By Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain, Specification Manager at Rail North Partnership.
Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain has been sharing a monthly update on funding and engagement opportunities within the rail sector on her LinkedIn. See the latest list below, and make sure to follow Daisy to see her updates directly. We’re hugely grateful to her for pulling together and sharing these opportunities with the supply chain!
Station Innovation Zone – A partnership accelerator programme between Connected Places Catapult and Network Rail, supported by Great Western Railway and funded by Innovate UK. It creates an environment for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop technologies that have the potential to improve the passenger experience. Up to £49k is available per project. Closes 24 Sept – https://cp.catapult.org.uk/news/search-begins-for-innovators-to-test-tech-at-bristol-temple-meads/
BridgeAI Supply Chain Demonstrator – UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £2 million in grant funding to deliver AI demonstrator projects. These projects are intended to benefit efficiency in supply chains and increase firm level productivity. Transport and logistics warehousing is specified as in scope. Closes 21 August. – Competition overview – BridgeAI Supply Chain Demonstrator – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)
Global Incubator Programme: India – Urban Systems – Innovate UK seeks up to 10 companies with expertise in Urban Systems to participate in a Global Incubator Programme in India. Electrification of transport is in scope. Closes 2nd Aug – https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/opportunities/global-incubator-programme-india-urban-systems/
Smart Grants – UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovations that can significantly impact the UK economy. This funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation. Closes 23 October – https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1982/overview/e5d935d6-0690-4f1d-b442-4fb868be8384
Innovate UK Investor Partnerships: SME round 8 – UK registered SMEs can apply for grant funding alongside private investment from selected investor partners. Closes 14 August – https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1969/overview/a103b0df-a058-4581-9584-b642b5dee120#scope
Innovation Exchange challenge: Feasibility Study on Safe Urban Navigation for People in Vulnerable Situations – Supporting Cadent Gas and RNIB to develop data and digital tech to help vulnerable people to navigate urban environments with temporary disruptions. Cadent are looking for innovators that can develop tools that extract information about forthcoming and live obstacles to journeys, so that pedestrians with needs, such as vision or mobility restrictions, planning journeys can be both forewarned of the obstacle and offered an alternative safer route. Closes 1st August – Feasibility Study: Safe Urban Navigation for People in Vulnerable Situations | KTN-iX™ (ktninnovationexchange.co.uk)
UK-Singapore Collaborative R&D 2024 – UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £5 million for the purpose of developing innovative proposals with Singapore. You must collaborate with at least one Singapore business applying under the equivalent Enterprise Singapore programme. Mobility and Transport are specified as in scope. Closes 28th August – Competition overview – UK-Singapore Collaborative R&D 2024 – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)
Eureka Eurostars – Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £2.5 million to fund collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects focused on industrial research. The aim of this competition is to support international collaboration on R&D projects that create innovative products, processes or services for commercialisation. Closes 12 Sept – https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1959/overview/d425c539-14a7-42db-9365-599652bef46f#summary
Innovation Exchange challenge: Implementing a programme of accessible and sustainable MaaS journey planning tools in Scotland – Supporting Tactran and SEStran to develop Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solutions that promote sustainable car use and provide efficient, personalised travel experiences. Closes 11 Aug – https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/opportunities/innovation-exchange-challenge-implementing-a-programme-of-accessible-and-sustainable-maas-journey-planning-tools-in-scotland/
Innovation Loans Future Economy – Innovate UK is offering up to £25 million in loans to micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Innovate UK innovation loans are for highly innovative late stage research and development (R&D) projects with the best potential for the future. There must be a clear route to commercialisation and economic impact. Net zero is in scope, as well as AI, advanced materials, and environment technologies. Closes 28 August – https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/1980/overview/371028e1-9361-49c0-bec2-039c1f3b7a82#scope
Knowledge Asset Grant Fund (3 strands) – The 3 Strands of this competition (Extend, Explore, Expand), run by the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) and funded by the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT), aid exploitation of intangible assets that have a broader application or client base than their original use or purpose. Find out more here: Competition overview – Knowledge Asset Grant Fund: Extend, 2024 -2025 – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk) and Competition overview – Knowledge Asset Grant Fund: Explore, 2024 -2025 – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk) and Competition orview – Knowledge Asset Grant Fund: Expand, 2024 -2025 – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)
AI Grant Funding: Supply Chain Demonstrator – UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £2 million in grant funding to deliver AI demonstrator projects. These projects are intended to benefit efficiency in supply chains and increase firm level productivity. Closes 21st August – Competition overview – BridgeAI Supply Chain Demonstrator – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)
Innovation Exchange challenge: Sustainable structures to replace precast concrete – Supporting the UK arm of a major blue-chip international organisation to identify sustainable materials and manufacturers to replace existing precast concrete components. Closes 1st August – Innovation Exchange challenge: Sustainable structures to replace precast concrete – Innovate UK Business Connect (ktn-uk.org)
Design Exchange Partnerships: design the green transition – round 3 – Apply for funding to develop design-led solutions to address specific challenges around the theme of more-than-human design. We welcome broad interpretations of the theme of more-than-human, including but not limited to one or more of the following areas: technology/AI, materials, the natural world, health and wellbeing, and urban environments. Closes 12 September. – https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/design-exchange-partnerships-design-the-green-transition-round-3/
