LOOKING FOR FUNDING FOR YOUR BUSINESS INNOVATIONS?

We’ve rounded up the relevant public funding and competitions that have been announced and are open for applications in August. You can also find out more about public and private funding sources in our online directory.

Design Foundations Round 3

Innovate UK is investing up to £1m in early-stage, human-centred design projects. It is aimed at helping businesses of any size engage with customers and users, and generate better propositions for new products, services and business models. Up to £40k available per project to explore innovative opportunities over a 3-month period. Opens 13th August

ISCF Next Generation Services: Transforming accountancy, insurance and legal services with AI and data competition

UK Research and Innovation is investing up to £12m in innovation projects to support the application of artificial intelligence and data technologies. Projects should aim to transform 3 target sectors; accountancy, insurance and legal services. There are two strands to this competition, for large and small projects. Closes 15th August

SBRI: higher education open data, digital tools for prospective students

Organisations can apply to develop digital tools using graduate outcomes data to help prospective higher education students make decisions. Registration closes 8th August

SME support to evaluate innovative medical technologies

The Office of Life Sciences and Innovate UK are investing up to £1.5m to support the development of innovative medicines, medical devices, diagnostics and regulated digital technology. Closes 22nd August

Business Basics: boosting SME productivity (proof of concept strand)

This competition is looking to fund proof of concept projects aimed at encouraging SMEs to adopt productivity-boosting technology or business practices. Closes 4th September

Business Basics: boosting SME productivity (trial strand)

This competition is looking to trials aimed at encouraging SMEs to adopt productivity-boosting technology or business practices. Closes 4th September

SBRI: developing responsive rural community connections

This Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition aims to combat loneliness and connect rural communities through low-cost, co-designed and user-friendly digital innovations. Registration closes 29th August

Innovation Loans: July 2018 open competition

Innovate UK is offering up to £10m in loans to micro-businesses and SMEs. These loans are for game-changing innovations with strong commercial potential that will significantly improve the UK economy. Registration closes 29th August

Innovate UK Open Grant Funding competition: Round 2

Up to £20m is available to deliver game changing or disruptive innovations with significant potential for impact on the UK economy. All proposals must be business focused and applications can come from any area of technology, science or engineering, including arts, design, media or creative industries. Closes 12th September

Increase productivity, performance and quality in UK construction

UK organisations can apply for a share of up to £12.5m from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to increase productivity, performance and quality in construction. Closes 19th September

Investment Accelerator: innovation in precision medicine

UK-based micro-businesses and SMEs can apply for a share of up to £6m of grant funding to match private equity investment and fund innovations in precision medicine. Closes 26th September

Women in Innovation Awards

UK business women can apply for an award of £50k funding in addition to a bespoke package of mentoring, coaching and business support. Closes 3rd October

RIA Research and Innovation Action

As immersive technologies are transforming the ways in which people communicate, interact and share information, this will have a direct impact on industries across the European Union. This challenge is designed to forge a competition and sustainable ecosystem of European technology and interactive technologies. Closes 14th November

European Funding: Horizon 2020 ICT 25 Interactive Technologies

Better exploiting opportunities offered by multi-user interactions, research and developing technologies augmenting human interaction in groups within a professional and private context. Or developing future interactive systems offering higher quality experiences. There are lots of other opportunities, such as research in geolocation, flexible and wearable technologies. Read more