£72 million investment in innovative R&D call opens on 10th November
National and European funding sources for research are vital for innovative SMEs in North East England. The Technology Strategy Board is to invest a further £72 million in innovative new research and development projects in eight key areas, its Chief Executive, Iain Gray, announced in October 2008.
The invitation to submit proposals was made at the Innovate08 conference and exhibition, held in London on the 7th October.
The ten new competitions, in important areas such as photonics, high value manufacturing, intelligent transport systems, network security and energy generation and supply, will be split into three phases, with the first three competitions opening in November 2008. UK based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as large multinationals, will have the opportunity to access the funds for market-led R&D projects. The technology areas for which submissions are invited are:
Phase 1, opening 10 November 2008:
- Photonics: Next Generation Optical Internet Access (1st round)
- Advanced Materials: Sustainable Materials and Products
- Intelligent Transport Systems and Services: Informed Personal Travel
Phase 2, opening 19 January 2009:
- High Value Manufacturing: Step Changes in Competitiveness; Value Systems
- Energy Generation and Supply: Maximising Recovery of UK's Oil and Gas Resources
- Photonics: Next Generation Optical Internet Access (2nd round)
- Low Impact Buildings: Design and Decision Tools
Phase 3, opening 16 March 2009:
- Creative Industries: Accessing and Commercialising Content in a Digitally Networked World
- Energy Generation and Supply: Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technologies
- Network Security: Interdependency, Complexity and Risk
