Innovate UK / UK Research and Innovation

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £5 million to work with Chinese partners to develop new integrated precision farming technology and help achieve net-zero emissions. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. Your consortium must include at least: a UK registered business of any size a UK academic institution or research and technology organisation a Chinese business of any size a Chinese academic institution or research organisation The UK partners must: carry out their project work in the UK, and in China where reasonable intend to exploit the results from or in the UK Please read the full competition scope before you apply.

Highways England is funding 2 parallel competitions for solutions and ideas for the design and use of UK roads. This competition is for unproven feasibility projects (low TRL). To lead a project, you can: be an organisation of any size work alone or with others as subcontractors Your idea must be suitable for trial on the strategic road network in England . Please read the full competition scope before you apply.

VRAI secured a DASA Defence Innovation Loan to help commercialise their data capture and analysis technology to help the RAF rapidly assess airmanship in future aviators VRAI’s data capture technology, funded through the DASA Open Call, has the ability to codify and predict airmanship performance. This technology can be used to accelerate training time for RAF recruits. Additional funding secured through DASA’s Defence Innovation Loan programme will help VRAI further develop the technology and prepare for commercialisation Run in partnership with Innovate UK, Defence Innovation Loans are designed to help SMEs develop and commercialise their mature defence solutions As part of the project, DASA provided guidance and helped VRAI test the system with the RAF and obtain vital military end user feedback Virtual training has become an essential component of modern defence, ensuring armed forces personnel can train proficiencies at scale while reducing costs. However, capturing and analysing training data has been a persistent challenge in defence, particularly in areas such as airmanship data from trainee pilots. Airmanship refers to the non-technical skills, and judgement required for aerial navigation. To operate an aircraft safely, it is vital that trainees are trained to a high standard to have good situational awareness, decision-making ability and aircraft knowledge. However, there are numerous obstacles to assessing pilot airmanship. It is constrained by the availability of in-person instructors that can observe students, as each instructor can only manage two or three students at a time. It is also heavily reliant on subjective observation. Introducing VRAI: Combining virtual reality technology with data capture Newcastle-based SME, VRAI , which specialises in virtual reality (VR) simulation training and data capture, recognised the need to provide trainee pilots with personalised training plans and data-driven feedback, to help them achieve their maximum potential in a shorter amount of time. With the help of DASA funding, VRAI developed a solution to enable the Royal Air Force (RAF) to better measure and predict trainee pilot performance, using a combination of VR and data capture technology, called HEAT. HEAT, which has been used to train staff in an array of vertical industries, can capture and generate rich data sets from commercial off-the-shelf VR solutions, which enables the capability to capture and store pilot data from simulated flying tasks. VRAI’s data capture and analysis technology enables the RAF to train airmanship in future military pilots to a higher standard, faster, and in a more cost effective way. It helps defence and security by: enabling instructors to train more students at the same time ensuring training performance is measure accurately ensuring good airmanship qualities can be codified, resulting is less subjective monitoring of student performance ensuring that students can readily self-assess their strengths and weaknesses against data enabling projections of trainee performance can be used to develop individualised training programmes enabling instructors to focus on more value added tasks when training students Testing helps VRAI collect 1 billion airmanship data points with the RAF VRAI submitted their innovative data capture solution to the DASA Open Call in 2020 and were awarded funding. DASA played a significant role in the project by offering VRAI guidance and helping them to test the system with the RAF, receiving valuable feedback from military end-users. The innovation was implemented at three RAF stations within a three-month timeframe, gathering nearly one billion data points from 40 RAF pilots, across the RAF 22 Group, and positive feedback from users. During the testing, VRAI was able to collect valuable trainee data which can be used to standardise airmanship training and assessment, helping to significantly reduce the amount of time needed to train quality pilots. Flying towards commercialisation: Defence Innovation Loans With an eye towards the future, VRAI secured a Defence Innovation Loan to further develop their innovation and market readiness. They will use these funds, to apply machine learning (ML) to the innovation in order to generate more robust actionable insights to further develop trainees, while also ensuring the RAF can utilise the system for self-training. To help with this, VRAI will also use the funding to develop customised dashboard metrics relating to airmanship. Niall Campion, Founder of VRAI said: We believe the technology we’re developing with this funding will allow us to bring genuinely game changing advancements in how training is delivered and its success is measured. Without DASA funding it would have been impossible for us to bring this product into the UK defence supply chain. By providing vital working capital while we demonstrate the value of the product in the defence industry, the Defence Innovation Loan will help us grow our business and deliver measurable improvements to training across both defence and other simulation markets. UPDATE: VRAI reaching new heights VRAI have continued to soar since working with DASA, securing a contract to develop a data driven tactical simulator for the Multi Launch Rocket System (MLRS) which is based in the 101 Royal Artillery Regiment in the North East of England. The project, which was funded through the DASA 1st Customer Fund, will enable the British Army to collect user performance data in order to improve crew performance while reducing the cost and carbon footprint of training. VRAI also recently announced plans to work with BAE Systems to harness the power of extended reality and artificial intelligence to enhance the training of fast jet pilots. BAE Systems will integrate VRAI’s HEAT data capture technology, which captures, analyses and visualises simulator data, in to a deployable simulator for a Hawk aircraft, the world’s most proven and successful fast jet trainer. The project is funded through the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP), which works to foster collaboration between small and medium-sized enterprises suppliers with leading defence companies. Anita Friend, Head of DASA, said: VRAI is helping deliver exciting new innovations to the UK defense supply chain in crucial areas such as AI and training simulation, helping the MOD continuously enhance its capabilities while also fostering its business growth. DASA is delighted to see the emergence of VRAI’s partnership with BAE, a direct outcome of DASA’s DTEP program. DTEP allows larger partner companies to benefit from early access to innovative technologies, materials, or processes from SMEs, that they can also help commercialise. Need help bringing your defence innovation to market? One of DASA’s main financial mechanisms to support with business readiness and the commercialisation of innovations is through the Defence Innovation Loans programme. Run in partnership with Innovate UK , these are designed to help growth-minded SMEs develop and commercialise their mature defence solutions and in doing so, tackle some of the challenges businesses face in moving from technology development to product and company scale up. Defence Innovation Loans Key points: Exclusively for SMEs Innovations must be at Technology Readiness Level 6 or above Loans from £100,000 - £2 million Loans can cover up to 100% of project costs to aid commercialisation of the solution Below market interest rate In partnership with Innovate UK Learn more about Defence Innovation Loans here and submit an application.

