This factsheet provides information about government support for R&D across the UK.

UK-wide support

Funding competitions
Innovate UK runs funding competitions that provide funding of between £150,000 and £10 million for R&D projects. The funding can be used to test and develop an innovative idea, to create new knowledge or develop a new process, product or service, and to work with other firms or research organisations on collaborative projects.

Innovate UK runs funding competitions in four sector groups: emerging and enabling
technologies, health and life sciences, infrastructure systems, and manufacturing and materials. Innovate UK also runs two programmes to support firms in any sector to carry out R&D projects. The Open Funding Programme provides funding to help innovative businesses with high-growth potential to test and develop an innovative idea, process, product or service. The Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme provides funding of up to £80,000 to help firms work with a research organisation and recently qualified graduate to undertake innovation projects.

Go to www.gov.uk/guidance/innovation-apply-for-a-funding-award for more information.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) help UK firms to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance by accessing the knowledge and expertise available within UK universities and colleges. KTPs can have a measurable impact on business performance outputs and have benefited firms of all sizes across many different sectors. 

A KTP is formed between a company and an academic institution ('Knowledge Base' partner), which facilitates the transfer of knowledge, technology and skills to which the firm currently has no access. Each partnership employs one or more recently qualified 'Associates' to work in a company on a project of strategic importance to the business. Associates are typically postgraduate researchers or university graduates.

KTPs are part-funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) with the balance of the costs coming from the firm employing the Associate. Projects vary in length between 6 and 36 months. Applications can be made throughout the year.

Go to http://ktp.innovateuk.org for more information.

The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI)
The aim of the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) is to address public sector challenges by funding innovative solutions from industry to....

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