Demonstrators addressing cyber security challenges in the Internet of Things: round 2

Overview

Innovate UK is to invest up to £4 million in collaborative, business led research and development (R&D) projects.

These projects should result in a new product or products, industrial process or service, which must be proven in as part of a demonstrator.

This funding is from UKRI’s Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF).

The aim of this competition is to solve industry-focused major cyber security-related challenges in the Internet of Things (IoT).

Innovate UK will show preference to projects that include a plan to test near-to-market interventions and experiments in real environments.

Scope

Your project must focus on one of the following 2 themes:

1. Cyber resilient IoT systems for critical national infrastructures.
2. Secure and energy-efficient IoT systems in resource-constrained environments.

The aim of this competition is to:

• solve major industry-focused cyber security-related challenges in the Internet of Things
• transfer world-leading knowledge from the UK research base to UK industry
• develop a new product or products, industrial process or service, and intellectual property (IP), which must be proven in as part of a demonstrator
• address technological, societal and business challenges

Your proposal must:

• focus on cyber security for IoT systems
• include artificial intelligence, including machine learning, among the demonstrator’s objectives
• include a plan to test near-to-market interventions and experiments in real environments show how the product or products, industrial process or service can be commercialised
• show a balance between technical, social and economic impact

Your project could include complementary technologies such as distributed ledger technologies or applications of 5G mobile networks.

Exclusions

Innovate UK are not funding projects that cover:

• the use or development of quantum technologies, including quantum key distribution
• the development of new network infrastructure such as 5G
• the creation of new facilities

Eligibility

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business, of any size
• collaborate with other UK registered businesses, research organisations, public sector organisations or charities
• involve at least one academic partner
• involve at least one micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
• carry out your project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results in or from the UK

To collaborate with the lead organisation your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business, academic institution, public sector organisation or third sector organisation (such as charities or community groups), or research and technology organisation (RTO)
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
• be invited to take part by the lead applicant
• enter its costs in the Innovation Funding Service

The lead and at least one other organisation must claim funding.

Projects can include partners that do not receive any funding (for example, non-UK businesses). Their costs will count towards the total project costs.

Funding Costs

Up to £4 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition.

Organisations that are primarily engaged in commercial or economic activity (known as selective advantage) as part of the project must ensure their request for funding does not exceed the limits defined below. This includes organisations that typically act non-economically but for the purpose of this project will be undertaking commercial or economic activity.

For industrial research projects, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 60% if you are a medium-sized organisation
• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

For experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 45% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 35% if you are a medium-sized organisation
• up to 25% if you are a large organisation

You can request a maximum grant of £2 million. You will need to make sure the total funding sought column in the finance summary in your application reflects this.

The research organisations in your consortium undertaking non-economic activity as part of the project can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation undertaking non-economic activity, this maximum is shared between them.