Businesses can apply for a share of £3.5 million, including VAT, to develop demonstrators for decarbonisation of the railway and customer experience in stations. This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition. It is open to organisations of any type and size, from any sector. 100% funding is available to successful applicants. Please read the full competition scope and invitation to tender before you make your application.

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £1 million for advanced materials R&D projects partnering with EUREKA country organisations, including South Korea. To be eligible for funding from Innovate UK, your collaboration: must include at least one UK registered business of any size must include at least one eligible partner from one of the participating regions of the EUREKA call for proposals for joint R&D projects on advanced materials can include UK registered research organisations must follow the full process correctly We strongly welcome partnerships with businesses from South Korea. Please read the full competition scope before you apply.

Funding will help turn cutting-edge research into practical tools for farmers, from vaccines that protect pigs from disease to technology that tackles pests and boosts crop yields A £13 million investment will help bring new technology from the lab to the farm, giving farmers practical tools to tackle some of the challenges they face every day. Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle today (Tuesday 1 September) announced the opening of the latest Farming Innovation Programme competition, backed by £13 million to help promising agricultural innovations to move closer to market. Delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, the competition will provide a small number of high potential projects with grants of £1-3 million to help researchers, farmers and agri-tech businesses develop new products and services to improve productivity, resilience and sustainability on farms. Projects funded through previous rounds include everything from robots picking tomatoes and using hoverflies as natural pest control in berry crops to a new vaccine being developed to protect pigs against Streptococcus suis, a common bacterial infection. The vaccine aims to prevent disease, improving animal health and welfare while reducing the need for antibiotics and supporting more sustainable pig production. Together, these innovations show how agri-tech funding can turn cutting-edge research into practical solutions to challenges faced by farmers, from labour shortages and animal health to crop protection and sustainability. Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: This funding will take brilliant ideas off the drawing board and put them to the test on farms, turning cutting-edge research into practical solutions that farmers can use. As set out in the Farming Roadmap, we’re backing the people turning ideas into action, helping farmers boost productivity, build resilience and meet the challenges of tomorrow. Chris Danks, Head of Agrifood at Innovate UK said: Innovation is critical to supporting a productive, resilient and competitive farming sector. By bringing together farmers, researchers and agri-tech businesses, this competition will help turn cutting-edge ideas into practical solutions that address the challenges facing agriculture today. Working in partnership with Defra, Innovate UK is supporting the development and commercialisation of innovations that can drive growth, improve sustainability and strengthen UK food production for the future. This latest round is part of the wider Farming Innovation Programme, with £123 million being invested in agricultural innovation this year following a £53 million boost announced in June . The funding supports the government’s commitment, set out in the Modern Industrial Strategy, to invest at least £200 million in agricultural innovation by 2030, backing rural growth, productivity and food security. Ahead of Back British Farming Day on Wednesday 9 September, the government continues to invest in homegrown agricultural innovation to solve real-world problems faced by farmers. Today’s announcement comes as applications open for the £30 million Farmer Collaboration Fund, helping farmers and land managers work together to cut costs, share knowledge and build resilience. ENDS Notes to editors The Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) is a government programme delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, supporting farmers, researchers and businesses to develop and test new technologies and solutions for the agriculture sector. The Small R&D Partnerships (Round 5) grant is designed to support a small number of high-potential projects developing new products or services through collaborative research and development. Projects can receive between £1 million and £3 million and can run for up to three years. Applications for the Farming Innovation Programme will open on 1 September. Further information on the funding available and how to apply can be found on the Farming Innovation Programme website . Projects referenced include: Vitrum: A project developing AI-powered robotic harvesters capable of picking tomatoes directly from the vine. The technology combines robotic arms, soft grippers and machine vision to help growers tackle seasonal labour shortages, increase domestic tomato production and reduce reliance on imports. Novel Enhanced Streptococcus suis Vaccine for Pigs: A project developing a new vaccine to protect pigs against multiple strains of Streptococcus suis, one of the most common bacterial infections affecting pigs. The project aims to improve animal health and welfare by preventing disease, while reducing reliance on antibiotics and supporting more sustainable pig production. FLYTHRIVE: A project exploring how hoverflies can be used as a natural form of pest control in berry production. Automated monitoring and natural attractants will encourage hoverflies to locate aphid colonies, with their larvae then feeding on the pests, providing a more targeted and sustainable alternative to chemical treatments.

