UK & USA: Innovation in Global Composites Markets
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1.7m to develop innovative technologies for global composites markets with US partners.
Under the UKRI Funding for International Collaboration (FIC), a new £1.7 million competition has opened which sees the UK and USA are running a joint grant funding competition. The competition will focus on collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects, which should result in a new product, industrial process or service. Projects must be innovative, involve a technological risk and target large global markets.
Proposals are welcomed from UK organisations who can collaborate with existing US partners in the field of composites manufacturing. US projects are being run by the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) and their industrial partners. These projects are already funded. Successful UK applicants are funded solely by UKRI FIC through Innovate UK. Details of innovations that are in scope for the competition and participant eligibility can be found on the Innovate UK competition webpage here.
UK applicants must contact the Knowledge Transfer Network to be put in touch with a US project team. You will be asked to complete a 2 slide pitch template. They will then be put in contact with IACMI in order to establish a consortia. Please note the closing date for the competition is 21 August 2019 and applicants are advised to contact the KTN well in advance of this date, preferably before the end of July.
Innovate UK and IACMI have developed a portfolio of composite manufacturing technology priority areas that are relevant to the UK and the USA. IACMI have selected a number of existing projects that reflect this portfolio. UK organisations are invited to apply to collaborate with these projects. Details of the projects for collaboration are available here.
Full competition details can be seen here on the Innovate UK website.
A briefing webinar on the competition has been held. Please click here to view the webinar to find out more about the competition.