Analysis for Innovators Round 14: Stage 1 EOI

Key Features

UK registered businesses can apply for funding to resolve productivity and competitiveness issues by working with top scientists and research facilities.

Programme:     Innovate UK

Award:     Successful stage 2 applications will be grant funded

Opens: 9th Sep 2024

Closes: 9th Oct 2024

! This scheme is closing soon

Overview

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest in small collaborative innovation projects working with our analysis for innovators (A4I) partners:

  • the National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
  • the National Measurement Laboratory (NML) at Laboratory of the Government Chemist Group (LGC)
  • the National Engineering Laboratory (NEL)
  • the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
  • Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
  • National Gear Metrology Lab (GEARS)
  • Newton Gateway to Mathematics
  • Advanced Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies (ASTUTE 2020+)
  • Henry Royce Institute (HRI)

Scope

The aim of this competition is to help businesses address their existing analysis and measurement problems. These are problems that can be best explored by scientists and cutting-edge facilities available in the UK.

You must outline what you consider to be the benefits of solving your problem, such as improved productivity or competitiveness.

Innovate UK will only consider problems that:

  • are related to an existing process, product or service owned or used by a company
  • are related to the measurement or analysis of some quantities or properties of your process, product or service
  • are not effectively solvable by simple ‘off the shelf’ methods or techniques
  • relate to a product, service or process improvement owned or used by a company

You must outline any methods and attempts that you have previously tried to address the problem. Do not propose how the problem should be solved.

Analysis problems cannot be simply software related, for example. pure data analysis.

As part of your application, you must include a short video, up to two minutes long.

You must use the Innovate UK video recording platform to record your video.

If we are unable to view your video, your application will be made ineligible.

Portfolio approach

Innovate UK want to fund a variety of projects across different technologies, markets and sectors. Innovate UK call this a portfolio approach.

Eligibility

Your project must:

  • meet the A4I problem scope requirements
  • relate to work being undertaken in the UK
  • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
  • involve at least one of the A4I partner organisations
  • indicate a stage 2 project duration of between three and six months

Confirmation of your stage 2 project duration and start date will be agreed with your analysis for innovators (A4I) partner during brokerage following a successful stage 1 application.

In stage 2, some or all of your funding from this competition may be subject to Minimal Financial Assistance limits. You will be made ineligible if you exceed this limit. You must submit a completed declaration as part of your application in stage 2.

Lead organisation

To apply to this stage, your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.

More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.

Number of applications

A business of any size may make only one application to this competition.

Sanctions

This competition will not fund you, or provide any financial benefit to any individual or entities directly or indirectly involved with you, which would expose Innovate UK or any direct or indirect beneficiary of funding from Innovate UK to UK Sanctions. For example, through any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any entity as lead, partner or subcontractor related to these countries, administrations and terrorist groups.

Use of animals in research and innovation

Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.

Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.

You can use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.

Exclusions

Innovate UK will not consider problems that are:

  • not measurement or analysis problems
  • ones we consider to be resolvable with easily available methods, such as those that do not require any innovative or cutting-edge science or facilities
  • solely computer software analysis problems, such as algorithms to analyse objects
  • not related to a company’s existing processes, products or services owned or used by the company

In the stage 2 competition we will not fund any projects that are:

  • involved with primary production in fishery and aquaculture
  • involved with primary production in agriculture
  • relating to the purchase of road freight transport
  • not allowed under De minimis regulation restrictions
  • not eligible to receive Minimal Financial Assistance
  • dependent on export performance, for example, giving an award to a baker on the condition that they export a certain quantity of bread to another country
  • dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example, if we give an award to a baker on the condition that they use 50% UK flour in their product

Funding Costs

There is no funding in this stage 1 competition. Following assessment, successful stage 2 applications will be grant funded.