Silicon Microgravity secured a DASA Defence Innovation Loan to further develop and commercialise their micro-chip technology for autonomous tunnel and bunker detection The Defence Innovation Loan will help Cambridge-based SME, Silicon Microgravity, develop and commercialise their autonomous gravimeter technology for tunnel and bunker detection by the end of 2024. DASA has also funded Silicon Microgravity’s ultra-precise, gyroscope technology for alternative navigation in GPS denied environments. DASA’s Defence Innovation Loans, run in partnership with Innovate UK, is an alternative funding model to help convert mature defence innovations into viable business propositions that can compete for defence procurement. The detection of sub-surface tunnels and bunkers has long been identified as a challenge area for defence, in both asymmetric and symmetrical warfare, and recent conflicts have only highlighted the growing threat of underground structures. In order to better safeguard frontline personnel, the military needs to swiftly and efficiently detect sub-surface tunnels and bunkers to overcome potential adversaries who use them. Despite their effectiveness, current tunnel detection methods such as ground penetrating radar and electromagnetics have several drawbacks. They are often bulky, costly, and challenging to apply in situations featuring difficult to navigate terrain, making them less efficient for quick, mobile use. Introducing Silicon Microgravity Cambridge-based Silicon Microgravity identified the need to radically shrink, and lower the cost and power consumption of underground structure detection systems, to enhance their effectiveness for Defence. Drawing inspiration from the civil environment and the current use of conducting gravity surveys to detect buried infrastructure, the SME sought to adapt this technology for defence. Silicon Microgravity is developing a gravimeter (a tool for measuring minute changes in the force of gravity) which can be deployed remotely on an autonomous land vehicle or drones, to detect underground structures, keeping personnel out of danger zones. The innovation uses resonant Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS), which is a technological process used to create tiny integrated devices or systems that combine mechanical and electrical components. MEMS has a long history in the civil world, and is used in an array of technologies such as accelerometers for airbag sensors and inkjet printer heads, however it has never had, until now, the sensitivity for use in navigation or gravity applications. Silicon Microgravity’s sensors are over a thousand times more accurate than those traditionally used in civilian applications. Thanks to their proprietary resonant MEMS technology, Silicon Microgravity has achieved a significant breakthrough in sub-surface detection technology. The technique has enabled the company to miniaturise the technology from the size of a shoe box to a tiny computer chip. As a result, the SME has been able to attach the underground sensing technology to a handheld device, or a drone, which can easily navigate hazardous terrain, land, and take readings of underground structures beneath the surface. In 2022, Silicon Microgravity received a Defence Innovation Loan to take the innovation towards commercialisation by the end of 2024. Silicon Microgravity’s journey with DASA and towards commercialisation In 2017, Silicon Microgravity first collaborated with DASA through the Open Call, marking their first foray into the Defence sector. With DASA’s funding, Silicon Microgravity completed a feasibility study and initial development on an ultra-precise gyroscope based on their resonant MEMS technology, a critical part of inertial measurement which is used in GPS-denied environments. This technology has applications both in military and civilian markets. During their first discussions with DASA, they discovered the immense potential of their MEMS technology and its applicability to a wide range of defence-related solutions. Through the feasibility study as part the Open call, Silicon Microgravity was also able to develop links into the defence sector, engage with large defence contractors, and now has two development contracts with a large global defence contractor and is in active discussions with others, both within the UK and overseas. Having further developed their resonant MEMS technology for gravity applications, Silicon Microgravity submitted their next innovation to DASA in 2021, to receive a Defence Innovation Loan to help commercialise their tunnel detection technology. The Cambridge-based SME was granted a Defence Innovation Loan of £750,000, which they will use to further develop the underground detection technology in preparation for field trials in the first half of 2024. The loan will also help commercialise the product, for potential use in applications such as security, border control, defence, cartography, civil engineering and infrastructures/utilities. Francis Neill, CEO of Silicon Microgravity, said: DASA have been absolutely fundamental in helping to get Silicon Microgravity to the stage where we will shortly be commercialising what is becoming recognised as world leading technology in gravity sensing and inertial navigation. Not only does our technology have defence applications but it is very much in line with the UK’s strategy of creating an international technology superpower. DASA have provided both market and fund raising assistance in addition the project specific funding. DASA’s A2MF Team mentors Silicon Microgravity for future investment opportunities As part of the post-contract support, DASA’s Access to Mentoring and Finance (A2MF) team has been helping Silicon Microgravity with market readiness and future investment. The A2MF team assisted Silicon Microgravity in perfecting their pitch to potential investors by offering workshops to improve presentation content and pitch decks. This culminated in the DASA Investment Showcase in 2021, where Silicon Microgravity was invited to present their business and innovative ideas to investors, alongside other innovators. Silicon Microgravity was able to secure additional investments and build belief in their project thanks to the invaluable experience and skills gained from the A2MF team, along with their successful application through Defence Innovation Loans. Need help bringing your defence innovation to market? Silicon Microgravity has made great strides in a short period of time and is preparing for an exciting year ahead, starting field trials, commercialising both their gravity and inertial products, building export markets, adding high value UK jobs and more than doubling revenue. Since their first meeting with DASA in 2017, they have made significant progress by conducting field trials, commercialising their innovation with the help of Defence Innovation Loans, attracting new investors, and expanding their organisation. One of DASA’s main financial mechanisms to support with business readiness and the commercialisation of innovations is through the Defence Innovation Loans programme. Run in partnership with Innovate UK, these are designed to help growth-minded SMEs develop and commercialise their mature defence solutions and in doing so, tackle some of the challenges businesses face in moving from technology development to product and company scale up. Defence Innovation Loans Key points: Exclusively for SMEs Innovations must be at Technology Readiness Level 6 or above Loans from £100,000 - £2 million Loans can cover up to 100% of project costs to aid commercialisation of the solution Below market interest rate In partnership with Innovate UK Learn more about Defence Innovation Loans here and submit an application.

UK businesses and research organisations can apply for a share of up to £3 million from DFID and Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) for projects with partners in eligible African countries. Your project must be collaborative and include all of the following: a business at least one partner from the UK one partner from an eligible African country The technical project work can be led by a partner from the UK, an eligible African country or another country. The administrative work must be led by a partner from the UK.

