Research Grants
Research grants help you assess the technological and commercial feasibility of an innovative technology. These projects will involve planned research or critical investigation aimed at producing new scientific or technical knowledge, which may be useful in developing new products, processes or services.
‘Blue skies’ research is not eligible. Projects may include: conceptual formulation and design, technical feasibility studies, trials and testing, small-scale demonstration to provide basic proof of technical feasibility, IP protection, investigation of production and assembly options, pre-clinical research studies including target identification and validation and Phase 0 pre-clinical studies.
Research Projects will aim to:
- confirm the original technical and commercial aims are viable
- carry out any basic research¹ needed to define the objectives
- define the operational, technical and design aspects
- consider action on any intellectual property arising from or needed by the project
- determine the prospective benefits, including the potential outputs
- determine the longer term market effects and the possibility of exploitation
- set overall and phase objectives and target dates for the full project and subsequent exploitation
- define the economic, commercial and dissemination objectives
Research grants are available to SMEs with less than 50 group employees and a turnover or balance sheet total of not more than €10m. Key aspects are:
- Minimum Grant £20,000
- Maximum Grant £100,000
- Maximum % of costs covered 60%
- Project duration 6 to 18 months
¹ Basic research is defined as original theoretical or experimental work to achieve a new or better understanding of the laws of science, engineering and technology as they might apply to the full project. This may involve the creation of an early ”bench top” experimental model.
