UKRI: EPSRC Prosperity Partnerships round six

14/03/2024

21/05/2024

This funding opportunity is aimed at supporting promising earlier-stage research partnerships which are on their way towards becoming strategic partnerships, as well as established partnerships that already have a long-term strategic partnership in place. A strategic partnership in this context is one which is established, trusted, and built on a track record of significant, regular, collaborative research projects which the academic and business partners have developed and completed together. The strategic partnership will be recognised by both parties, have a clear trajectory for future collaborative work, and may involve the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) or collaboration agreement. You can request doctoral studentships as part of the project, but these studentships will not be funded through EPSRC money. They will be fully costed research assistants (research and innovation associates) funded by either the academic or the business partner(s).We expect this funding opportunity to be highly competitive. The shortlisting panel will decide which are the most compelling and competitive applications to take forward to the next stage. The funding available for each route is: route one: up to £10 million route two: up to £30 million

The primary business partner and primary academic partner should consider the following criteria before applying: the business and academic partners have a demonstrable, research-based relationship that has been established for at least one year there are clear plans to evolve this relationship via user-inspired shared research challenges demonstrating a desire to enhance the partnership both partners are committed to the co-creation of a jointly delivered research programme at technology readiness level (TRL) one to three: basic and applied research principles are demonstrated through experimentation early proof of concept demonstrated in the lab.

Business organisations Businesses can act as the ‘primary business partner’ if they are: a UK-based business or have UK-based research activity a business in the private sector driven by profit, which can provide the necessary cash contribution We welcome consortia of businesses of any size including Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). One of the businesses needs to act as the primary business partner. We encourage SME participation and use the European Commission definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Check the definitions of SMEs. Your application must show evidence that all partners were involved in the creation of the project. Academic organisations Research organisations can act as the ‘primary academic partner’ if they are eligible to receive research council funding: UK higher education institutions research council institutes UKRI-approved independent research organisations public sector research establishments NHS bodies with research capacity EPSRC standard eligibility rules apply.