Loans up to £1.6m available. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to commercialise your defence solution The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch Defence Innovation Loans which has £10 million to lend for innovative defence solutions. Accessible to SMEs, and with a below market interest rate of 7.4% per annum, the Defence Innovation Loan provides an excellent opportunity to apply for affordable funds to help you commercialise your defence solutions. Defence Innovation Loans: An introduction Defence Innovation Loans: An introduction How to apply? Check out the full document and submit your idea . Defence Innovation Loans Webinar On Thursday 9th September, DASA and Innovate UK hosted a live webinar to answer all of your questions about Defence Innovation Loans, where viewers spoke to our panel of experts about how to submit a successful application. Defence Innovation Loans: Webinar Watch our previous webinar We received some great questions during our last Defence Innovation Loans webinar. Catch up on what you missed here . For more Defence Innovation Loans content, check out our video playlist How much is available for a Defence Innovation Loan? The total of £10 million is available for the Defence Innovation Loan competition this year, of which comprises £5M from the Defence Innovation Fund and £5M from Army. You can apply for a loan between £250,000 and £1.6 million with a below market interest rate of 7.4% per annum. This loan can cover up to 100% of eligible project costs to aid the commercialisation of the solution and overall term of the loan must not exceed 7 years. Please note, Innovate UK will carry out the Defence Innovation Loan credit evaluation and you will enter into a loan agreement and security agreement with Innovate UK Loans Ltd. Read the full DASA competition document for more information on Defence Innovation Loans . Who can apply for a Defence Innovation Loan? To apply for a Defence Innovation Loan you must: be a UK registered SME intend to exploit the results in the UK or overseas to make a significant and positive impact on the UK economy and/or productivity give evidence that your business is suitable to take on a loan Please note, individuals, academic institutions, research organisations and large companies are not eligible for innovation loans. What kind of innovation will be considered for a loan? Defence Innovation Loans are open to innovative ideas to improve the defence of the UK. Your innovation must be mature at TRL 6 or above, to ensure the solution can be commercialised within the time scale of the Innovation Loan. There also must clearly be evidence of a defence need for the innovative solution. Two tracks of funding The Defence Innovation Loan has two tracks of funding, covering general Defence solutions and more specific solutions for the Army. Track 1: Defence Innovation Fund (£5M) Track 1 is open to innovative ideas to improve the Defence of the UK. Track 2: Army Innovation Fund (£5M) Track 2 is open to innovations which align with any of the priority areas below and targets an Army end user. Priority areas include: Army industrial engagement framework decision-support directed energy weapons human performance enhancement information advantage robotics and autonomous systems and more… Ready to apply? Read the full DASA competition document here . For more on Defence Innovation Loans, watch the video below: Defence Innovation Loans: Everything you need to know Defence Innovation Loans: Everything you need to know

Businesses can apply for a share of £5.5 million, including VAT, to develop demonstrators to enhance resilience, freight operations and the environment. To lead a project, you can be an organisation of any size and must: carry out your project in the UK involve an owner of railway assets (such as stations, rolling stock or infrastructure), an experienced railway organisation and a railway organisation that has the potential to become a customer (this can be the same organisation or 3 separate organisations) include a potential integration partner as a subcontractor Partners can only be involved on a subcontract basis. This competition closes at midday 12pm UK time on the deadline. Please read the full competition scope before you apply.

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1 million to develop innovative proposals with Singapore and other EUREKA countries. To be eligible for funding from Innovate UK your collaboration: must include at least one UK based micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME) must include an eligible Singapore lead partner can include other UK businesses of any size or UK based research organisations must follow the full process correctly Please read the full competition scope before you start your application.

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £968,000, plus VAT, for innovations that demonstrate security surveillance analytics in Network Rail stations. Your organisation: can be any size must be from the UK, EU or EEA must carry out your project in the UK Partners can only be involved as subcontractors. Please read the full competition scope before you apply.

Businesses from the UK, EU or EEA can apply for a share of up to £9.4 million, including VAT, to develop demonstrators for sustainability, customer experience, operations or maintenance. To lead a project, you can: be an organisation of any size be based in the UK, EU, or EEA work alone or with others as subcontractors You must: involve a railway asset owner (stations, rolling stock, infrastructure), an experienced railway organisation and a railway organisation that has the potential to become a customer (these can all be the same organisation) include a potential integration partner Please read the full competition scope before you apply.

Highways England is funding 2 parallel competitions for solutions and ideas for the design and use of UK roads. This competition is for proven feasibility projects at development stage (higher TRL). To lead a project, you can: be an organisation of any size work alone or with others as subcontractors Your idea must be suitable for trial on the strategic road network in England . Please read the full competition scope before you apply.

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1 million to develop AI and quantum technology or quantum sensing technologies together with organisations from EUREKA countries. To be eligible for funding from Innovate UK your collaboration: must be led by at least one UK business of any size must include at least one eligible partner from one of the EUREKA network countries must follow the full process correctly Read the full competition scope before you make your application.

The Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP) is a £16 million programme to boost small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) defence innovation The Defence Technology Exploitation Programme will help keep the UK at the forefront of defence technology Joining innovations and up to 50% of government funding with large suppliers Grants of up to £500,000 available per project A £16 million programme to boost small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) defence innovation has been launched today. With the innovation of SMEs, the resources of big suppliers and initial funding from government, the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP) is designed to bring the key components together to allow pioneering projects to flourish. The aim is to keep the United Kingdom at the forefront of defence technology, improving the capabilities available to our Armed Forces, the competitiveness of UK industry and growing potential exports benefits. Individual grants of up to 50% of a project’s value – to a maximum of £500,000 per grant - will be available through DTEP for collaborative projects between SMEs and larger suppliers, supporting the integration of novel technologies, materials and processes into MOD’s supply chains. DTEP will be open for proposals year-round, with cycles closing at 3-month intervals for assessment of submissions. Defence Minister Jeremy Quin said: Innovation within defence is crucial to maintaining competitive advantage for our Armed Forces. The Defence Technology Exploitation Programme is a positive step in how we support SMEs and larger suppliers to work together to improve the resilience and competitiveness of the MOD’s supply chain. Today’s launch builds upon the successful BEIS-funded National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) and a pilot of DTEP conducted with Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI). An example of work supported by this pilot is CCP Gransden, based near Ballygowan, collaborating with Thales and Ulster University on a project to replace the Starstreak surface-to-air missile system’s metallic canister with a composite version – reducing reliance on global supply chains for the over 50 components currently needed. Head of the Defence and Security Accelerator, Anita Friend said: DTEP has been designed to help SMEs join defence supply chains and offers SMEs and larger suppliers the opportunity to come together to solve defence problems. For an SME, DTEP offers not only funding but also the opportunity to deliver new innovations into the UK defence supply chain and a way to develop and scale up their business. DTEP is also beneficial for larger companies, offering early access to new technologies or processes that they may be able to help commercialise. Applications to DTEP can be made by UK-based SMEs looking to form a collaboration with a UK-based higher-tier supplier to help integrate and take the novel solution to market. The key areas of interest for proposals are set out in detail on the DTEP portal and are aligned with the recently published Defence Capability Framework . DASA DTEP Business Relationship Managers will be available at all steps of the process, from project formation until after project completion. They will support SMEs through signposting, mentoring and offering other support services. DTEP will be delivered by the MOD’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), in partnership with the Innovate UK group, and it is a core commitment in the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy and SME Action Plan . Submit a proposal DTEP guidance can be accessed here .

