Category: Financeinvestment

SBRI rail demonstrations: first of a kind 2020

This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition and is open to organisations of all sizes from the UK, EU, or EEA. The aim of the competition is to demonstrate innovations to stakeholders and railway customers in a representative railway environment.

This competition has 4 themes: environmental sustainability, customer experience, optimised railway operations, and optimised and cost-effective maintenance.

The assessors will consider fair value in making their evaluation. The contract will be awarded to the lead applicant. Other organisations can only be involved in the project as subcontractors.

Funding type: Procurement

Project size: We expect to fund projects with total eligible costs between £100,000 and £400,000, including VAT.

Opens: 13 January 2020

Closes: 4 March 2020

To find out more click here


ISCF smart sustainable plastic packaging: demonstrator projects, round 1

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £12 million for practical demonstrator projects in smart and sustainable plastic packaging. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £36 million from the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Programme to demonstrate solutions to create a more circular economy for plastic packaging. This funding will be provided in 3 rounds, including one invitation-only competition.

Your project must also include significant industry investment. This competition aims to invest in up to 3 practical demonstrators. We are also running a feasibility studies competition, to help applicants develop proposals for later rounds under this programme.

Your project must aim to: help make the plastics packaging supply chain more circular, deliver the targets of the UK Plastics Pact, improve on current state-of-the-art plastic packaging, while still demonstrating practical and close-to-market solutions.

Opens: 9 December 2019

Closes: 19 February 2020

To find our more click here


Materials Science Venture Competition Invites Entries for 2020

The Materials Science Venture Prize is an annual competition provided by the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers. The aim of the programme is to reward and celebrate the best in the field of materials science. The contest will offer a £25,000 first prize to help the winning entrant commercialise and exploit innovative early-stage research, eg producing a proof of concept prototype which can be shown to potential customers.

The competition is open to all UK-based materials scientists, whether they are linked to a major university department or private business.

Interested scientists are asked to submit an entry form and a business plan outlining their idea.

Deadline: 16 March 2020

To find out more click here


ISCF smart sustainable plastic packaging: feasibility studies and industrial research

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £1 million from the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Programme for early-stage projects in smart and sustainable plastic packaging.

Your project must aim to: help make the plastics packaging supply chain more circular, deliver the targets of the UK Plastics Pact, improve on current state-of-the-art plastic packaging, while still demonstrating practical and close-to-market solutions.

Your proposal must: show how your project supports the objectives of the Pact and delivers systemic change, clearly explain how you would reduce the UK plastic packaging system’s overall environmental impact.

We welcome projects across one or more of the following 4 areas: Materials, Design, Technology or process, Business model or behaviour change.

Funding type: Grant

Project size: Your project’s total eligible costs must be between £30,000 and £100,000.

Opens: 13 January 2020

Closes: 1 April 2020

To find our more click here


ISCF smart sustainable plastic packaging: feasibility studies for demonstrators

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £700,000 to develop proposals for practical demonstrator projects in smart and sustainable plastic packaging. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £36 million from the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Programme to demonstrate solutions that create a more circular economy for plastic packaging. This funding will be provided in 3 rounds. Your project must also include significant industry investment.

We are funding feasibility studies for demonstrators, which will create a proposal to enter into a later, invitation-only demonstrator projects competition. We are also running a demonstrator projects competition for projects that are ready to start work.

Your project must aim to: help make the plastics packaging supply chain more circular, deliver the targets of the UK Plastics Pact, improve on current state-of-the-art plastic packaging, while still demonstrating practical and close-to-market solutions.

Your proposal must: show how your project supports the objectives of the Pact and delivers systemic change and clearly explain how you would reduce the UK plastic packaging system’s overall environmental impact. We welcome projects across 1 or more of these 4 areas: materials, design, technology or process, and business model or behaviour change

Opens: 9 December 2019

Closes: 19 February 2020

To find out more click here


Innovate UK Smart Grants: January 2020

Smart is the new name for Innovate UK’s ‘Open grant funding’ programme. Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £25 million in the best game-changing and commercially viable innovative or disruptive ideas. All proposals must be business focused.

