detail to identify any links or dependencies between work packages or milestones

You may upload a project plan or Gantt chart as an appendix in PDF format no more than 1MB in size.

Question 8: Risks

What are the main risks for this project?

  • identify the main risks and uncertainties of the project, including the technical, commercial, managerial and environmental risks. Highlight the most significant ones, providing a risk register if appropriate
  • explain how these risks will be mitigated
  • list any project inputs on the critical route to completion such as resources, expertise or data sets
  • is the output likely to be subject to regulatory requirements, certification, ethical or other similar issues? If so how will you manage this?

You may upload a risk register as an appendix in PDF format no more than 1MB in size.

Question 9: Additionality

Describe the impact that an injection of public funding would have on this project.

  • tell us if this project could go ahead in any form without public funding and if so, the difference the public funding would make such as faster to market, more partners, reduced risk
  • describe the likely impact of the project on the business of the partners involved
  • tell us why you are not able to wholly fund the project from your own resources or other forms of private-sector funding (what would happen if the application is unsuccessful)
  • explain how this project would change the nature of research and development activity the partners would undertake, and related spend

Question 10: 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?

  • justify the total project cost and the grant being requested in terms of the project goals
  • explain how the partners will finance their contributions to the project
  • explain how this project represents value for money for you and the taxpayer. How does it compare to what you would spend your money on otherwise?
  • justify the balance of costs and grant across the project partners
  • justify any sub-contractor costs and why they are critical to the project

3. Finances

The finances section asks each organisation to complete project costs, organisational details and funding details for each organisation in your project. For full details on what costs you can claim please see our project costs guidance.

Background and further information

If you want help to find a project partner, contact the Knowledge Transfer Network.

If you need more information, contact the competition helpline on 0300 321 4357 or email us at support@innovateuk.gov.uk

Need help with this service? Contact us