Innovate UK Smart grants: July 2024

Innovate UK Smart grants: July 2024 is sponsored by Innovate UK. UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovations.

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Innovate UK Smart grants: July 2024 UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovations that can significantly impact the UK economy. This funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation. Competition opens: Thursday 25 July 2024 Wednesday 13 November 2024 11:00am This competition is now closed.

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £25 million in the best game changing and world leading ideas, designed for swift, successful commercialisation. The Innovate UK Smart grant has focused scope and eligibility criteria to support micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their partners in developing genuinely new innovations with significant potential for rapid economic return to the UK.

The application process reflects the importance of obtaining economic benefits from public funding, and the potential for successful commercialisation, growth, and exports. Proposals must be business focused, and show deliverable, realistic, adequately resourced plans to achieve return on investment, growth and market share following project completion.

Applications can come from any area of technology and be applied to any part of the economy. In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition has a funding limit, so we may not be able to fund all the proposed projects.

It may be the case that your project scores highly but we are still unable to fund it. The total budget will be divided between the two competition streams (see project size). This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated in this Innovate UK competition brief .

We cannot guarantee other government or third party sites will always show the correct competition information. Projects of 6 to 18 months must have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £500,000 and can be single or collaborative. Projects of 19 to 24 months must have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £1 million and be collaborative.

Accessibility and Inclusion We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments , for people who have a disability or a long term condition and face barriers applying to us. You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.

We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline. You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357.

Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

*Close date has been extended to 13 November 2024* include at least one micro, small or medium enterprise (SME) as the lead or a collaborative grant claiming partner follow specific rules depending on its duration carry out all of its project work in the UK intend to exploit the results from or in the UK Projects must always start on the first of the month.

You must not start your project until your Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK. Any delays within Project Setup may mean we need to delay your project start date. The end by date is the date by which all funding for this round of the competition must end.

Your contracted end date will not be extended. If your project’s duration is 6 to 18 months, it must: have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £500,000 be single or collaborative If your project’s duration is 19 to 24 months, it must: have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £1 million You must only include eligible project costs in your application.

If your project does not meet the eligibility criteria for this competition it will not be sent for assessment.

To lead a project or work alone your organisation must: be a UK registered SME if you want to work alone be a UK registered business of any size, or a research and technology organisation (RTO) if your proposal is collaborative include at least one grant claiming micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) if you are a large business or RTO and wish to collaborate with other UK registered businesses, research organisations, academic organisations, public sector organisations or charities More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules .

If the lead organisation is an RTO it must collaborate with at least two businesses (one SME, and one business of any size) and there must be a credible route to market for the output of the project. Since the purpose of RTOs is to speed up the process of those using their services this is expected to be through the other project partners, rather than the RTO itself. Academic institutions cannot lead or work alone.

To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered: public sector organisation research and technology organisation (RTO) Each partner organisation must be invited into the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) by the lead to collaborate on a project. Once partners have accepted the invitation, they will be asked to login or to create an account in the IFS.

They are responsible for entering their own project costs and completing their Project Impact questions in the application. To be an eligible collaboration, the lead and at least one other organisation must apply for funding when entering their costs into the application. Including collaboration partners within your question responses is not sufficient for an application to be considered collaborative.

You must follow the above instructions to meet the eligibility requirement for collaborative proposals. Your project can include UK partners that do not receive any of this competition’s funding. Their costs will count towards the total eligible project costs.

Subcontractors are allowed in this competition. Subcontractors must be based in the UK for the duration of the project and their portion of the project work must be carried out in the UK. Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.

All subcontractor costs must be justified and appropriate to the total eligible project costs. For the purposes of this competition the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are crown dependencies and not classed as part of the UK. Subcontractors located there would be ineligible.

Subcontractors are not considered collaboration partners. A business or research and technology organisation (RTO) can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in two further applications. This limit extends to current owners, directors and persons of significant interest, prohibiting them from leading multiple submissions through different entities.

Any subsequent applications submitted with the same lead will be ineligible and will not be forwarded for assessment. All project partners can collaborate on any number of applications.

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.

Applicants must ensure that all of the proposed work within projects, both that in the UK and internationally, will comply with the UKRI guidance on the use of animals in research and innovation . 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. If you have previously submitted an application that reached our assessment stage, you can reapply once more with the same proposal.