Applications can come from any area of technology and be applied to any part of the economy, such as but not exclusively: the arts, design and media, creative industries, science or engineering. Whilst we welcome projects that overlap with the grand challenge areas this is not a requirement, as we are also keen to support projects in other areas.

We may consider eligible project costs over £2 million (but not exceeding £3 million), subject to the process set out under ‘Eligibility’.

We may share application details with other public sector co-funders if appropriate.

In this competition all projects awarded funding must upload evidence for each expenditure with every claim made. These might include invoices, timesheets, receipts or spreadsheets for capital usage. This is part of Innovate UK’s obligations under the Managing Public Money government handbook in relation to assurance, financial management and control.

Funding type:Grant

Project size: Duration between 6 and 18 months and total eligible project costs between £25,000 and £500,000: can be single or collaborative. Duration between 19 and 36 months and total eligible project costs between £25,000 and £2 million: must be collaborative.

Opens: 10 January 2020

Closes: 22 April 2020

To find out more click here


Eureka Eurostars 2: round 13

UK SMEs can apply for a share of up to £2.5 million to collaborate in research with partners across Europe and associated countries.

This competition is aimed at micro, small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) working on high-quality research and development (R&D) projects across national borders.

These enterprises often find it difficult to attract public-sector funding. EUREKA Eurostars was set up to overcome this barrier to innovation. With its market-led approach, it encourages international collaborative research and innovation projects that will be rapidly commercialised.

Eurostars supports SMEs in leading international collaborative research and innovation projects by helping them get access to guidance and funding.

A Eurostars project must have a civilian purpose and be aimed at the development of a new product, process or service.

Projects must be led by a research-performing SME.

Opened: 20 December 2019

Closes: 6 February 2020

To find out more click here


January 2020 expression of interest: ATI Programme

The Aerospace Technology Institute (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, and the Aerospace Technology Institute.

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

This is an expression of interest competition. There are 3 stages and the whole process takes at least 6 months.

Expression of interest (EoI): opens monthly and is reviewed by ATI only.

Full stage application (FSA): invite only, if successful in the expression of interest stage, with proposal development on the Innovation Funding Service by applicants. Independent assessment by Innovate UK, value for money (VfM) and policy review by BEIS, and strategic assessment by ATI.

Final approvals by BEIS and contracting through Innovate UK.

Opens:  9 January 2020

Closes: 22 January 2020

To find out more click here


Commercialising quantum technology: technology projects round 1, full stage

UK businesses can express an interest in applying for a share of up to £30 million to collaborate on quantum technology development projects. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

The aim of the competition is to address technological barriers to the commercial or industrial exploitation of quantum technologies in the UK. Your project must focus on one or more of the following technical barriers: connectivity, situational awareness, and computing.

Your project must also: exploit second generation quantum techniques, and demonstrate how the technological advance will accelerate the commercialisation and industrialisation of quantum technologies in the UK. Your application’s lead organisation must be a business unless a research and technology organisation (RTO) gained approval from Innovate UK to lead at the expression of interest phase.

This is the full competition, following the expression of interest phase. Only successful expression of interest applicants are eligible to apply for funding in this phase. You will be required to attend an interview.

Opens: 9 December 2019

Closes: 5 February 2020

To find out more click here


IUK Launches Developing the UK's Low Carbon Automotive Capability Competition (APC 15)

The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) is investing through the ‘Developing the UK's Low Carbon Automotive Capability (APC 15)’ funding competition, in partnership with the UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK (IUK) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Projects must concentrate on the automotive market as its primary application. APC 15 is looking for: projects that support the UK’s long-term capabilities through securing long-term R&D investment; and projects that can be achieved through its associated supply chain in the design, build and manufacture of zero tailpipe emission vehicles.

Projects will preferably deliver both, to ensure the UK meets the future demand of vehicle-makers.

APC has allocated up to £30 million to match fund innovation projects in this competition. A project’s total eligible costs must be 50% match funded and between £5 million and £40 million. Applicants must request the minimum amount of funding needed for their project.