ESA open call “Space4Rail Downstream Applications in ARTES 4.0”- Aims to support the exploitation of space-based assets (satellite navigation, satellite communications and/or Earth observation) in innovative and sustainable applications/services:
1. Related to future control, command and signalling applications of the European Rail system;
2. Improving the performance and attractiveness of the railway, both for railway undertakings and end users. Closes 31 December 2025 – https://business.esa.int/funding/space4rail
Transpennine Route Upgrade direct email: if you have an innovation idea or product suitable for the TRU programme (thetrupgrade.co.uk), you can email – [email protected]
Travel support for UK businesses to attend European events – Innovate UK is offering travel support for companies to attend consortia building events in Europe. Our travel awards are an excellent mechanism for supporting companies who want to expand their networks across Europe and make an impact in collaborative international research and development projects. These awards encourage UK participation, engagement and visibility at international events and aim to accelerate UK involvement in European research programmes (incl. Horizon Europe and EUREKA.) – Travel support for UK businesses to attend European events – Apply now! – Innovate UK KTN (ktn-uk.org)
Global Explorers – Global Explorers is an Innovate UK programme designed to support individual UK SMEs to explore global R&D and innovation opportunities to accelerate the development of their innovative ideas, products and services and global market access. Open exclusively to Innovate UK EDGE clients, all successful applicants will have access to grant funding for 70% of eligible costs up to £21,000 and work with a highly experienced Innovate UK EDGE innovation & growth specialist. – Global Explorers Programme | Innovate UK EDGE (ukri.org)
Various Department for Business and Trade engagement events: https://eu.eventscloud.com/ehome/trade-events-calendar/all-events
Motability Active Travel Grant – Motability’s new Active Travel Grant Programme will help charities and organisations to improve and expand access to quality and affordable active travel equipment and journeys, to ensure disabled people have the same opportunities to make decisions about how they travel, their impact on the environment and to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits that active travel can provide. Charities and organisations can apply for grants from £100,000 to £4 million at any point over the next three years. – https://www.motability.org.uk/charitable-grants/grants-to-charities-and-organisations/active-travel-grant-programme/
Horizon Europe Guarantee – This funding is to deliver the UK government’s Horizon Europe guarantee. There is no submission deadline. This guarantees funding for successful applicants to the first and second wave of Horizon Europe grant awards regardless of the outcome of the UK’s efforts to associate to Horizon Europe. This funding falls under the areas determined by Horizon Europe, which include Pillar 2, Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility – This cluster will focus specifically on fostering climate action, while at the same time improving the sustainability, security and competitiveness of the energy and transport industry. Actions funded under this cluster will provide the basis for systemic change as well as shaping the necessary technological, industrial economic and societal transformations to achieve climate neutrality in an inclusive and socially fair way. The specific areas of intervention in Cluster 5 include:
Cross-sectoral solutions for decarbonisation;
Develop low-carbon and competitive transport solutions across all modes;
Develop seamless, smart, safe, accessible and inclusive mobility systems. – https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/apply-for-horizon-europe-guarantee-funding/
TfL future contract opportunities – TfL publishes details of future contract opportunities for all areas of TfL, the GLA and Old Oak Park Development Corporation (OPDC) (over £500k) on a periodic basis. – https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/contract-opportunities
TFL is also committed to open innovation – https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/business-and-advertisers/open-innovation?intcmp=55927
Sell 2 Wales – The Sell2Wales website is an information source and procurement portal set up by the Welsh Government. They aim to help; businesses win contracts with the public sector across Wales, public sector buyers to advertise and manage tender opportunities, businesses promote their services and businesses find contract opportunities – https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/search_mainpage.aspx
Manufacturing Growth Programme – grant funding and support for SME manufacturers by identifying and removing barriers to growth. If you’re a manufacturing SME interested in growing and meet the eligibility and suitability criteria, get in contact with your local Manufacturing Growth Manager for support towards your growth ambitions at https://www.manufacturinggrowthprogramme.co.uk/contact/
Open and Upcoming HS2 opportunities – including Asset Management, Health and Safety, Built Environment and more – https://www.hs2.org.uk/contract-opportunities/
Network Rail Challenge Statements – Each challenge statement details a specific business obstacle and provides detail on definition, root cause analysis, priority areas of focus and a section outlining guidance for research and development. Network Rail invites solutions to these challenges; https://www.networkrail.co.uk/industry-and-commercial/research-development-and-technology/research-and-development-programme/challenge-statements/
KTN’s Innovation Exchange – KTN-iX™ provides you with the opportunity to become directly linked to, or collaborate with, key industry stakeholders who are actively seeking the most innovative solutions to help them achieve their full potential. A range of currently open opportunities can be explored at – https://www.ktninnovationexchange.co.uk
A range of international opportunities – at https://ted.europa.eu/TED/browse/browseByBO.do
A range of innovation funding opportunities – at https://www.gov.uk/apply-funding-innovation
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships – The KTP scheme helps businesses in the UK to innovate and grow. It does this by linking them with an academic or research organisation and a graduate. A KTP enables a business to bring in new skills and the latest academic thinking to deliver a specific, strategic innovation project through a knowledge-based partnership. The academic or research organisation partner will help to recruit a suitable graduate, known as an Associate. They will act as the employer of the graduate, who then works at the company for the duration. The scheme can last between 12 and 36 months, depending on what the project is and the needs of the business – http://ktp.innovateuk.org