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £8 million from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund for capital projects to improve medicines manufacturing. To lead a project you must: be a UK-based business of any size work alone or in collaboration with one or more businesses Please read the full competition scope before you make your application.

Loans for game-changing innovations with strong commercial potential that will significantly improve the UK economy. To take on an innovation loan for a project you must: be a UK based micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) carry out your project in the UK give evidence that your business is suitable to take on a loan Please read the full competition scope before you apply.

Loans up to £1.6m available. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to commercialise your defence solution The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch Cycle 2 the Defence Innovation Loan competition, which has £10 million to lend for innovative defence solutions. Accessible to SMEs, and with a below market interest rate of 7.4% per annum, the Defence Innovation Loan provides an excellent opportunity to apply for affordable funds to help you commercialise your defence solutions. Defence Innovation Loans: An introduction Defence Innovation Loans: An introduction How to apply? Check out the full document and submit your idea . Have questions? Defence Innovation Loans Webinar On Thursday 9th September, DASA and Innovate UK hosted a live webinar to answer all of your questions about Defence Innovation Loans, where viewers spoke to our panel of experts about how to submit a successful application. This webinar will be viewable on-demand shortly. Stay tuned! Watch our previous webinar We received some great questions during our last Defence Innovation Loans webinar. Catch up on what you missed here . How much is available for a Defence Innovation Loan? The total of £10 million is available for the Defence Innovation Loan competition this year, of which comprises £5M from the Defence Innovation Fund and £5M from Army. You can apply for a loan between £250,000 and £1.6 million with a below market interest rate of 7.4% per annum. This loan can cover up to 100% of eligible project costs to aid the commercialisation of the solution and overall term of the loan must not exceed 7 years. Please note, Innovate UK will carry out the Defence Innovation Loan credit evaluation of this competition and you will enter into a loan agreement and security agreement with Innovate UK Loans Ltd. Read the full DASA competition document for more information on Defence Innovation Loans . Who can apply for a Defence Innovation Loan? To apply for a Defence Innovation Loan you must: be a UK registered SME intend to exploit the results in the UK or overseas to make a significant and positive impact on the UK economy and/or productivity give evidence that your business is suitable to take on a loan Please note, individuals, academic institutions, research organisations and large companies are not eligible for innovation loans. What kind of innovation will be considered for a loan? The Defence Innovation Loan is open to innovative ideas to improve the defence of the UK. Your innovation must be mature at TRL 6 or above, to ensure the solution can be commercialised within the time scale of the Innovation Loan. There also must clearly be evidence of a defence need for the innovative solution. Two tracks of funding The Defence Innovation Loan has two tracks of funding, covering general Defence solutions and more specific solutions for the Army. Track 1: Defence Innovation Fund (£5M) Track 1 is open to innovative ideas to improve the Defence of the UK. Track 2: Army Innovation Fund (£5M) Track 2 is open to innovations which align with any of the priority areas below and targets an Army end user. Priority areas include: army Industrial engagement framework decision-support directed energy weapons human performance enhancement information advantage robotics and autonomous systems and more… Ready to apply? Read the full DASA competition document here . For more on Defence Innovation Loans, watch the video below: Defence Innovation Loans: Everything you need to know Defence Innovation Loans: Everything you need to know

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1 million and Malaysian businesses a share of RM 5.5 million to collaborate on innovative solutions to large societal challenges. To lead the project in the UK your organisation must: be a UK based business of any size collaborate with at least one Malaysian business comply with Official Development Assistance requirements throughout the lifetime of the project To lead the project in Malaysia your organisation must: be a Malaysian business of any size collaborate with at least one UK business be registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia Please read the full competition scope before you start your application.

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1.5 million to develop innovative technologies targeting global markets in partnership with Israeli companies. To be eligible for funding from Innovate UK your collaboration: must include at least one eligible business partner from each of the participating countries can include other UK registered businesses of any size must follow the full process correctly

£7.5 million grant funding is now available for businesses to develop ways to improve how energy is managed on marine vessels. The funding is available via the Managing Energy on Marine Vessels competition, which is part-funded by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and run by Innovate UK. David Elson, Lead Technologist at Innovate UK commented: Energy efficiency is one of the biggest challenges facing industry today, on land or sea. I hope this competition encourages businesses already working in this area to see the potential for growth in the marine sector and develop new and exciting innovations in the process. Find out more about the Managing Energy on Marine Vessels competition Read about how Innovate UK helped Arcola Energy develop low carbon energy products using hydrogen fuel cells

