NATEP helping SMEs innovate in aerospace: Spring 2022

A NATEP competition is held approximately every 6 months. This is call 6 of 6 and for each call there is up to £2.5m funding available.

The aim of this competition is to provide help for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop innovative aerospace technologies. These will enhance your capabilities and increase your ability to win new business.

Your proposal must align with the priorities stated in the UK Aerospace technology strategy, Accelerating Ambition.

Your proposal will be subject to:

• independent assessment by Innovate UK
• strategic review by the Aerospace Technology Institute

You will need to pass both assessments for your application to be recommended for funding. BEIS has the final funding decision.

If you are successful, Innovate UK will perform financial viability and eligibility checks. Final approvals are issued by BEIS. You will be contracted by Innovate UK. You will also be assigned a NATEP Technical Manager who will be your critical support for your project.

Your project must:

• have total costs between £150,000 and £300,000
• end by 31 March 2024
• last between 12 and 18 months
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

You can start your project from 1 September 2022.

If your organisation is a UK registered business, or a research and technology organisation (RTO) participating as a business, you must demonstrate in your application that you can provide match funding from entirely private sector sources, across all projects you are involved in.

Lead organisation

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
• collaborate with other UK registered businesses, research organisations, research technology organisations (RTO), public sector organisations, charities or academic institutions
• sign up to the Aerospace Technology Institute framework agreement

This competition primarily expects to fund businesses that are new to research and development (R&D) or are restarting R&D activity.

Any UK registered SME can lead on one application and collaborate in a further 2 applications. Any non-leading UK registered business can collaborate in up to 3 applications. All other organisations can collaborate on any number of applications.

Your project must have a potential application within the civil aerospace sector. This can include dual use technologies.

Your proposal must align with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, ‘Accelerating Ambition’, which is split into these areas:

• vehicles: strengthening the UK’s whole-aircraft design and system integration capability, and positioning it for future generations of civil aircraft
• advanced systems: developing UK advanced systems technologies to capture high-value opportunities in current and future aircraft
• aerostructures: ensuring the UK is a global leader in the development of large complex structures, particularly wings
• propulsion and power: advancing a new generation of more efficient propulsion technologies, particularly large turbofans
• cross-cutting enablers: developing high value design capabilities, advanced materials, manufacturing and assembly, and advanced through-life engineering technologies

An online briefing event will be held at 2pm on Wednesday 6th April: click here for the joining link.

If you want help to find a project partner, contact Innovate UK KTN’s transport team.