Funding Flash September 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.

Space Based Solar Power Innovation Competition

Fund Name: Space Based Solar Power Innovation Competition Deadline: Friday 23rd September 2022

This competition will provide grant support to projects to develop technologies, energy systems and mission architecture needed for Space Based Solar Power (SBSP). Funded jointly by the BEIS Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) under the Energy Research and Disruptive Technologies theme, and the UK Space Agency.

Up to £3million will be provided with potential for an additional amount of up to £3 million in grants to fund innovation in SBSP. Funding is divides into 4 lots: wireless power transmission, high concentration solar PV, SBSP energy systems engineering and SBSP space mission architecture feasibility studies.

Read more here.

Space and Digital Transformation for Green Energy Utilities

Fund Name: ESA Space and Digital Transformation for Green Energy Utilities Round 2 Deadline: Friday 30th September 2022

This call is targeted at the development of space-based services supporting the digital transformation of the energy utilities sector and enabling the just transition to green energy across business sectors and society.

Resulting from the cooperation between ESA and the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in coordination with the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the call aims at developing cutting-edge solutions leveraging 5G terrestrial and satellite communication networks, and potentially other space assets, to address the UK Government’s priorities in the energy sector.

The scope focuses on:

• Satellite Communications
• Satellite Navigation
• Satellite Earth Observation

Read more here.

LaunchUK Technology Investment

Fund Name: Call for project proposals: LaunchUK Technology Investment Deadline: Sunday 2nd October 2022

The Launch UK Technology Investment Programme is the UK Space Agency’s new fund established to support the development of technology within the UK’s launch supply chain.

The UK Space Agency is inviting applications for companies and academia that want to develop technology, services, research and products related to launch. Aiming to match fund projects that can be completed within this financial year 22/23, with the hope to realise longer multiyear calls in the following year.

Read more here.

Innovate UK Smart Grants

Fund Name: Innovate UK Smart Grants July 2022 Deadline: Wednesday 26th October 2022

Innovate UK are offering a share of £25,000,000 or game-changing and commercially viable research and development (R&D) innovation that can significantly impact the UK economy.

To lead a project organisations must:

• be a UK registered business
• be a UK registered research and technology organisation
• be or involve at least one micro, small or medium-sized enterprise
• carry out all your R&D project activity in the UK
• intend to commercially exploit the project results from the UK.

Read more here.

Space in Response to Humanitarian Crises

Fund Name: Space in Response to Humanitarian Crises Deadline: Saturday 31st October 2022

ESA is launching this funding opportunity to deliver operational services that support efforts in response to humanitarian crises. ESA will support Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects, which use space assets or space data like remote sensing, global navigation satellite systems, satellite communication or weather satellites.

The proposal should follow the following points:

Supporting the physical, emotional, psychological, social, or economic well-being of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

• Supporting organisations to forecast, respond to, and manage humanitarian crises.
• Supporting communities hosting displaced people to adapt and respond to the challenges associated with migrant flows.
• To support post-conflict recovery efforts.

Read more here.

Knowledge Asset Grant

Fund Name: Knowledge Asset Grant Fund: Extended Deadline: Thursday 15th December 2022

The Knowledge Asset Grant allows applicants to apply for a share of £2,900,000 to UK public sector organisations to better exploit high-potential intangible assets. The aim of this competition is to support the identification and development of public sector knowledge assets, including their repurposing, commercialisation or expanded use. These assets may include intellectual property, data, innovation, software and knowhow.

Applicants can apply for grant funding request between £100,001 and £250,000.

Read more here.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Fund Name: Knowledge Transfer Partnership Deadline: Open – No Closing Date

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership is funding by Innovate UK and many different government departments. The fund is open to businesses, non-profits and graduates to work on an innovative project. The partnerships can last between 12 and 36 months with the funding provided for the total cost of the project. Businesses provide one third to half of the project cost depending on their size.

The aim of this call is to help businesses to innovate, develop, grow and become more productive by employing academic expertise that they do not have in-house. The project can focus on any type of innovation in any sector but it must deliver results that the business can otherwise no achieve.

Read more here.

Manufacturing for the Future

Fund Name: Manufacturing for the Future Deadline: Open – No Closing Date

Funding is available from the EPSRC for researchers at UK higher education institutions, research council institutes, UKRI-approved independent research organisations and NHS bodies. Encouraging collaboration with other researchers, industry, the public sector and other relevant partners. £3 million is available for projects each quarter, dependent on demand and the quality of the proposals with the EPSRC funding 80% of projects.

Read more here here.