13 businesses working on the challenges of population growth, accelerating urbanisation and climate change offered Innovate UK’s first innovation loans. Innovate UK has offered £8 million to 13 businesses developing innovative solutions for the UK’s urban infrastructure, energy and transport challenges. The 13 businesses compete in a new global smart infrastructure market, estimated to be worth £1.2 trillion per year by 2025. The companies applied into a competition which looked for innovative businesses who could use the loan to scale up and commercialise new technologies. This is part of Innovate UK’s 2-year pilot loans programme, through which a total of £50 million is available. First successful companies The first successful companies include: CitiLogik : analysing how people move to identify and analyse demand activity G-Volution : dual-fuel engines that are cheaper, cleaner and greener Alert Technology : the world’s first portable asbestos detectors Alcove : assistive Internet of Things-based technology for older adults Catagen : catalyst emissions testing and simulation Utonomy : smart gas grid control to increase biomethane injection capacity 3-Sci : moisture monitoring system for corrosion under insulation Lightfoot : connected car technology Read a case study about one of the first successful companies: Lightfoot . Unlocking opportunities for the UK Innovate UK’s Executive Chair, Dr Ian Campbell, said: Innovative businesses require innovative finance, so we’re excited about the opportunities innovation loans are now unlocking for UK businesses to lead the revolution in infrastructure, urban living, energy and connected transport. We’ve seen high levels of demand for this new, affordable, flexible and low interest finance option for innovation and we’re confident it will help potential UK businesses to scale up, create high-value jobs and ultimately accelerate economic growth and improve the quality of life across all regions. About innovation loans Innovate UK’s pilot programme of innovation loans was introduced to help scale some of the country’s most innovative companies. The programme will do this by helping tackle many of the key issues facing companies with innovative technologies and business models they want to take to market. If successful in the competitive application process, companies can borrow between £100,000 and £1 million. To find out about loan competition opportunities, sign up to get website updates from Innovate UK . Commercialising important new technologies David Petrie, Head of Corporate Finance at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) said: ICAEW warmly welcomes the pilot programme for innovation loans. Many of our 150,000 members are working in, advising and investing in high-growth companies. The new programme is another step by Innovate UK to increase the funding options for R&D based ventures. Innovation loans should help the commercialisation of important new technologies because they include elements that are not typically available from high-street banks. They should work very well for particular kinds of innovative, early-stage businesses that need more investment. Guidance: find out more about innovation loans .

Joint list by Maserati and The Sunday Times names 9 companies that have progressed with Innovate UK funding in top 100 game changers. The Maserati 100 highlights the emerging entrepreneurs who are challenging the established order with their disruptive technologies. Now in its third year, these awards celebrate the positive impact innovative start-ups have on the economy and society as a whole. Nine businesses that have received funding from Innovate UK featured in the list. See more success stories . The businesses Crisp Thinking Group - using Crisp’s software, companies are able to moderate and monitor social media to protect their brands. It has offices in Leeds, London and New York. Crisp received funding to prototype their real-time social media management platform Ella’s Kitchen - making and selling organic baby food since 2006, the company now employs 70 people in the UK and takes 20% of the market. Global turnover is more than $100 million. Ella’s Kitchen has taken part in 3 knowledge transfer partnerships (KTP) with the University of Reading, to look at its marketing, raw materials and packaging Ella’s Kitchen: transforming the organic baby food market Horizon Discovery - a gene-editing biotech company, Horizon Discovery supports the discovery of new medicines, including personalised medicines for treating cancer. It has already acquired a number of US companies to further grow the business. Innovate UK funded collaborative research and development projects to find innovative approaches for the manufacture of high-value, genome-edited cell lines M Squared Lasers - the Glasgow-based company designs and manufactures lasers for use in industry, defence, healthcare and energy. Its revenues totalled more than £8 million last year. Innovate UK has funded several projects to help M Squared Lasers optimise laser emission intensity, develop high precision, handheld spectrometry and grow the market Swiftkey shown working on a mobile device. Metail - offering virtual fitting rooms to allow shoppers to create 3D models of themselves and try on clothes. Evans and House of Holland are among the retailers to have signed up. Metail received Innovate UK funding for feasibility and proof of concept studies, as well as prototype testing. This helped the company to develop computer vision techniques and digitise garmets with lower costs and simpler operations Ocado - a pioneering online supermarket with annual sales of £1.3 billion. Ocado was involved in a collaborative, 24-month project to trial a range of vehicles with hydrogen dual-fuel technology, in order to reduce the carbon of its vehicles Swiftkey - predictive keyboard software that’s installed in more than 300 million smartphones and tablets. Last year Swiftkey acquired by Microsoft in a deal reported to be worth $250m. Swiftkey received 2 Innovate UK grants, to test its idea for an app that would transform the way people used keyboards and help prototype it The Floow - this tool collects data for motor insurers from a driver’s phone or a black box in their vehicle. Floow has more than 70 staff in Sheffield and clients include Direct Line and AIG. Floow was involved in a collaborative funding project to accelerate the development, market readiness and deployment of automated driving systems The Framestore - an innovative special effects firm that has worked on films including Gravity, the 2013 Oscar winner for Best Visual Effects. The Framestore received funding in 2 collaborative projects: to create an extensible, pluggable digital security framework that protects media companies; and the development of a production pipeline process that improves quality, speeds up production and reduces costs Apply for innovation funding .