Projects must be led by a business working in partnership with others and must include an SME and a vehicle manufacturer or tier 1 supplier. To collaborate on a project, an applicant must be a UK based business, academic organisation, or research and technology organisation (RTO). They should carry out the project work in the UK and intend to exploit the results from or in the UK.

Deadline:  4 March 2020.

To find out more click here


SBRI: innovation in automated survey processing for railway structure gauging, phase 1

Businesses can apply for a share of £720,000, plus VAT, to develop a demonstrator for automated railway structure gauging processing. This is phase 1 of a 2-phase Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition open to organisations of all sizes based in the UK, EU or EEA. A decision to proceed with phase 2 will depend on the outcomes from phase 1. Network Rail will invest up to £720,000 (plus VAT) in phase 1 of this competition. An extra £1,080,000 (plus VAT) will be available for phase 2. This will support the development of a technological demonstrator for automated structure gauging processing. The competition process is managed by Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation.

The competition also supports the objectives of Network Rail’s Control Period 6 (CP6) funding strategy for research and development. Gauging is the process through which Network Rail ensures adequate clearance between passing trains and lineside objects and features. The objective of this competition is to: demonstrate innovations to Network Rail that will enhance the interpretation of point-cloud data and provide accurate information on the location and identity of trackside features to enable accurate gauging clearance processing.

Opens: 2 December 2019

Closes: 22 January 2020

To find out more click here


SBRI: innovation in railway platform end and edge technology

Opportunity for businesses to apply for a share of £1.08 million, plus VAT, to develop solutions to detect and deter trespass at railway platform ends and edges.

This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition. It is open to organisations of all sizes based in the UK, EU or EEA. Network Rail will invest up to £1.08 million, plus VAT. This will support the development of a technological and/or physical solution which will detect and deter trespass onto the railway from platform ends and edges. Whilst Network Rail are eager to embrace new forms of innovation, the solution must be scalable to suit a variety of station environments. This will be tested through trials at multiple live station environments.

Opens: 2 December 2019

Closes: 22 January 2020

To find out more click here


ISCF TFP science and technology into practice: feasibility studies

Up to £15 million of grant funding is available through the Transforming Food Production Science and Technology into Practice programme. We are running 2 strands through this competition: feasibility study projects and demonstration projects. It is your responsibility to make sure you are applying for the correct strand.

Your feasibility study must:

  • evaluate the early stage feasibility of precision solutions to transform food production
  • work with end users, such as farmers and producers
  • evaluate, in practice, the potential of early stage ideas that address industry identified problems
  • consider both the technical feasibility and the feasibility of the business model
  • consider the route to adoption
  • enable decisions to be made on the future development of the solution.

Opened: 18 November 2019

Closes: 26 February 2020

To find out more click here


ISCF TFP science and technology into practice: demonstration

Up to £15 million of grant funding is available through the Transforming Food Production Science and Technology into Practice programme. We are running 2 strands through this competition: feasibility study projects and demonstration projects. It is your responsibility to make sure you are applying for the correct strand.

Your demonstration project must:

  • demonstrate the viability of combinations of precision solutions to transform food production
  • demonstrate solutions across different production environments, to encourage their widespread use
  • work with end users
  • produce evidence of technical feasibility and economic viability at commercial scale

Opened: 11 November 2019

Closes: 26 February 2020

To find our more click here


UK-Israel open collaborative R&D competition

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1.5 million to develop innovative technologies targeting global markets in partnership with Israeli companies. Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £1.5 million to fund collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects focused on industrial research. The UK and Israel are announcing a joint funding competition under the EUREKA framework. This will support collaborative, business led research and development (R&D) projects which should result in a new product, industrial process or service. Projects must be innovative, involve a technological risk and target large global markets. The competition will fund projects from any technological or market area. The national funding agencies will fund their respective participants in the projects.

Opened: 11 November 2019

Closes: 19 February 2020

To find our more click here


ISCF transforming foundation industries: fast start projects

Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £5 million in innovation projects for the foundation industries. These will be cross-sector, collaborative, fast start, short duration, industrial research and development (R&D) projects. The aim of this competition is to bring businesses from different foundation industries together to work on common resource and energy efficiency opportunities. Your project can focus on any part of the manufacturing process, including: feedstock inputs, production and material product development.

