Technology solutions for society in India

Key Features

UK businesses can apply for a share of £1.6 million to work with Indian partners on innovative healthcare and technology solutions in India

Programme:     Innovate UK

Award:     Up to £315, 000

Opens: 8th Nov 2016

Closes: 22nd Feb 2017

! This scheme is now closed

The aim of this competition is to fund collaborative technological solutions that address one or more of the following challenges:

  1. clean technology
  2. affordable healthcare
  3. use of electronic system design and manufacture (ESDM) technologies to provide solutions to particular societal challenges, specifically:
  • large-area flexible electronics and internet of things (IoT) to help provide affordable energy, healthcare or education
  • challenges related to the environment or cities that affect the wider population of India
  • devices for internal security, particularly for natural disaster management (preparedness, prevention and recovery, including emergency communications system, unmanned aerial vehicles, and so on). Note: no military-related or personal security applications are eligible
  • medical electronics that address the needs of remote communities
  • infrastructure that uses technology to solve the challenges of sustainability and resilience India faces in mobility, energy and information and communication technology

Projects and their outcomes must fit with Official Development Assistance (ODA) criteria. This aims to boost economic development and have a positive social or environmental effect on the wider Indian society.

Eligibility

To apply for a Newton Fund award, you must:

  • be a UK-based company acting as lead applicant
  • have at least one UK-based company and one eligible Indian business working together on the project
  • show that India is the principal market for the project
  • show how your project fits within ODA criteria

You can also invite other types of organisations to join your project. See the Guidance for Applicants for further information.

Funding and project details

Projects must focus on industrial research. Work packages that include elements of experimental development will be considered within projects that predominantly target industrial research. Those work packages that are primarily experimental development will receive the appropriate grant percentage.

If you are an SME, you could get:

  • Up to 70% for industrial research
  • Up to 45% for experimental development work packages

Projects are expected to last from 12 to 24 months.

Projects are expected to range in size from total costs of £350,000 to £450,000 on the UK side.