The Technology Strategy Board, Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) are to invest up to £2.75m in collaborative feasibility studies to stimulate innovation across four technology areas that will enable and underpin UK growth: advanced materials; biosciences; electronics, sensors and photonics, and information and communications technology (ICT).
The aim is to ensure that small and micro businesses in the UK are well equipped, and suitably integrated within supply chains, to respond to market opportunities across a range of economic sectors.
Projects must be led by a small or micro company, in collaboration with one or more business or research partners. Projects are expected to range from total costs of £50k to £150k, and to last from six to 15 months.
TSB expect to fund feasibility studies (pre-industrial research projects), in which a business partner will generally attract up to 65% public funding for their project costs (75% for SMEs).
This competition opened on 6 May 2014, and the deadline for applications is noon on 25 June 2014.
For further information, please go to https://www.innovateuk.org/competition-display-page/-/asset_publisher/RqEt2AKmEBhi/content/technology-inspired-innovation-may-2014-electronics-sensors-and-photonics?p_p_auth=BD1HZLwe