InnovateUK, the UK’s innovation agency, has three forthcoming Innovation Funding Competitions that opened recently. InnovateUK works with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy. Since 2007 they have committed over £1.8 billion to innovation, matched by a similar amount in partner and business funding. They have helped more than 7,600 organisations with projects estimated to add more than £11.5 billion to the UK economy and create 55,000 extra new jobs.

Details of the three upcoming competitions are as follows:

Medicines manufacturing round 1: challenge fund

Innovate UK is to invest up to £15 million in innovation projects in medicines manufacturing, to be funded through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. Projects should focus on identified technical or commercial challenges. There are 2 parts to this competition:

1.Feasibility projects (total project costs of £50,000 to £100,000)

2.Industrial research and experimental development projects (total project costs of up to £2 million)

You must show how your project will improve the productivity, competitiveness and growth for at least one UK small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) involved in the project.

Competition opens: Monday 4 September 2017

Competition closes: Wednesday 1 November 2017 12:00pm

Further information is available here.

Emerging and enabling round 3

Innovate UK will invest up to £25 million in innovation projects that inspire new products and services. The aim of this competition is to help UK businesses broaden their innovation activities, disrupt existing markets and find new revenue sources.

Projects must show significant innovation in one of our priority areas, which are:

• Emerging technologies
• Digital
• Enabling capabilities
• Space applications

Projects will range in size from total project costs of £35,000 to £2 million. Projects must last between 3 months and 3 years.

There is funding available of up to:

• £5 million for projects that have eligible costs of up to £100,000 and last between 3 and 12 months
• £10 million for projects that have eligible costs of up to £2 million and last between 1 and 3 years
• £10 million forKnowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)

Competition opens: Tuesday 5 September 2017

Competition closes: Wednesday 8 November 2017 12:00pm

Further information is available here.

Biomedical catalyst 2017 round 3: feasibility studies

The aim of this competition is to support the development of innovative healthcare technologies and processes. These may include:

• Disease prevention and proactive management of health and chronic conditions
• Earlier and better detection and diagnosis of disease, leading to better patient outcomes
• Tailored treatments that either change the underlying disease or offer potential cures

This is a feasibility competition. InnovateUK are looking to fund projects that explore and evaluate the commercial potential of innovative scientific ideas by:

• Reviewing research evidence and identifying possible applications
• Assessing business opportunities
• Investigating the intellectual property position
• Validating initial concepts or existing pre-clinical work through experimental studies
• Identifying areas for further development

Projects are expected to range in size up to £200,000. Projects should last no longer than 12 months.

Competition opens: Monday 31 July 2017

Competition closes: Wednesday 11 October 2017 12:00pm

Further information is available here.