ISCF TFI (Transforming Foundation Industries): large collaborative R&D projects
The aim of this competition is to improve the productivity and competitiveness of foundation industry companies and supply chains, by funding cross-sector collaborative research and development projects. Sectors include cement, glass, paper, ceramics, metals and chemicals.
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £8 million for collaborative cross-sector, research and development projects.
The aim of this competition is to improve the productivity and competitiveness of foundation industry companies and supply chains, by funding cross-sector collaborative research and development projects.
Your project must work on resource and energy efficiency challenges common to 2 or more of the foundation industries.
The foundation industries sectors include:
- cement
- paper
- glass
- ceramics
- metals
- chemicals
Your project must:
- further develop technologies to reduce deployment risk and accelerate take-up across industries
- develop new technologies that, when deployed, would create a step-change in resource or energy efficiency in these industries
Your project must be designed to help the UK’s foundation industries remain competitive.
Your project must:
- have total eligible costs between £1 million and £2 million
- start by 1 September 2021
- last between 12 and 24 months
Your organisation must:
- be a UK registered business of any size or a research and technology organisation (RTO)
- collaborate with other UK registered businesses, RTOs, research organisations, public sector organisations or charities
- carry out its project work in the UK
- intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
You do not need to be in the foundation industries to lead a consortium but you must include at least 2 businesses of any size, from at least 2 foundation industry sectors.
If the lead organisation is an RTO it must collaborate with 2 businesses of any size.
Academic institutions cannot lead a project.
To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must:
- be a UK registered business, academic institution, charity, not-for-profit, public sector organisation or research and technology organisation (RTO)
- carry out its project work in the UK
- intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
Your project can focus on any part of the manufacturing process, including:
- inputs in materials and other feedstocks
- development of new materials
- process efficiency (for example heat recovery, waste utilisation)
- business model development
Your application can build upon innovations developed in earlier Transforming Foundation Industry competitions, including:
We want to fund a portfolio of projects, across a variety of sectors, technologies, risks, and markets.
Specific themes
Your project must address one or more of these themes:
- heat recovery and utilisation
- sensors, controls and digitalisation
- waste utilisation and symbiosis
- other energy or resource efficiency improvements (business model, process, product or supply chain)
If you would like help finding a partner, contact our Materials team.