£153 million Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund funding, alongside £205 million from industry, will support commercialisation of quantum technologies. New quantum technologies have the potential to revolutionise a range of industries – from cyber security to defence and healthcare. But as an emerging technology, research and innovation in quantum technologies requires continuing government support in order to maximise the industry’s potential in the UK. Government has announced that it will invest £153 million through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s (ISCF) new commercialising quantum technologies challenge. The funding will support businesses delivering quantum-enabled products and help remove technological barriers to productivity and competitiveness in the UK. It will be supported by £205 million from industry. The programme will be delivered by UK Research and Innovation, and lifts total UK investment or planned investment in the National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP) to over £1 billion. What is quantum technology? Read a blog by challenge director Roger McKinlay . Challenge scope The challenge will invest in 4 key areas, designed to support all aspects of the UK’s quantum industry growth: product and service innovations: a series of collaborative research and development competitions to deliver game-changing quantum-enabled products and services industry-led technology development projects: a programme of industry-managed research activities addressing specific challenges supply chain: feasibility projects focused on innovative components and supply chain elements across the quantum sector investment accelerator: encouraging venture capital for early-stage, spin-out and start-up quantum technologies companies Laying the foundations for a quantum industry UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Sir Mark Walport, said: The UK is a world leader in quantum technologies. The funding announced today builds on the great progress we have made and lays the foundations for a quantum technology industry here in the UK. It will ensure that we remain at the forefront of this exciting and evolving field and that we realise its potential, from improved healthcare to more accurate and reliable navigation, that is fundamental to so many services. Transforming lives Roger McKinlay, Challenge Director for Quantum Technologies at UK Research and Innovation said: Quantum technologies will transform all aspects of our lives from more efficient infrastructure to higher levels of security in the transmission and storage of data. The announcement of this significant public funding for the industrialisation of quantum technologies exemplifies the benefits of the Industrial Strategy, both in terms of improved coordination across government departments and also the creation of long-term partnerships between government, academia and businesses. Five years of investment in the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme has given the UK a technological lead which businesses are now ready to turn in to a significant commercial advantage. Read about the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme . Building on pioneer projects’ success Through the ISCF quantum challenge, UK government has already invested £20 million in 4 pioneer projects. The projects, which are still ongoing, focused on delivering quantum-enabled prototypes within 2 years in 3 areas: gravity sensing secure communications developing a quantum-enabled clock One project has been developing a device that will use quantum technology to see underground. The device has applications in infrastructure planning and development and is being delivered by engineering and environmental firm RSK. Case study: 2020 quantum prototype will help engineers see underground . Sign up for email alerts to hear about new funding opportunities .

Robots controlled by smart auto-navigation systems are doing battle in an £8.5 million competition to find ways to tackle Sellafield radioactive hotspots. An array of robots controlled by super-smart auto-navigation systems are doing battle in an £8.5 million competition to develop new ways of tackling some of Sellafield’s most radioactive hotspots. Last year, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and fellow government agency Innovate UK launched a search for innovative technologies that could be combined into a single seamless process for use in facilities that will soon embark on a major decommissioning journey. Working closely with Sellafield Ltd, who would use the technology, submissions to a competitive process were invited from all industrial sectors. Five promising ideas have now made it through to the final stages after being whittled down from a shortlist of 15. The newly formed consortia are each set to receive up to £1.5 million to build prototype demonstrators for testing in a simulated radioactive environment. Conventional approaches to working in high-hazard environments involve teams of workers, clad in protective air-fed suits, who would be restricted to working no more than a few hours at a time. The process is extremely time-consuming, costly and poses risks to the workers. The projects include technology developed for space missions to Mars The goal of Sellafield and the NDA is to reduce risks to workers, increase productivity, deal efficiently with waste, reduce timescales and cut overall costs to the taxpayer: safer, faster, cheaper. This is complemented by the role of Innovate UK who are looking to drive productivity and growth in the UK through the support and implementation of innovation. Announcing the projects, the NDA’s Head of Technology Melanie Brownridge said the response from suppliers and academic institutions had been so promising, that more funds were added to top up the original £3 million pot increasing it to £8.5 million: We were all incredibly excited by the quality and diversity of the submissions, which came from established nuclear organisations as well as industries, such as space and defence sectors, working with us for the first time. Such a fantastic response meant that we were able to secure additional funding from Innovate UK and the Government’s department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) which will allow more of the ideas to be fully explored and also investigated for potential use in other hazardous environments. The projects demonstrate the full range of innovation – using existing ideas in an innovative way through to cutting-edge new technologies. All the projects are being developed by collaborative consortia formed specifically for this competition. The participating organisations, almost 30 in total, include small businesses, large corporations and academic institutions. The winning project – or projects – could be put to work at Sellafield’s Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) and Magnox Reprocessing Plant, which are both due to close by 2020. After closure, scores of rooms, or ‘cells’, at the facilities must be cleaned out, with the waste safely treated for packing and storage. Melanie added: It’s a huge challenge. The new integrated system must establish what’s inside the cells, measure the radioactivity, access spaces that have been sealed for years, cut up the contents (including large vessels and many miles of pipework), segregate the waste, then remove it for treatment and safe storage. Radioactivity levels are extremely high, restricting workforce access, so the work must be carried out remotely. A number of the technologies are tried and tested nuclear favourites; some are well established in other industries; others are brand new. One of the challenges will be to develop a smooth interaction between all the different component parts. Industries that have been keen to step up to the challenge include computer gaming, fume extraction, sea-fishing, medical imaging, oil and gas as well as space and defence. Many ideas include robots which range from large industrial giants to small ant-like devices that can work collectively and easily be replaced in the event of a break-down. One of the auto-mapping systems was developed for use in missions to Mars and will be adapted to scan the interior of a radioactive cell. Some projects will immerse operatives in a virtual world, where they will intuitively be able to control robots and equipment as if they were actually inside the cells. Melanie added: The NDA is continually seeking the best ways to encourage innovation and bring in new ideas from the supply chain and ensure everyone has an opportunity to contribute. Part of our mission is to support innovation and technology growth, with the aim of pushing forward the decommissioning of extremely complex nuclear challenges. Derek Allen, Innovation Lead for Energy at Innovate UK, said: We have been delighted by the response to this competition and the additional funding will enable us to support more innovative organisations with great ideas to make nuclear decommissioning cheaper, safer and faster. This has the potential to open up significant business opportunities for UK organisations both nationally and globally. This programme fully aligns with one of the Governments Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund priority areas: ‘Robotics and artificial intelligence in extreme environments’ which is looking to create a safer working world for people, improve productivity and support advances in industry and public services. After the first series of trials, set to take place over the next 18 months, those with potential could progress to more rigorous trials in a radioactive environment. Approval from the nuclear regulators will be required before the integrated system can be deployed at Sellafield or other NDA sites. Melanie added: We’re hopeful that a number may be successful, and could be used in various different situations at our sites as well as in other hazardous scenarios, both here and overseas. More on the projects and how they are developing will be released over the next 12 months including articles from each consortium. The five successful projects are (lead contractor in bold): Barrnon Ltd Atkins, Cambrian Intelligence Ltd, Createc Ltd, Veolia (Oxford Technologies) Createc Ltd OC Robotics, Red Engineering Design Ltd, Structure Vision Ltd, React Engineering Ltd, UKEA, Race Ltd Wood Airbus Defence & Space Ltd, Damavan Imaging, Clicks & Links Ltd, TWI, Digital Concepts Engineering Ltd, IS Instruments Ltd, i3D Robotics Ltd, University of Lancaster, University of Salford, Kawasaki Cavendish Nuclear Babcock Analytic Solutions, OC Robotics Nuvia Clicks & Links Ltd, Hu-Tech Ltd, Imitec Ltd, PaR Systems Ltd, UKEA RACE Ltd, University of Bristol, University of Manchester Integrated Innovation Competition project details ( PDF , 391 KB , 9 pages ) Read more about the background in a blog by the NDA’s Melanie Brownridge

