Funding Flash: October 2022
Each month, we aim to bring together a curated list of the latest and best in funding opportunities for businesses working in the space sector across the South-Central Region.
If you see an opportunity below that could be suitable for your business, do not hesitate to reach out to our Business Development Manager Louise Butt (louise.butt@port.ac.uk) who will be able to offer advice, expertise, support, and connections to help you create successful bids.
The list does not include all space-related funding – to view more see the Satellite Applications Catapult's Space Enterprise Community.
Rocketry Research Hub
Fund Name: Set up a Rocketry Research, Training and Teaching Hub (R2T2) Deadline: Tuesday 25th October 2022
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) will support the academic sector to develop rocketry PhDs as part of the R2T2 Hub, collaborating with STFC as the delivery partner. R2T2 has the purpose of delivering PhDs with both academic and skills-based elements, providing students with the opportunity to participate in the practical aspects of rocketry while spending time in the industry. This opportunity aims to reduce the skills shortage in the space launch sector, ensuring the necessary skills are available in the UK to deliver a commercially sustainable launch market. A key aspect to be included in the proposals is industry engagement and support, aiming to demonstrate how students will develop practical skills and experience of directly working with industry partners. The universities partnering under the R2T2 Hub should collaborate and share lessons learned.
The funding is open to UK academic institutions with rocketry programmes, or have the recourses to deliver rocketry PhDs. The award range is between £75,000 and £750,000.
Read more here.
Digital Transformation and Green Economy
Fund Name: Digital Transformation and Green Economy Deadline: Monday 31th October 2022
This thematic call, in line with ESA’s strategy and the Director General’s Agenda 2025, aims to boost commercialisation for a Digital and Green Europe, by fostering the development of digital technologies, products and applications targeted by the European Green Deal. Among the domains addressed by the call are sustainable and smart mobility (connected and automated, multimodal transport) and the transition towards a fully integrated, interconnected and digitised European energy market. Other vertical sectors, such as urban sustainability, food and agriculture, management of natural disasters, clean waters, are relevant as well.
The call covers four themes including vertical integration between Technology, Products, Services and Applications. The themes are:
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) and Cloud and Virtualisation
- Digital Twins
- Sustainable Mobility
- Green Value
The second batch of funding lasts from March 2022 to October 2022
Read more here.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Fund Name: Knowledge transfer partnerships: 2022 to 2023 round four Deadline: Wednesday 16th November 2022
UK registered academic institutions, research and technology organisations (RTOs) or catapults can apply for a share of up to £9 million to fund innovation projects with businesses or not-for-profit organisations.
To lead a project your organisation must:
- be a UK registered higher education or further education institution, RTO or catapult
- collaborate with a UK registered business, charity or charitable business with two or more full-time employees.
The business must contribute to the project’s costs.
Read more here.
Spaceflight Competition Fund for Rocketry
Fund Name: Call for proposals: UK Space Agency Spaceflight Competition Fund for rocketry competitions Deadline: Thursday 10th November 2022
The Spaceflight Competition Fund is the UK Space Agency’s new fund established to support the development of new or existing rocketry competitions. The programme will provide grant funding to UK organisations, including industry, academia, and institutional bodies, to support the development of their rocketry competitions.
The objectives of the fund are to:
- fund rocketry competitions
- build on strengths in the UK launch supply chain
- fill in the skills gaps in the launch supply chain
- build resilience and expand the UK’s rocketry skills
It is expected that the UK Space Agency grant amount per project will be up to £100,000 for project deliverables in FY 22/23 and 23/24.
Read more here.
Opportunity: People, Planet, Prosperity
Fund Name: Opportunity: People, Planet, Prosperity Deadline: Tuesday 28th February 2023
The call offers the opportunity for companies to bring forward their space connectivity projects aiming to solve “action beyond information” ESG-related challenges. The long-term objective will be for those projects to evolve into fully fledged operational infrastructure, providing commercial services for the benefit of the space industry and the ESG economic players involved.
Read more here.
Satellite Connectivity for Autonomous Land Vehicles Safety
Fund Name: Satellite Connectivity for Autonomous Land Vehicles Safety Deadline: Tuesday 28th October 2023
The call “Connectivity for Autonomous land vehicles safety” aims to foster the development and showcase of innovative applications for the safe and secure deployment and management of autonomous and connected land vehicles by integrating satellite communications and other space assets with terrestrial and digital technologies.
Funding and support to companies, both for business case assessment and for the development of new, space-based services. Our offer includes:
- Technical & commercial guidance
- Access to our network and partners
- Use of the ESA brand for your service
- Zero-equity funding
The activities will be 80% funded up to €200K per activity.
Read more here.