If there are minor differences to the proposal, but it is judged by us to be ‘not materially different’, the same rule applies. We will not award you funding if you have: failed to exploit a previously funded project an overdue independent accountant’s report failed to comply with grant terms and conditions Subsidy control (and State aid where applicable) This competition provides funding in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

Further information about the Subsidy requirements can be found within the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (legislation. gov.uk) . Innovate UK is unable to award organisations that are considered to be in financial difficulty.

We will conduct financial viability and eligibility tests to confirm this is not the case following the application stage. EU State aid rules now only apply in limited circumstances. Please see the Windsor Framework to check if these rules apply to your organisation.

If you are unsure about your obligations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 or the State aid rules, you should take independent legal advice. We are unable to advise on individual eligibility or legal obligations. You must always make sure that the funding awarded to you is compliant with all current Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom.

This aims to regulate any advantage granted by a public sector body which threatens to, or actually distorts competition in the United Kingdom or any other country or countries. This award is classified as a Subsidy which does not form part of your Minimal Financial Assistance or De Minimis allowance. Up to £25 million is available to fund innovation projects in this competition.

Funding will be in the form of a grant. If your organisation’s work on the project is commercial or economic, your funding request must not exceed the limits below. These limits apply even if your organisation normally acts non-economically but for the purpose of this project will be undertaking commercial or economic activity.

The balance between your total eligible project costs and the amount of grant awarded must be funded by the organisation receiving the grant.

For feasibility studies and industrial research projects, you can 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 can 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 For more information on company sizes, please refer to the company accounts guidance .

If you are applying for an award funded under State aid Regulations, the definitions are set out in the European Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 . The research organisations 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.

Of that 30% you can get funding for your eligible project costs of up to: 80% of full economic costs (FEC) if you are a Je-S registered institution such as an academic 100% of your eligible project costs if you are an RTO, charity, not for profit organisation, public sector organisation or research organisation The Innovate UK Smart grant supports micro, small or medium-sized enterprise s (SMEs) and their partners develop the best game changing and world leading innovative R&D projects.

It offers funding where other opportunities are not available or appropriate, and where timing is key to ensure swift and successful commercialisation post project completion.

To be in scope your proposal must demonstrate: a ground breaking and innovative idea for brand new products, processes or services an idea that is significantly different from already available products, processes or services globally an idea that is set for rapid commercialisation following project completion clear potential to positively impact the UK’s position, productivity and competitiveness within the global economy a clear, evidence based business plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment (ROI) and growth through commercialisation, as soon as possible after project completion why Smart funding is the right potential funding for your project, and the journey you have already been on to reach the point of application a team with the necessary skills and expertise to deliver the project successfully and on time, and to achieve rapid commercialisation awareness of all the main risks the project will face with realistic management, mitigation and impact minimisation plans for each risk sound, practical financial plans and timelines that represent good value for money, including the funding of post project activities Your project must focus on: taking customer and user needs into account to deliver more desirable and useful solutions identifying who is ready to buy your innovation being developed, planned and resourced beyond the end of the Innovate UK funded project, taking into account the focus of any project partners and their existing commitments fitting in with and complementing your ongoing business planning and development, product offerings and organisational structure to maximise chances of success We will fund feasibility projects, industrial research projects and experimental development projects, as defined in the guidance on categories of research .

Projects we will not fund We are not funding projects: that do not meet the competition scope or eligibility criteria where the technology is already available that do not address the size, potential and access to market for their innovation that do not evidence the potential for their idea to lead to significant return on investment (ROI), positive economic impact, growth and scale up of the business that do not provide clear and realistic plans to commercialise their innovation as soon as possible post project completion where other Innovate UK funding support is available and more appropriate We will not fund commercialisation activities such as marketing and sales.

We cannot fund projects that are: dependent on export performance, for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product Online briefing event: watch the recording Text update 20 August 2024: We have added word counts for all relevant questions, with increased word counts for questions 4 and 7.

You must read the guidance on applying for a competition on the Innovation Funding Service before you start.

Before submitting, it is the lead applicant’s responsibility to make sure: that all the information provided in the application is correct your proposal meets the eligibility and scope criteria all sections of the application are marked as complete if collaborative, that all partners have completed all assigned sections and accepted the terms and conditions (T&Cs) You can reopen your application once submitted, up until the competition deadline.

You must resubmit the application before the competition deadline. You must make sure that you read the full eligibility, scope and terms and conditions applicable to this competition. Your application must be submitted taking all of this guidance into consideration.

