Local Innovation Partnerships Fund now open for applications as part of UKRI support for research and innovation across the country
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has established a new fund worth up to £20m for each successful applicant, to help them turn cutting-edge research into practical solutions that create jobs, boost the economy and improve people’s lives.
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The new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund is now open to bidders. Some £500m is being made available, and bids can be made for up to £20m each. UKRI is keen to see a broad range of local and regional partnerships and consortiums apply. The aim is to help regions across the UK build on their existing strengths.
In fact, 10 regions across the UK have already received backing through the fund. This includes established innovation hubs in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire, as well as the Glasgow City Region in Scotland, Cardiff Capital Region in Wales and an innovation corridor linking Belfast and Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland.
Each of these has been earmarked for at least £30m to invest in their regional innovation strengths, from advanced manufacturing and life sciences to digital technologies and clean energy, as part of a major government investment in R&D.
The government says that the new £20m is being made available because local leaders, working alongside universities and businesses, are best placed to opportunities in their regions to benefit their communities. It gives examples of the kinds of project it would like to support through the fund, such as developing technology to help doctors diagnose diseases faster, creating cleaner transport solutions or discovering innovations that spawn entirely new industries.
For eligibility criteria and how to submit an expression of interest, see the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund guidance on the UKRI website.
Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, says: ‘This fund is our Plan for Change in action. It empowers local leaders, researchers, and businesses with skin in the game to deliver transformational research that creates jobs and improves lives in their area. Ten regions already have our support and will be able to deliver game-changing innovations to benefit their communities.
‘Now we’re extending this opportunity to the rest of the country, and I encourage partnerships everywhere to come forward, and show how they can unlock their local expertise to create tomorrow’s innovations.’
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