Applications Open for Innovate UK Smart Grants Programme 2019

Deadline: 24 July 2019

Applications are open for Innovate UK Smart Grants Programme for a share of up to £25 million to deliver ambitious or disruptive R&D innovations with significant potential for impact on the UK economy.

All proposals must be business focused, rather than pure research. Applications can come from any area of technology (including arts, design, media or creative industries), science or engineering and be applied to any part of the economy.

Applicants proposal must demonstrate

A clear game-changing, innovative and/or disruptive and ambitious idea leading to new products, processes or services.
An idea that is significantly ahead of others in the field, set for rapid commercialisation.
A strong and deliverable business plan that addresses (and documents) market potential and needs.
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.
A team, business arrangement or working structure with the necessary skills and experience to run and complete the project successfully and on time.
Sound, practical financial plans and timelines.
Awareness of all the main risks the project will face (including contractor or equipment failure, recruitment delays and so on) with realistic management, mitigation and impact minimisation plans for each.
Clear, considerable potential to significantly impact the UK economy and/or productivity in a positive way.
Good value for money, which will always be a consideration in Innovate UK funding decisions.

Themes

Innovate UK gives preference to applications that demonstrate realistic, significant potential for global markets.
Proposals from innovation-based businesses with significant ambition and potential for growth or scale-up are welcome.
Where possible, projects should take customer and user needs into account to deliver more desirable and useful solutions.

Research categories

They are looking to fund a portfolio of projects, across a variety of technologies, markets, technological maturities and research categories.
Projects can focus on:
- - Feasibility studies, which may include market research.
  - Industrial research.
  - Experimental development, if appropriate for the challenge identified and proposed solution.

Funding Information

Duration between 6 and 18 months: total eligible project costs between £25,000 and £500,000 (single company or collaboration).
Duration between 19 and 36 months: total eligible project costs between £25,000 and £2 million (collaboration only).

Eligibility Criteria

Any UK business requesting funding must be eligible to receive state aid at the time they confirm they will be awarded funding.
Applicants project
- - All applications must include at least one micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME).
  - Project durations between 6 and 18 months must have total eligible project costs between £25,000 and £500,000. They can be single or collaborative projects.
  - They will not accept projects with a duration below 6 months and/or costs below £25,000.
  - Project durations between 19 months and 3 years must have total eligible project costs between £25,000 and £2 million. They must be collaborative projects.
  - If applicants want to submit a project between 19 months and 3 years with total project costs between £2 million and £3 million as a permitted exception, applicants must email support innovateuk.ukri.org with full justification at least 10 days before the competition closes. They will decide whether to approve their request.
  - Projects must start by 6 January 2020 and end no later than 6 January 2023.
Lead applicant
- To lead a project applicants must:
  - Be a UK based business of any size or a research and technology organisation (RTO).
  - Carry out their R&D project activity in the UK.
  - Intend to commercially exploit the project results from the UK.
  - Be an SME if applicants want to work alone.
  - Include at least one SME if applicants want to collaborate with others (businesses, research organisations and/or charities).
Collaborators
- - To collaborate on a project applicants must fulfil the criteria above and include an SME. Collaborators can be UK based businesses, academic organisations, charities, public sector organisations or RTOs.