Your consortium must include at least 2 businesses representing at least 2 sectors in the foundation industries (cement, glass, ceramics, paper, metals and bulk chemicals). Your project must not focus on fuel switching or technologies for the capture of emissions, such as carbon capture and storage.

Opened: 28 October 2019

Closes: 5 February 2020

To find out more click here


Application of whole genome sequencing approaches to cancer

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £5.4 million. This is for innovation projects that use whole genome sequencing to analyse cancers. This competition is funded through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. The aim is to encourage the development of new approaches to targeted therapy based on the molecular signatures of cancers. Your project can develop new analytical methods or validate new targets using new and existing genomic data from cancers. We will fund feasibility studies, industrial research and experimental development.

Opened: 7 October 2019

Closes: 22 January 2020

To find out more click here


HSBC UK Announces £14 Billion Loan Fund for UK SMEs

HSBC UK has announced a £14 billion lending fund to support the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The bank’s dedicated SME Fund has increased by £2 billion, following a £12 billion package of support in 2018. The increase in funding this year reflects HSBC’s commitment to supporting businesses through economic uncertainty. Since launching the SME Loan Fund in 2014, HSBC has committed more than £60 billion to UK SMEs to help businesses innovate, evolve and grow.

Ensuring the Fund remains UK-wide in its support of ambitious companies, it will be split and allocated to specific regions across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

For those companies exploring opportunities overseas, a ring-fenced pot for international businesses, which forms part of the overall offer, has been doubled to £2 billion this year.

The initiative is available to UK businesses with a turnover of up to £350 million. Applicants do not need to be an HSBC customer to apply.

Applications can be made at any time.

To find out more click here


Funding for more customs experts announced

The Treasury and HMRC have announced funding of £16 million to help more businesses become customs experts. The funding will be used to help exporters and importers train staff to enable them to make customs declarations, and for smaller businesses who act as customs intermediaries to invest in IT. Funding applications will close on 31 January 2020, or earlier if all the funding is allocated.

To find out more click here


Gigabit Voucher

Gigabit vouchers can be used by small businesses and the local communities surrounding them to contribute to the installation cost of a gigabit-capable connection. Businesses can claim up to £2,500 against the cost of connection either individually or as part of a group project. Residents can benefit from the scheme with a voucher worth £500 as part of a group project. 

Closing date - ongoing

To find out more click here


Interreg VA France

The France (Channel) England Programme has five Specific Objectives. If your project idea falls under one of these objectives and is in the eligible region, then please contact us with your idea to see if we can help. Objectives are : Innovation, Social Innovation, Low Carbon Technologies, Natural and Cultural Heritage, Coastal and Transitional Water Ecosystems.

Closing date - ongoing

To find out more click here


CITB Grants

Apply for a grant or project funding, and learn how CITB supports training for the construction industry.

Closing date - ongoing

To find out more click here


Forward Enterprise Fund

The fund offers a combination of different type of support, depending on the needs of your enterprise. If successful the Forward Enterprise Fund will work with you to design a package of support to help your organisation develop and grow. Support could include a mix of:

  • Business Support : Pre-investment business support gives you the chance to work with specialist advisers to grow your business and become investment-ready.

  • Crowdfunder Support: You can get support to set up a crowdfunding campaign through Crowdfunder to raise capital for your business.

  • Loans: You can access loans to assist your business in its development.

Closing date - ongoing

To find out more click here


The Start-up Series: £150,000 of Equity Investment Funding

We aim to pick one business every month to receive investment from an EIS & SEIS fund.

Startups.co.uk are in partnership with experienced investment promoters Worth Capital. The series throws the doors wide open for companies to submit their applications from the 1st to the 14th of every month. From an initial simple application, businesses will be assessed through multiple stages and winners will be offered investment at a fair valuation in exchange for an equity stake in their business (subject to due diligence carried out by the Fund Manager).

Ongoing competition

To find out more click here


Goldman Sachs - 10, 000 Small Business Programme

'Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses' is an investment to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity by providing greater access to education, capital and business support services. '10,000 Small Businesses' is funded by Goldman Sachs and the Goldman Sachs Foundation.

