Funding for collaboration

BBSRC Industrial Partnership Awards

Apply at any time - Responsive mode grants where an industrial partner contributes in cash (not 'in-kind') at least 10% of the full economic cost of the project. The BBSRC funding covers the remainder of the cost (at 80% of fEC rate).

Applications are assessed by BBSRC Research Committees, alongside standard applications, using the same criteria. IPA projects are normally funded in preference to standard grants of equivalent scientific merit, because of the industrial contribution.

Further info: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/business/collaborative-research/industrial-partnership-awards.aspx

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BBSRC – LINK Programme

Involves collaborative research with at least one company and one science-base partner (projects with SMEs are particularly favoured). Overall Government support can be up to 50% of total eligible costs. This includes the Horticulture LINK Programme, Sustainable Arable LINK Programme, Defra funded industry stakeholder focused crop genetic improvement networks.

Applications should be for pre-competitive research that would not be undertaken in this form without LINK support.

Partners must agree ownership and exploitation of intellectual property arising from the project, at the outset. An appropriate management framework must be in place, with defined scientific and commercial deliverables.

Benefits for company partners include:

  • financial support for the project
  • closer relationships with the science base
  • possibility of recruiting appropriately trained staff at the end of the project

Further info: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/business/collaborative-research/link/about.aspx

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Eureka – Eurostars Programme

A Eurostars project is a European research and development project. It can address any technological area, but must have a civilian purpose and be aimed at the development of a new product, process or service. A Eurostars project is collaborative, meaning it must involve at least two participants (legal entities) from two different Eurostars participating countries. In addition, the main participant must be a research-performing SME from one of these participating countries (the list of countries can be found in the further information link). The role of the SME participants in the project should be significant. At least 50% of the project’s core activity should be carried out by SMEs. This percentage can, however, include minor contracting. The consortium should be well balanced, which means that no participant or country will be required to invest more than 75% of the total project costs.

A Eurostars project should be market-driven: it must have a maximum duration of three years, and within two years of project completion, the product of the research should be ready for launch onto the market. The exception to this rule applies to biomedical or medical projects, where clinical trials must be started within two years of project completion.

Further info: http://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/home.do

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Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) TSB/BBSRC/MRC/NERC/EPSRC/AHRC/ESRC/DEFRA

As part of a UK-wide programme, these partnerships serve as a mechanism to transfer knowledge and to develop graduate and postgraduate personnel for industrial careers. Each partnership, lasting between 1 and 3 years, employs 1 or more high-calibre KTP Associates (early-career researchers) to work on an innovative project within industry. Associates are jointly supervised by the participating industrial and academic partners. Government support is delivered through a grant to the academic partner. In addition, a contribution from the participating company fully covers an HEI’s cost of participation. For further details and to apply please visit the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships website.

Benefits for academic partners:

  • Experience of working on real industrial problems
  • Ongoing collaborations with industry
  • Stimulating and fruitful relationship with industry, recognised in the RAE assessment of university research
  • Financial support for release of staff involved in the project

Benefits for graduates/postgraduates:

  • High profile position within the company and competitive salary
  • Comprehensive training in management and technical skills
  • Enhanced career prospects

Further info: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/business/people-information/knowledge-transfer-partnerships.aspx

Deadline: Apply at any time

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MRC – Industry Collaboration Award (MICA)

MICAs aim to encourage collaborative research between research organisations and industry. Academic partners in MICA applications can seek support for those costs allowed under the relevant MRC funding scheme. In general, the MRC will expect the industrial party to meet its own costs. These awards are especially flexible in relation to the level and nature of the industry contribution (e.g. the value of the partnership be counted in resources rather than £ sterling). MICA applications can be submitted to any of our research funding schemes (Programme grants, research grants, Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme, calls, etc.) for which the lead academic applicant is eligible.

Deadlines: The application deadlines are those of the chosen funding scheme.

Further info: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Grants/MICA/Specification/index.htm

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MRC Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme

The Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS) is a new, rigorously-assessed, funding scheme set up by the MRC to help strengthen the translation of fundamental research towards patient benefit. It does not fund discoveries of new causes or risk factors of disease, biomarkers, drug targets, biomaterials or research tools, but takes these as starting points and supports their application to improve healthcare and benefits for patients. It is envisaged that projects would normally seek initial funding in the range of £250k-750k. Depending on the nature of the research, this might be sufficient for one or two years work, or occasionally longer.

Applications including partnerships with charities or industry are strongly encouraged where these add value to the project for example in terms of access to expertise, technologies, reagents or funding. The outline application is expected to be completed in partnership with your institution’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO), or equivalent, and failure to do so may prejudice your application.

Further info: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Grants/DPFS/Specification/MRC004553

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MRC Research Leader Fellowship

Under the MRC People Exchange Programme the MRC is launching the MRC Research Leader Fellowship scheme which enables experienced research active scientists to exchange knowledge and forge successful partnerships between industry and academia. MRC research leader fellows will be at the forefront of their discipline, acting as champions for successful and productive collaborative industry-academic research. The fellowships will stimulate the exchange of knowledge, “hard” skills and creativity between industry and academia to promote understanding and further enhance the quality and attractiveness of the UK’s biomedical research environment.

The scheme provides personal awards of up to £75K which can be used flexibly for expenses such as project costs, staff back-filling etc. Please note that MRC Research Leader Fellowships can be held by both industrial and academic research scientists. However, for administrative purposes, all awards will be made in the form of a research grant to the academic partner.

Further info: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Fellowships/PEP/index.htm

MRC is currently reviewing the guidance for completion of MRC People Exchange Programme, Research Leader Fellowship proposals. Potential applicants should return to this webpage for further details of how to apply.

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NERC – Partnership Research Grants

In line with its strategy to embed end-user engagement into the research process, NERC has taken the decision to fully integrate its Partnership Research Grant scheme into the Standard Grant Scheme. At present, Partnership Research Grants are assessed by the same panel as Standard Grants and using the same criteria. These aspects will not change. However, instead of having to apply via a separate mechanism, researchers will simply submit their proposals to the Standard Grant scheme, following the usual Standard Grant procedures, which already allow for the inclusion of end-user Project Partners. Going forward, it is likely that certain Research Programmes will use Partnership Research-style grants to encourage end-user engagement in line with their own strategic objectives; such opportunities will be announced in the usual manner, as and when they arise.

Further info: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/using/schemes/partnershipgrants.asp

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NERC Connect A Scheme

The Connect A scheme facilitates and promotes new partnerships between universities and research institutes and public/private sector science users (industry, business, and commerce or public sector agencies). The funds are for planning and initiating collaborative research not eligible for funding through other schemes (LINK, KTP, CASE or contract research). Funds will support two basic types of pump priming activities.

  • Proof of concept proposals
  • Costs for workshops or seminars on a theme both partners are interested in.

Awards are made up to £4K for the total directly incurred costs per application. NERC pays the standard proportion of full economic costs. There are no closing dates - applications are accepted and processed at any time.

For more details please see: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/using/schemes/connecta.asp

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The University of Manchester - Simon Industrial and Professional Fellowships

These Fellowships are intended to provide opportunities for persons employed in industry, commerce, the public services, the professions, or who are self-employed to be associated with units within the University. The association may be for research purposes, or for developing or continuing education, or for such other purposes as the awarding committee deems appropriate. Applications should be no more than two pages in length plus a CV and should include a full statement of the expected costs associated with the fellowship period. There are no deadlines but funds cannot be carried forward beyond the end of the financial year.

Available funds: 8.5K in total for the Faculty to be used by year end.

Please contact: victoria.hand@manchester.ac.uk

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