An overview of government's programme to develop and manufacture new medicines, digital health products and medical technologies. What is the leading-edge healthcare challenge? The leading-edge healthcare challenge is part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund . We are faced with the challenge of manufacturing many different types of medicines, and getting the right drugs and treatments to individual patients when they need them. Government will invest £181 million to speed up access to new medicines and drugs and improve healthcare. It will establish new facilities and support research and innovation projects that accelerate the development and manufacture of vital advanced therapies, medicines and vaccines. The fund is estimated to return £1 billion to the UK economy, support high-value, highly-skilled manufacturing and increase productivity. Innovate UK will deliver the challenge on behalf of UK Research and Innovation , with input from the Office for Life Sciences . Accelerating Innovative Medicines challenge The funding is in 4 areas: advanced therapies treatment centres medicines manufacturing projects viral vector production projects digital health technology catalyst

A fund to strengthen UK science and business innovation and take on the biggest challenges that society and industry face today. What is the UKRI Challenge Fund The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Challenge Fund aims to bring together our world-leading research base with Britain’s best businesses to transform how we live, work and move around. By investing in the very best research, development and innovation, it will tackle the major industrial and societal challenges we face today and put the UK in the best position to take advantage of future market opportunities. The fund is backed by £2.6 billion of public money, with £3 billion in matched funding from the private sector. The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund The challenges It’s made up of 23 challenges, covering the 4 challenge themes: clean growth ageing society future of mobility artificial intelligence and data economy More information can be found on Innovate UK’s blog . To find out about the latest challenge opportunities, sign up for email alerts . Search for live funding opportunities and apply .

Funding boost for anti-counterfeiting and motion sensing companies: MOD supports two SMEs in collaboration with higher-tier partners through the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme. The small businesses selected are Ethicronics and Silicon Microgravity Both SMEs will work with larger company sponsors that already have experience of working with defence to develop innovative new solutions The Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP) boosts defence innovation while supporting the technology supply chain. Two innovative SMEs have received funding through the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme ( DTEP ). The companies, Ethicronics and Silicon Microgravity will each receive a government grant, worth 50 per cent of the project value. The Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) will partner with a higher-tier supplier with the aim of developing innovative new solutions that meet UK defence challenges and increase capability in the UK defence supply chain. DTEP, which seeks to improve the competitiveness of the UK Defence supply chain, is sponsored by the MOD’s Directorate of Industrial Strategy, Prosperity and Exports (DISPE) and delivered through the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), Innovate UK , and ADS . A crucial aspect of DTEP involves collaboration between an SME supplier and a more experienced higher-tier partner in the defence sector. The higher-tier partner sponsoring the initiative will dedicate time, effort, and resources to engage with SMEs in these joint innovation endeavours. Anita Friend, Head of DASA, said: “We are pleased to announce the allocation of DTEP funding for these two SMEs. These innovative organisations, in collaboration with their higher-tier DTEP partners, are poised to make significant contributions to the UK’s defence supply chain and help ensure the continued success of future defence and security.” Congratulations to the DTEP winners Ethicronics: Stamping out counterfeits Ethicronics aims to develop an innovation that addresses the critical challenge of assurance, hardware integrity and authenticity to tackle issues such as counterfeit and compromised electronics. Together with higher-tier partner Thales, they will collaborate to develop a software solution that utilises innovative, unforgeable stamps that certify and authenticate hardware components. Dr Franck Courbon, CEO of Ethicronics, said: Being selected for the DASA DTEP program is a significant achievement for Ethicronics, marking a pivotal moment in our journey towards revolutionizing electronics hardware assurance for Defence but also Security, Aerospace, Automotive, Finance, Critical Infrastructures and Consumer Electronics supply chains as a dual-use solution. This collaboration enables to develop our innovative solution further, attract additional funding, establish a strong relationship with a world leader in digital security and creates a framework to bring on-board additional partners in the electronics eco-system. The DTEP program provides a clear path for integration and enables us to hire key secure software engineers while working with DASA strengthens our commitment to delivering secure, scalable, and impactful software solutions for electronics in our country and beyond. Silicon Microgravity: Inertial navigation Silicon Microgravity develops MEMS gravitational and motion sensors and has a track record for developing highly accurate, portable systems for a range of uses. They are teaming up with higher-tier partner Collins Aerospace to deliver a small, lightweight, low power MEMS accelerometer with navigation grade performance and capable of handling accelerations of up to 100g – the first of its kind on the market. Francis Neill, CEO of Silicon Microgravity, said: The DASA DTEP grant funding and our partnership with Collins Aerospace will enable SMG to commercialise our innovative, market leading, MEMS accelerometer. The modern world has become very dependent on GNSS in our everyday lives but conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated how GNSS can be denied by jamming or spoofing. Inertial Navigation using accelerometers and gyroscopes provides an alternative, unjammable, navigation solution. SMG’s high accuracy, Navigation Grade, MEMS accelerometers will provide both globally leading and UK sovereign capability in this critical area in both defence and civilian applications. DTEP’s funding for Ethicronics and Silicon Microgravity highlights the MOD’s commitment to fostering innovation and strengthening the UK defence supply chain through strategic SME partnerships. Learn more about DASA’s funding opportunities here .