Grant 4 R&D
For businesses located in the SE region, R&D grants are managed by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). Below we summarise the four levels of R&D grant available. Further information, eligibility criteria and application documents are available via the SEEDA website.
Micro Award
Micro awards are for pre start or trading businesses with less than 10 employees. The project must involve the development of a low-cost prototype involving an innovative product or process.
The minimum project size is £5000 and the maximum is capped at £20,000. The grant can provide up to 45% of eligible costs. In the South East approximately 30 Micro projects are awarded in annually.
Research Project
This is for pre start or trading businesses with less than 50 employees. It may be used for a planned feasibility study into the technological and commercial potential of turning highly innovative technology into a new scientific/technical knowledge product or process useful for developing an early bench-top or experimental working model (not pre-production prototype).
The minimum project size is £20,000 and the maximum is £100,000. It will provide up to 60% of eligible costs. In the South East about 100 Research projects are awarded per annum.
Development project
This is for pre-start or trading businesses with less than 250 staff to shape industrial research and developing a pre-production prototype that has significant technological advance in a new product or process for commercial use.
The minimum project size is £20,000 and the maximum grant is capped at £250,000. The rate is 40% of eligible costs for small businesses and 35% for medium-sized businesses. In the South East approximately 50 Research projects are awarded in annually.
Exceptional project
Larger grants may be awarded under certain circumstances, on a case by case basis.