You can also watch the recording of the applicant briefing which can be found in the dates tab. More information regarding the Smart programme can be found in the Smart: innovation funding guidance . This includes information on our exceptions process which may be applied during the assessment period.

Failure to meet the requirements stated within this brief will make your application ineligible. The application is split into four sections: For more information please read the General guidance: What happens after you have submitted your application Accessibility and Inclusion We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone.

This includes making reasonable adjustments , for people who have a disability or a long term condition and face barriers applying to us. You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance. We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place.

The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline. You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

This section provides background for your application and is not scored. If you are a single applicant decide which people from your organisation will help work with you on the project and invite them to help complete the application. If your proposal is collaborative, decide which organisations will work with you on your project and invite people from those organisations to help complete the application.

Give your project’s title, start date and duration. Select the type of research you will undertake. Describe your project briefly and be clear about what makes it innovative.

We use this section to assign the right experts to assess your application. Your answer can be up to 400 words long. Describe your project in detail and in a way that you are happy to see published.

Do not include any commercially sensitive information. If we award your project funding, we will publish this description. This can happen before you start your project.

Your answer can be up to 300 words long. Describe how your project fits the scope of the competition. If your project is not in scope, it will not be eligible for funding.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long. The assessors will score all your answers apart from question 1, 2 and 3. You will receive feedback for each scored question.

Find out more about how our assessors assess and how we select applications for funding . You must answer all questions. Do not include any website addresses (URLs) in your answers.

Question 1. Applicant location (not scored) You must state the name and full registered address of your organisation and any partners or subcontractors working on your project. We are collecting this information to understand the geographical location of all applicants.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long. Question 2. Animal testing (not scored) Will your project involve any trials with animals or animal testing?

You must select one option: We will only support innovation projects conducted to the highest standards of animal welfare. Further information for proposals involving animal testing is available at the UKRI Good Research Hub and NC3R’s animal welfare guidance . Question 3.

Permits and licences (not scored) Will you have the correct permits and licences in place to carry out your project? We are unable to fund projects who do not have the correct permits or licences in place by your project start date. You must select one option: In process of being applied for Question 4.

Your idea and innovation What is your idea and innovation, and why is it game changing?

the specific innovation you propose to develop how your innovation is clearly different from alternative solutions that are already available whether the innovation is for new solutions in existing areas, or a totally new approach or idea the specific need or challenge you propose to address and who would benefit from it immediately and longer term any work you have already done to respond to this need, for example if the project focuses on developing an existing capability or building a new one any challenges or opportunities relating to equality, diversity and inclusion arising from your project Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

You must submit an appendix to support your answer. It can include diagrams or charts to showcase the technical merit of your innovation and should evidence how it is world leading. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB.

It can be up to two A4 pages but must be in 11 point font size. Assessors will be looking for proposals involving a game changing, world class innovation where the innovation need is clearly defined. Nearest state of the art is understood and evidenced, and the proposal demonstrates an idea that is different to, and ahead of alternative, already available solutions.

A fully developed proposal needs to go beyond presenting a brand new, commercially viable idea, and should demonstrate a structured and evidenced understanding of the sector and the opportunity identified. Question 5. Justification for funding Why is your innovation and proposal suitable for Smart funding, and why do you need public funding to help you succeed?

Smart grants are a highly competitive competition, where only the very best game changing and disruptive ideas, which score highly, will be successful in securing funding.

the journey you have followed to ensure you are ready for Smart grant funding, including any training, support and mentoring you have undertaken any other routes of investment, including alternatives from the public and private sectors, that you have already explored, why they are unsuitable, or why your application was turned down why you consider Smart funding to be the right route for your project, organisation and consortium (where applicable) what will happen to your project if you are not successful in securing Smart funding what clear advantages would public funding offer your project that other routes would not; for example, enabling partnerships, leveraging wider investment, reducing risk and accelerating routes to market (this list is not exhaustive) why public funding is justified as a means to fund this project Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Assessors will be looking for applicants who have researched the match between their needs and grant readiness against the scope of the competition before applying for Smart funding. They will also assess the impact that Smart funding will have in terms of what would happen to the project if it did not secure grant support.

For example, would it still be able to go ahead albeit with adjustments or would it not be able to go ahead at all. For projects where benefits will accrue to others outside the project, they will look at the unique advantages Smart public funding will bring in de-risking the costs for the applicants. Question 6.

