NATEP: Helping SMEs innovate in aerospace: Autumn 2022

A NATEP (National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme) competition is held approximately every 6 months. This is call 7 of 8 and for each call there is up to £2.5m funding available.

The aim of this competition is to provide help for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop innovative aerospace technologies. These will enhance your capabilities and increase your ability to win new business.

Your proposal must align with the priorities stated in the UK Aerospace technology strategy, Destination Zero. Your proposal will be subject to:

• independent assessment by Innovate UK
• strategic review by the Aerospace Technology Institute

You will need to pass both assessments for your application to be recommended for funding. BEIS has the final funding decision.

Eligibility

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
• collaborate with other UK registered organisations

Academic institutions, charities, public sector organisations, large businesses and RTOs cannot lead.

Your project must:

• have total costs between £150,000 and £300,000
• end by 31 Dec 2024
• last between 12 and 18 months
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Scope

The aim of this competition is to help SMEs to develop their own innovative technologies. These should enhance their capabilities and increase their ability to win new business in the civil aerospace sector.

Your project must have a credible route to market and preferably have identified your end users. Your project can:

• demonstrate improvement in business productivity and competitiveness
• show clear benefit technically
• be able to pull through new technology or processes for use in a current or future product or manufacturing process
• show clear benefit in creating or safeguarding jobs
• be able to enhance capabilities within the broader aerospace industry, as well as other sectors such as advanced manufacturing

Specific themes

Your project must have a potential application within the civil aerospace sector. This can include dual use technologies.

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

Zero-Carbon Emission Aircraft Technologies

Zero-carbon emission technologies are focused on propulsion and infrastructure development to enable zero-carbon tailpipe emissions. This encompasses battery, hydrogen, and fuel cell technologies, much of which are in early stages of development.

Ultra-Efficient Aircraft Technologies

Ultra-efficient technologies are focused on improving energy efficiency and hence impact CO2 emissions, NOx and noise. Continued development of crucial high value, sustainable, high productivity manufacturing technologies will position the UK to be a first-choice location for the industry.

Cross-cutting Enabling Technologies

To enable both the zero-carbon and ultra-efficient opportunities, the UK must develop cross-cutting enabling technologies and capabilities for whole aircraft design and analysis. These capabilities should extend to the aircraft lifecycle from design, through manufacture & assembly, operation, and end of life.

Support

A briefing event will be held at 2pm on Wednesday 16th November 2022: click here for the joining link.

If you would like help to find a collaboration partner, contact Innovate UK KTN’s Transport team.