ATI Programme strategic batch: expression of interest March 2021

The ATI Programme represents a £3.9 billion joint government and industry investment to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace.

This programme is co-ordinated and managed by:

• the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
• Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation
• the Aerospace Technology Institute

We work in collaboration to deliver a portfolio of projects to meet the objectives of the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, ‘Accelerating Ambition’.

This is phase 1 of a strategic batch competition within the ATI Programme. There are 2 phases to each strategic batch competition. If you are successful at phase 2 you will proceed to final approvals and contracting. The whole process takes at least 6 months.

1. Expression of interest (EoI) – this competition: opens monthly and is reviewed by the Aerospace Technology Institute only. There is no funding in this phase.
2. Full stage application (FSA): invite only, if successful in the expression of interest phase. Independent assessment by Innovate UK, value for money (VfM) and policy review by BEIS, and strategic review by the Aerospace Technology Institute.

To lead a project or work alone your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business of any size for research projects
• be a UK registered business of any size, a research and technology organisation (RTO), research organisation or academic institution for capital infrastructure projects
• carry out your aerospace research or capital infrastructure project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Your proposal must align with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, ‘Accelerating Ambition’, which is split into these areas:

• vehicles: strengthening the UK’s whole-aircraft design and system integration capability, and positioning it for future generations of civil aircraft
• advanced systems: developing UK advanced systems technologies to capture high-value opportunities in current and future aircraft
• aerostructures: ensuring the UK is a global leader in the development of large complex structures, particularly wings
• propulsion and power: advancing a new generation of more efficient propulsion technologies, particularly large turbofans
• cross-cutting enablers: developing high value design capabilities, advanced materials, manufacturing and assembly, advanced through-life engineering technologies

Funding is available for industrial research projects as defined in the guidance on categories of research, and investment aid for research infrastructure.