Closing date - Ongoing

To find out more click here


The Creative Enterprise New Ideas Fund

The Creative Enterprise New Ideas Fund is a programme designed to help screen-based businesses move away from working project-to-project and develop more sustainable businesses.

Through the Fund, Creative England is able to offer small seed funding to sole traders, start-ups and small firms for their creative business ideas. The programme aims to support untapped talent and allow talented people to find finance for their ideas. Investments of between £500 and £15,000 are available for emerging and new screen-based storytelling business proposals, including new business ideas, business proposals and business costs.

Date: Applications accepted on a rolling basis

To find out more click here


Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)

Though not strictly a grant funding, we felt SEIS was very relevant to add to this list. SEIS is a tax relief designed to encourage investors to invest in UK companies. In essence, investors can claim eligible investment against their tax bill, significantly reducing capital risk. Many professional investors and business angels now require SEIS at Angel Stage before they even look at a company. You can apply for SEIS status with HMRC.

Funding: The relief allows investors to claim back up to 78% of their investment through tax in the first year (up to £150K, as of Jan 1st, 2014). Once companies are approved for SEIS status, there’s a process you must go through with HMRC to claim on behalf of your investor.

Closing date - ongoing

To find out more click here


R&D Tax Credits

The research and development tax credits scheme allows you to claim back a significant amount of your development costs back in cash each year! If you are a startup heavily focused on development, then this scheme is well worth checking out. The paperwork itself is not too complicated to fill in; there are also a few expert agencies about who can help you with filling it out for a price. You can find guides, more information and how to apply here.

Funding: You can claim back up to 32% in development costs each year; this even includes staff/contractor costs

Closing date - ongoing

To find out more click here


£100m Initiative to Help UK Firms Capitalise on Offshore Wind Market

The UK is said to be well suited to exploiting wind power, with turbines having been erected in over 30 locations. However, it is widely accepted that the sector has produced too few jobs. By 2030, the offshore wind power market is expected to be worth £30 billion per year, with the UK generating a third of its electricity from wind.

The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) is a £100 million initiative designed to help UK businesses maximise opportunities in the global offshore wind supply chain market.

Activities will initially focus on helping supply chain companies with strategy and leadership, project management, people excellence, process excellence, health and safety culture, and quality management. It will also work with the offshore wind developers to provide greater long-term visibility of project pipelines that will help supply chain companies to plan and, if necessary, to invest in new capability or capacity.

To find out more click here


Horizon 2020: what it is and how to apply for funding

Horizon 2020 is the largest ever European funding programme for research and innovation. It has a budget of 79 billion euros and will run until 2020.

It aims to: ensure that Europe produces world-class science, remove barriers to innovation and make it easier for public and private sectors to innovate together.

This guidance is designed to help people in the UK understand and access the funding opportunities available, in order to innovate and grow both in the UK and abroad.

What is Horizon 2020?

The Horizon 2020 programme was established by the European Union (EU) as a collaborative financial instrument that would help secure Europe’s global competitiveness in research and innovation. The programme – running from 2014 to 2020 – is seen as a means of putting Europe at the heart of world-class science and innovation, making it more competitive, creating economic growth and new jobs. It offers an open, simple structure for accessing funding in order to remove barriers to collaborative innovation, get new projects off the ground quickly and achieve results faster. Funding calls are based on 3 areas: excellent science,  industrial leadership and societal challenges.

To find out more click here


Backing Youth Ambition - New Support for the UK’s Young Entrepreneurs

Almost two thirds of young people have, or would consider, starting their own business but many say a lack of funding and experience is putting them off, according to research commissioned by The Prince’s Trust and Lloyds Development Capital (LDC). Following the publication of this research, the two organisations have come together to launch Backing Youth Ambition, an initiative designed to support youth enterprise across the UK. The three-year programme aims to help over 1,200 young people explore and launch their own businesses through start-up grants and additional funding for The Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme. LDC is also providing support through fundraising, volunteering and mentoring activity across its regional offices, employees and investee companies. Young entrepreneurs from across the UK may be eligible for support through the programme.

