Manufacturing Made Smarter Innovation Hub – Digital Supply Chain: Expression of Interest

The Digital Supply Chain Innovation Hub should focus on manufacturing supply chains, looking to digitally optimise and integrate these supply chains from end to end.

This is the expression of interest for a potential 2-stage competition.

Your project must:

• not exceed the maximum grant request of up to £10 million
• start by 1 June 2021
• end on 31 March 2025

Lead organisation

To lead a project or work alone your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business of any size, research organisation, charity, not-for-profit, public sector organisation, academic institution or research and technology organisation (RTO)
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
• have experience and insights into the use of digital technologies for smart manufacturing
• be able to manage a complex network of demonstration, living lab and test bed facilities
• manage access to relevant capabilities within research organisations, regulatory bodies, and other sources of expertise for smart manufacturing

Project team

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

We are offering grant funding of up to £10 million for the full stage competition. If your application is successful at the EOI stage, you will be invited to apply to the full stage competition.

We have allocated up to £10 million in total to fund the digital supply chain innovation hub, which will include:

• overall management of the hub
• setting up test beds, living labs and other types of development environments
• funding projects using hub facilities and accessing capabilities identified by the hub

The innovation hub should bring in at least £10 million of co-investment from hub partners and users.

This competition is for expressions of interest in the digital supply chain innovation hub management. Successful applicants will be invited to apply to the full stage competition. UKRI reserves the right to not continue to full proposal stage if no acceptable EoI application is received.

We are aiming to develop an Innovation Hub which furthers the goals of the Manufacturing Made Smarter Challenge and the national Made Smarter movement. The innovation hub will develop a national network or cluster of existing facilities. These will be accessible by industry to develop, demonstrate and test digital supply chain solutions. Aiding the innovation and deployment of innovative digital systems.

An online briefing event will be held at 10:30am on Wednesday 25th November: register here.

A concepts and collaboration building workshop will be held at 10am on Tuesday 1st December: register here.

If you want help to find a project partner, contact the KTN Manufacturing team.