Industry Impact Fund June 2023

Your business must be based in the UK and registered at Companies House to be eligible for this funding.

Grant funding in this competition is awarded as Minimal Financial assistance (MFA). This allows public bodies to award up to £315,000 of support to an enterprise in a 3 year rolling financial period.

In your application, you will be asked to declare previous funding received. This will form part of the financial checks ahead of STFC making a formal grant offer.

The I2F programme is intended to assist companies, through access to advanced analytical technologies and supporting expertise, overcome currently intractable product, material or process performance challenges in manufacturing or services which have a high economic impact. Projects are selected where there is clear evidence that UK economic growth will result from participation in the programme.

Examples include:

• improving energy efficiency in manufacturing processes
• materials development for hydrogen storage
• development of photovoltaics
• aerodynamics of wind turbines
• lubricants to improve engine efficiency
• materials for detectors in hydrogen applications
• development of biofuels
• improving batteries for electrical storage
• data analytics to improve manufacturing or service processes
• modelling and simulation to optimise design

Out of scope:

• fundamental research
• market research
• scoping studies

Applicants are required to clearly describe how solving their problem can result in economic impact to the company.

We are currently accepting applications from companies that have interests or a product that have applications within the health and net zero themes. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

• reduction of energy consumption
• alternative energy
• development and testing of materials for energy applications and energy storage
• data usage to promote greener outcomes
• vaccine development
• aerosol particle characterisation
• drug delivery mechanisms

The full economic cost of your project may be up to £100,000 with payment going directly to the STFC facility or department concerned. Companies will not be in direct receipt of cash through this scheme but instead are granted access to STFC facilities and expertise up to the value of the proposed project.

Projects should contribute matched funding for your eligible project costs of:

• minimum of 30% if you are a micro or small organisation
• minimum of 40% if you are a medium sized organisation
• minimum of 50% if you are a large organisation

The initial application process requires companies to submit a concise (approx. 500 words) challenge statement describing the problem or challenge. Companies are not required to describe the project they want to do; instead, they will need to describe the problem, its nature, any techniques already tried and the value and benefit of solving it.

If approved, companies will work together with STFC business development and scientific and technical staff to develop a fully costed project proposal. Projects will be selected based on the economic and societal impact, the value and benefit to the company and the ability of STFC to address the problem.

We must receive your challenge statement by 30 June 2023 4:00pm.

Get help with developing your proposal

For help and advice on costings and writing your proposal please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.

Ask about this funding opportunity

Contact Matt Chisholm or Izhar Ul-Haq by emailing: I2F@stfc.ukri.org

Include ‘I2F Scheme’ in the subject line.

We aim to respond within three working days.