Applications can be submitted at any time.

To find out more click here


Launch of £3m Fund for Businesses Redistributing Surplus Food

The FareShare Surplus with Purpose Fund is aimed at offsetting the costs faced by food producing companies seeking to redistribute their edible surplus comestibles to charities and community groups helping vulnerable people.The programme has an overall budget of £3 million. Businesses could be eligible for up to £50,000 worth of funding. Greater sums can be negotiated, where appropriate, for high volumes of surplus food.

The money can be used to cover the additional staff costs needed for packing and sorting edible surplus food, or in building, implementing and managing new processes. It could also cover packaging and transportation costs, or lost income from the sale of surplus to animal feed or anaerobic digestion. Food production businesses in the UK that are seeking to redistribute additional surplus food items may qualify for support.

Applications may be submitted at any time. Interested parties are asked to complete a form on the funder’s website. They may also email foodoffers@Fareshare.org.uk or call the funder on 020 7064 8911 to discuss participation in the programme.

To find out more click here


ISCF Future food production systems

Up to £20 million of grant funding is available for projects that disrupt the traditional land-based models of food production.

Projects must create integrated, data-driven solutions to drive agricultural productivity as well as target net zero emissions. We will consider a broad range of technologies and systems.

Your project must aim to determine the transformation of future food production systems. It must be ambitious, multidisciplinary and systems-focused rather than dedicated to developing a single technology. We are particularly looking to support large-scale, ambitious projects.

Your project’s total eligible costs must be greater than £1 million but less than £10 million.

Opened: Tuesday 17 September 2019

Closes: Wednesday 22 January 2020

To find out more click here


The Future Leaders Fellowships can help fund your most talented innovators

Future Leaders Fellowships allow early career researchers and innovators from eligible UK businesses to develop their leadership potential through challenging innovation or research projects. Funding of up to £1.2 million over a four year period, but with considerable flexibility available. Funding will be provided in line with prevailing state aid guidelines.The ability to attract in individual, or develop an existing employee, who will help create innovative solutions for their business. This could include bringing the most talented international innovators to work in their business in the UK.A new Reduced Hours Fellowship, in which fellows are able to spend up to 40 percent of their time focused on other activities within the business in order to enhance their career.The option to collaborate with other organisations (business, academic, public and third sector).

Our process requires registration to receive further information and bid writing support, so it is important that you register now to be able to apply later.


NatWest - Helping Women turn their ideas into reality

We want to support more women to start businesses, so we've teamed up with Crowdfunder to help you get started. Together we'll help you raise money for your business through crowdfunding, and we'll also provide free coaching, mentoring and opportunities to meet like minded women. What’s more we’re also offering up to 50% of your fundraising target (max. £5,000) in grant funding for certain successful projects.

You can read more about how this works in our eligibility criteria. UK residents with new UK projects can apply. Eligibility (including type of project), and specific criteria apply. Fees apply, see the help centre for more details.

Deadline: Ongoing

To find out more click here


EMFF Blue Economy Window Call Open to Applications

Grants supported under the Blue Economy Window Call for Proposals 2019 will address the challenge of developing and bringing to market new products, services, and business models for SMEs that could ultimately create profitable activities. This will be part of a new comprehensive service package offered by the ‘BlueInvest platform’ that supports investment readiness and access to finance for early-stage businesses, SMEs and scale-ups in the blue economy. These grants will support projects that accelerate innovation in the blue economy, demonstrate high potential in terms of company competitiveness and growth underpinned by a strategic business plan and which aim to create and maintain high quality jobs in the blue economy. Projects need to involve in particular the sustainable use of marine resources for innovative and/or circular economic activities and contribute to healthy oceans and Europe’s ‘Green Deal’. They may include deploying, demonstrating, or scaling-up new solutions for the blue economy including technologies, service applications. Applicants must be for-profit SMEs legally established in EU Member States.

Applications can be submitted by a consortium of partners or a single applicant. The consortium coordinator or the single applicant submitting the application must be established in an EU Member State.

The total budget for the call is €22.5 million.

The deadline for applications is 27 February 2019.

To find out more click here


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