Deadline: 7-Nov-22
Innovate UK has announced the Launchpad programme to grow innovation activity in less mature business innovation clusters, in all parts of the UK.
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is inviting local place leadership in any part of the UK to partner with us on the design of a future Launchpad programme of investment for a targeted business innovation cluster.
The aim is to strengthen the business base of innovative SMEs with high-growth potential.
Your objectives must be to build business innovation capacity and activity, private investment in innovation and business growth in the targeted clusters.
Specific Themes
- Your proposal can also include information on:
- Additional or secondary innovation clusters in your area
- Your organisation’s strategies for location based cluster development, as distinct to sector or technology growth strategies
- Your area’s baseline economic, business infrastructure, innovation networks and relevant societal metrics, for instance skill levels in the population, as evidence for the potential for innovation and business growth
- Previous analyses or relevant reports, for instance a science and innovation audit (SIA) or similar study of the local ecosystem
Your proposal must demonstrate:
- Evidence of at least one significant business innovation cluster that could benefit from the innovation investment
- Your representation of the local leadership in the area of the cluster
- Your commitment to provide support on the business case development for investing public funding into the cluster to enable business-led innovation projects
- Your ability to convene the influential stakeholders in your area, to gain their inputs into the design of the Launchpad programme
- Your ability to drive up awareness of the programme and ensure that local businesses submit high quality business led project applications into the future funding opportunities.
Eligibility Criteria
- The lead organisation for your project team must be the local leadership of the innovation cluster’s area.
- You can be one or more of the following types of organisation:
- A devolved administration
- An enterprise agency
- A mayoral combined authority
- A local authority
- A Local Enterprise Partnership
- A pan-regional body.
Ineligible
- They are not seeking partnerships with applicants that are:
- Asking for funding to cover the cost of designing a Launchpad with Innovate UK
- Unable to evidence a significant business innovation cluster in their area
- Unable to represent local leadership for their area
- Unable to demonstrate their local convening power
- They 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.
For more information, visit https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1342/overview/d14a3fa1-a6df-4aa7-9438-2e0b1777bf83