The aim of this competition is to stimulate and broaden innovation in manufacturing and materials. Innovate UK will fund a range of projects that address technical or commercial challenges in this scope. These aim to lead to increased business productivity, competitiveness and growth, especially for SMEs. A project may focus on technical feasibility, industrial research or experimental development. The type of innovation project will depend on the nature of the challenge facing your business.

To be in scope, a project must cover one of the following areas:

• Innovation in a manufacturing system, technology, process or business model. For example, in process engineering, industrial biotechnology, mechanical conversion processes, coatings, textiles, supply chain management, new product introduction processes or remanufacture
  
  
• Innovation in materials development, properties, integration or reuse. For example, for lightweighting, energy generation and storage (such as heat and electricity), electronics/sensors or for operation in demanding environments. For the purposes of this competition, materials include, but are not limited to, nanomaterials, ceramics, metals and inter-metallics, polymers, composites, coatings, smart materials and joining of dissimilar materials

You must show how your proposal will enable a step change in productivity and competitiveness for at least one UK SME involved in the project.

The focus of your project must be on manufacturing or materials developments that have cross-sector applicability.

For access to the full competition scoping document and applicant guidelines, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-competition-manufacturing-and-materials

Summary of Key Dates:

Competition opens 9 May 2016

Briefing events for applicants

• London on 23 May 2016
• Live Webcast – 23 May 2016
  
• West Midlands on 26 May 2016
• Manchester on 27 May 2016

Registration deadline Noon on 6 July 2016

Application deadline Noon on 13 July 2016

Note: Questions in the application form have changed so attendance at one of the briefing events would be worthwhile whether or not you have applied to Innovate UK before.

Briefing Events

Draft outline agenda (London Webcast):

10.00: ARRIVAL/REGISTRATION

10.30: Start

• • Welcome and introduction to the event
• • Scope and eligibility
• • Q&A on scope and eligibility
• • Application questions and process
• • Q&A on application process
• • Presentations from the KTN and HVM Catapult

13.00: End