UK organizations can apply for a share of up to £3m for quantum research and innovation activities in collaboration with at least one EU member state organization. The funding is provided by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, and aims to accelerate research and innovation in quantum technologies. The program is funded by the UK Government’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), managed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The projects must focus on quantum sensing, industrial products, processes, or services for quantum technologies, or technologies for scaling quantum computing.
Quantum Technology Research and Innovation Funding Opportunity
The UK government, through Innovate UK, a part of UK Research and Innovation, is set to invest up to £3 million in collaborative research and innovation projects. The aim is to facilitate collaboration between UK and international organisations, particularly those in the European Union, to accelerate research and innovation in quantum technologies. The ultimate goal is to overcome technological and market barriers to the successful commercialisation and adoption of these technologies both in the UK and internationally.
UK registered businesses are required to collaborate with at least one non-linked registered organisation from a European Union Member State. However, organisations from other countries are also welcome to join the project. The funding for this programme comes from the UK Government’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), which is managed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and delivered by a consortium of the UK’s leading research and innovation bodies, including UKRI. The fund supports collaboration between UK researchers and innovators, and their peers around the world, on the major themes of our time: planet, health, technology and talent.
Project Requirements and Funding Details
The projects must have a maximum grant funding request of £600,000 and should start by 1 December 2024 and end by 31 May 2026. The duration of the projects should be between 12 and 18 months. UK project partners must carry out the majority of their project work in the UK and intend to exploit the results from or in the UK and the European Union.
The consortium must include at least one business registered in a European Union Member State that is a separate legal entity and not linked to the UK partners. This is to ensure that projects encourage genuine international collaboration, not internal company research. Linked companies are considered a single entity under the parent company. The projects must demonstrate a balanced technological contribution by the participants from both countries and must be equally significant to all participants. No one country or project partner can represent more than 70% of the total project costs.
Commercial Exploitation and Technological Focus
The proposal must demonstrate a clear intention to commercially exploit the results of the project domestically or globally. The project must focus on one or more of the following: quantum sensing for applications such as industrial instrumentation, clinical devices, imaging, resource mapping, geological or oceanographic survey; industrial products, processes, or services to advance scalable solutions such as chip scale quantum, photonic and optoelectronic systems for applied quantum technologies; technologies for scaling quantum compute, for example, but not limited to, qubit processor, switching, networking, control systems, cryogenics.
Innovate UK Business Connect will hold an online competition briefing on Thursday 16 May, 10am-11am UK time. For those who would like help to find a project partner, they can contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s Quantum team or the European team.
Registration for this opportunity opens on 07/05/2024 and closes on 28/08/2024. UK partners can request grant funding up to £600,000 per project. This can cover up to 70% of costs, depending on project type and business size.
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