Launchpad - Advanced Manufacturing - MFA (Minimal Financial Assistance) - Liverpool City Region

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. The businesses must be active in, or growing their work activities in, the advanced manufacturing innovation cluster centred on Liverpool City Region.

More information on the innovation ambitions of Liverpool City Region and about the cluster, which includes STFC Daresbury, a national science and innovation campus, is provided in the Background and further information section.

This Launchpad pilot competition supports the Government’s goals in the Levelling Up White Paper. The projects will also contribute to Liverpool City Region’s ambitions for local research and development (R&D) spending to reach 5% of gross value added (GVA) by 2030 and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 or sooner.

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

This competition is split into 2 strands:

• Launchpad – Advanced manufacturing – Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) – Liverpool City Region (this strand)
• Launchpad – Advanced manufacturing – Collaborative Research & Development (CR&D) – Liverpool City Region (grants of £150k-£1m, covering up to 70% of costs)

For the MFA strand, your project must:

• have total project costs between £25,000 and £100,000
• start by 1 April 2023
• end by 31 March 2024
• last between 3 and 12 months
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

You will be made ineligible if you exceed the Minimal Financial Assistance limit. You must submit a completed declaration as part of your application.

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered small medium enterprise (SME)
• be active in, or growing your work activities in, the advanced manufacturing innovation cluster centred on Liverpool City Region
• have a demonstrable ambition for business growth

A business can only lead on one MFA application.

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 advanced manufacturing innovation cluster centred on Liverpool City Region.

More information on the innovation ambitions of Liverpool City Region and about the cluster, which includes STFC Daresbury, a national science and innovation campus, is provided in the Background and further information section.

This geographical requirement is set because this competition aligns to the Government’s goals in the Levelling Up White Paper.

Your project must contribute to transforming the manufacturing sector, which requires a systems approach that:

• advances net zero and resource efficiency
• exploits digital and technologically advanced manufacturing
• strengthens resilience and responsiveness in supply chains

Your project must commercialise knowledge through innovation activities, and lead to increased investment into research and innovation. It must contribute to growing business activities, and generating economic impact within the advanced manufacturing innovation cluster centred on Liverpool City Region.

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:

• Next generation materials: for cutting-edge products, lower emissions, reduced energy consumption, lower costs
• Smart design: effective design methods, design for resource efficiency, design for maximum through-life value
• Resilient supply chains: sustainable feedstocks, supply chain visibility, symbiotic industrial processes
• High-value production: flexible production capacity, high quality products, high productivity, full adaptivity
• Longer in use and reuse: minimal materials use, minimal waste, complete traceability, remanufacturing or value retention services

Projects can also consider key enabling themes:

• digital technologies
• clean energy
• proactive regulations and policy
• future skills
• networked relations
• evolving value models

Briefing event

An online briefing event will be held at noon on Monday 26th September: click here to register to attend.

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 & 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 funded access to Catapults and RTOs to support growth and scaling.

Help and support

If you want help to find a project partner, contact Innovate UK KTN’s Manufacturing team, or the Liverpool City Region Growth Platform.