Manufacturing Made Smarter Innovation Hub – Digital Supply Chain

Overview

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £10 million to set up and manage a digital supply chain innovation hub.

The Digital Supply Chain Innovation Hub should focus on manufacturing supply chains, looking to digitally optimise and integrate these supply chains from end to end.

Scope

This competition is for expressions of interest in the digital supply chain innovation hub management. Successful applicants will be invited to apply to the full stage competition. UKRI reserves the right to not continue to full proposal stage if no acceptable EoI application is received.

This competition is aiming to develop an Innovation Hub which furthers the goals of the Manufacturing Made Smarter Challenge and the national Made Smarter movement. The innovation hub will develop a national network or cluster of existing facilities. These will be accessible by industry to develop, demonstrate and test digital supply chain solutions. Aiding the innovation and deployment of innovative digital systems.

Your expression of interest should explain how you would build and manage the hub to:

• gain an understanding of industry problems through greater use of digital tools for the integration and optimisation of end-to-end manufacturing supply chains
• develop a set of digital solution use cases which could address these problems
• give access to existing facilities and capabilities in the UK for the development and testing of novel solutions
• work for all stakeholders including manufacturing companies and technology providers, irrespective of size
• give support for all manufacturing sectors and drive the development of cross sector collaboration
• supply access to specialist skills, which may include research centres, universities, research and technology organisations, standards agencies, regulatory bodies and other organisations with relevant capabilities and expertise
• monitor and evaluate its effectiveness
• deliver a periodical revision of its operation to achieve the required objectives of the hub

Innovate UK welcome ideas for integrating the hub with existing networks and centres so together they can enhance the benefits to the UK.

If your application is successful, you will also be expected to connect with the other activities that are part of the MMS Challenge and other relevant ISCF challenges.

Exclusions

This competition is not funding:

• capital expenditure on buildings
• expenditure on facilities or equipment that replicate already existing and accessible facilities in the UK

Eligibility

To lead a project or work alone your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business of any size, research organisation, charity, not-for-profit, public sector organisation, academic institution or research and technology organisation (RTO)
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
• have experience and insights into the use of digital technologies for smart manufacturing
• be able to manage a complex network of demonstration, living lab and test bed facilities
• manage access to relevant capabilities within research organisations, regulatory bodies, and other sources of expertise for smart manufacturing

To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business, academic institution, charity, not-for-profit, public sector organisation or research and technology organisation (RTO)
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Your project must:

• not exceed the maximum grant request of up to £10 million
• start by 1 June 2021
• end on 31 March 2025

Funding Costs

Up to £10 million in total has been allocated to fund the digital supply chain innovation hub, which will include:

• overall management of the hub
• setting up test beds, living labs and other types of development environments
• funding projects using hub facilities and accessing capabilities identified by the hub

The innovation hub should bring in at least £10 million of co-investment from hub partners and users.