Launchpad - Net zero - MFA (Minimal Financial Assistance) - Tees Valley

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is to invest up to £6 million in innovation projects. These will be outstanding innovation projects led by businesses who are active, or growing their work activities, in the net zero innovation cluster centred on Tees Valley.

This competition supports the Government’s goals in the Levelling Up White Paper. The projects will also contribute to Tees Valley’s ambitions to become a net zero industrial cluster by 2040 and a global leader in clean energy.

Your proposal must align to the scope criteria for this competition.

This competition is split into 2 strands:

• Launchpad – Net zero – Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) – Tees Valley (this strand)
• Launchpad – Net zero – Collaborative Research & Development (CR&D) – Tees Valley (this is for grants of £150k-£1m)

For the MFA strand, your project must:

• have total eligible costs between £25,000 and £100,000
• start by 1 December 2022
• end by 30 November 2023
• last between 3 and 12 months
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered small medium enterprise (SME)
• be active, or growing your work activities, in the net zero innovation cluster centred on Tees Valley

If you apply to the CR&D strand of this competition, as well as this MFA strand, you must make sure each project is clearly distinctive and separate. This will be monitored.

Scope

The aim of this competition is to support outstanding innovation projects by businesses active, or growing their work activities, in the net zero innovation cluster centred on Tees Valley.. This geographical requirement is set because this competition aligns to the Government’s goals in the Levelling Up White Paper.

Your project must be innovating within the specific net zero themes for this competition.

Your project must commercialise knowledge through new innovation activities and lead to increased investment into research and innovation. It must contribute to growing business activities and generating economic impact in the net zero cluster centred on Tees Valley.

We also want you to consider how your team and project will contribute to the Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity of the innovation cluster.

Specific themes

Your project can focus on one or more of the following:

• hydrogen
• carbon capture and storage
• offshore engineering
• battery materials
• the circular economy

Your project can also consider key enabling themes:

• digital technologies
• the regulatory framework
• skills requirements
• collaboration building
• innovative business models

Briefing event

An online briefing event will be held at noon on Tuesday 27th September.

Other funding support

Businesses active in the targeted innovation cluster are advised that Innovate UK is also investing additional resources. These are aimed at enabling innovative, ambitious businesses to benefit from the facilities and expertise provided by Catapults and Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs). Suitable projects can be awarded a grant for 100% of eligible costs to a maximum of £15,000. To access that grant, businesses do not need to apply to this competition and must instead make an enquiry through Innovate UK EDGE.