The potential market What is your target market and what is your strategy for securing the market opportunity you have identified, including your route to market and commercialisation of project outputs?

the size and current structure of the specific markets you are targeting, including international, domestic, or both, supported by current market data the structure and dynamics of the target markets and how your innovation is distinct and strong enough to change and impact these, including customer segmentation, competitors, trends affecting market growth, and predicted growth rates within clear timeframes who is ready to commit to buying your innovation, and how you will ensure significant return on investment (ROI), including evidence from any end user or market research that you have already carried out your agreed plan for exploitation, your proposed route to market and commercialisation, including your business models and any partnerships you have formed or will be looking to form to secure market share the export potential for your project outputs any barriers to entry and how you will overcome these your freedom to operate and your project outcome’s potential for significant but realistic returns Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Assessors will be looking for proposals where the target market and customer base have clearly been researched and defined, and a strong understanding of the potential markets, including how the proposed innovation will disrupt these in an ambitious way, has been presented and evidenced.

Route to market and commercialisation plans must demonstrate business skills and planning, the potential for early revenue generation, de-risking the path to significant ROI, and how commercial viability will be achieved. All plans must be realistic, appropriate, and practical for the identified market, including any barriers that exist and provide achievable solutions to show how these will be overcome. Question 7.

Impact and benefits What will be the impact of receiving the grant, both for your business and outside your organisation?

the nature of the outputs you expect from your project, for example, reports, demonstrator, know how, new process, product or service design, and how these will help you to target the need, challenge or opportunity identified how your project fits with your current product, service lines or offerings and how your organisation will profit from the innovation, including increased revenues, growth, or cost reduction how your innovation will affect your share of the market, productivity and growth, in both the short and the long term the timescale needed to realise these benefits how your innovation will impact on the creation, safeguarding or displacing of jobs, both within your consortium and the wider sector how you will protect and exploit the outputs of the project, for example through know how, patenting, designs, or changes to your business model the sustained, long term expected impacts on the UK economy, society, and the environment, to your customers, supply chains and the broader sector any expected regional impacts any negative impacts that you have identified, and how you will mitigate against these how you have considered equality, diversity and inclusion in the development and design of your innovation, for example unintended exclusion of minority groups Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

Assessors will be looking for proposals that deliver and evidence considerable positive impact for the organisations involved and for the wider economy. Impact should be considered at every level, from job security or creation and safer working environments or practices, to developing skills, capacity, increasing market share.

Societal, environmental and regional benefits should also be demonstrated and measured, for example benefits to quality of life, public empowerment and waste avoidance. Question 8. Delivering your project Who is in the project team, why do you have the right skills and experience to succeed, and how will you successfully deliver your project?

the roles, skills, expertise and experience, including in project and risk management, of all team members, which are relevant to ensuring successful delivery of the project the diversity of the project team that is relevant to your approach, observing confidentiality of protected characteristics your capability to deliver in the required timeframe, given your existing business activities or constraints, and considering no extensions or delays to the project duration are possible for Smart funded projects any roles you will need to recruit for, and how you will promote equality, diversity and inclusion the resources, equipment and facilities needed for the project and how you will access them the details of any vital external parties, including subcontractors, who you will need to work with to successfully complete the project and why these tasks cannot be carried out by project partners if your project is collaborative, the current relationships between project partners and how these will change as a result of the project your approach to project management, identifying any major tools and mechanisms you will use to secure a successful project outcome how your project team will deliver outcomes and impact beyond the life of the project, and how you will ensure swift, successful commercialisation following project completion Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

You must submit a project plan to support your answer. This needs to be in sufficient detail to identify any links, dependencies or potential duplication between work packages or milestones. Your appendix can include diagrams and charts.

It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages but must be in 11 point font size. You must also submit a risk register, indicating the main risks for your project, including, but not limited to, technical, commercial, managerial and environmental.

You must include any identified interdependencies between these risks, the likely impact and your mitigation strategy. You should pay particular attention to how you will mitigate project delivery risks with your immediate and extended teams, for example your supply chain or end users. Your appendix can include diagrams and charts.

It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages but must be in 11 point font size. Assessors will be looking for strong and capable project teams, who have clearly shown and evidenced their capacity to deliver the project and outcomes.

This must include skills in managing complex R&D projects, financial and risk management as well as technical skills relating to the nature of the innovation itself. Project plans should be realistic and should show how progress will be tracked and managed.

A comprehensive risk register should give confidence that the project team have the necessary tools and mitigation strategies in place to successfully overcome challenges that may be encountered. If applicable, relationships between consortium members, and how this will lead to the successful delivery of work packages,