SBRI development contracts: apply for funding

Businesses can apply for development contracts in a range of sectors, to help public sector organisations and government departments use innovation to solve their problems.

Wave Energy Scotland – feasibility studies

Wave Energy Scotland is aiming to reduce the duration, cost and risk of offshore operations for early stage wave energy converters.

This competition focusses on the technology and operations used to make the connection between a wave energy device and its moorings and/or electrical system.

The competition is open for applications and closes at midday on 16 September 2019.

CivTech 4.0 challenges

CivTech, part of the Scottish Government’s digital directorate, has launched a number of challenges offering SBRI funding. There are 11 challenges all running on separate deadlines.

UK Seafood Innovation Fund

The Seafood Innovation Fund is a 3-year, £10 million research and development (R&D) fund focusing on:

• delivering longer term, cutting-edge innovation across the seafood sector
• helping to take innovative ideas from early stage research to commercial viability

This competition aims to support the development and testing of innovative technologies across a range of sector areas including:

• primary producers
• onshore supply chains
• marine and diadromous fisheries
• marine and land-based aquaculture

There are 2 options for applicants:

• smaller feasibility studies designed to test new ideas (proof of concept) and can be up to a maximum £50,000 value and 3 months’ duration
• larger full R&D projects for more developed ideas, up to a maximum value of £250,000 and 18 months’ duration

The competition is open and the closing date is midday on 12 September.

2019 CRACK IT challenges

NC3Rs has announced 3 new challenges for 2019:

• Sharp and to the point – developing needles for high throughput and critical compound administration in mice
• CleanCut – animal free tumourigenicity assessment of genome edited human haematopoietic stem cells
• Transgene Track – development of a sensitive absolute quantification method for tracking AAV gene therapies and CAR-T cells in vivo

Point-of-care diagnostics at the frontline

The Defence and Security Accelerator is seeking proposals for innovative ‘point of care’ diagnostics technologies that provide earlier diagnosis, improved treatment and long-term health outcomes for individuals exposed to chemical and biological hazards.

The competition is open and closes on 26 September 2019 at midday.