IUK Funding for Foundation Industries to Recover from COVID-19 Crisis

Innovate UK (IUK) is investing in innovation projects supporting the recovery, growth and productivity of the UK’s foundation industries (cement, paper, glass, ceramics, metals and bulk chemicals) following the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The aim is to help these industries remain globally competitive and become more environmentally sustainable.

IUK is looking to fund a portfolio of projects, across a variety of technologies, markets, sectors, technological maturities and research categories. Projects must demonstrate how they address resource or energy efficiency of foundation industries and support resilience and sustainability of the sector and its supply chains.

IUK has allocated up to £8 million to fund new innovations in this competition. Projects must have total eligible costs between £100,000 and £1 million. They should start by 1 April 2021 and last between 3 and 12 months.

Both single applicants and cross-sector collaborations are invited. A UK business of any size or a research and technology organisation (RTO) carrying out project work in the UK may lead a project. Academic institutions cannot lead or work alone. Research and technology organisations cannot work alone.

A UK registered organisation collaborating with the lead must be a business of any size, academic institution, charity, not-for-profit, public sector organisation or RTO. If the lead organisation is an RTO, the project team must contain at least two businesses of any size.

The competition opens on 3 August 2020 and the deadline for applications will be 4 November 2020 (11:00 GMT).

More information about this funding opportunity and the application process is available on the GRANTfinder funding information platform. GRANTfinder provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on funding news and policy. To find out more about how GRANTfinder can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.