Translational Calls

Translational funding is used to ‘bridge the gap’ in development between early stage technology resulting from university research and its commercialisation.

Edinburgh Innovations also maintain a full list of internal and translational funding calls 

Edinburgh Innovations Translational Funding

 Innovate UK bid development toolkit

Edinburgh Innovations iTPA translational funding pathway (ECRs):

Seed Funding

More funding is being made available to seed early stage translational or commercialisation projects within the remit of human health & wellbeing. Accessible to all staff researchers, though post docs & ECRs particularly encouraged to apply!

Deadline for EoI submissions Closed 

iTPA Innovation Competition

A personal award of £1,000 to develop and validate the translational side of your research. The award is exclusively available to the members of this community, which is open to all University staff working within the Wellcome science remit. We particularly encourage applications from independent early career researchers and postdocs (but please discuss this with your PI). 

Contact itpa@ei.ed.ac.uk if you want to apply!

Edinburgh Innovations funding for translation and/or industrial engagement (ECRs and above):

University of Edinburgh Venture Builder Incubator

**NEW**Open to applications from postgraduate students and academic staff ready to commercialise ideas, research and innovations. For more information, click link and register for the Information session on 23 May. Early bird deadline 10 June

BBSRC IAA Additional Funding Scheme (AFS) 2024

**NEW** Apply for up to £10k to propel your translational academic projects within the BBSRC remit towards large UKRI translational funds such as the BBSRC’s Follow on Funding (FoF) scheme. Applications do not need to be linked to previous BBSRC funding, and must be led by PIs. Please note that receiving an IAA-AFS award will make researchers and projects that have not yet received BBSRC funding eligible to apply for BBSRC FoF. Please follow link for more details and application instructions. Deadline 28 June 2024 

BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA)

Up to £30k available to support proof-of-principle studies, industry engagement and commercialisation activities. Applications do not have to be linked to previous BBSRC funding but must fit the BBSRC remit. Open to all, including ECRs and encouraging collaboration across disciplines/schools.

Deadline Currently closed

EPSRC IAA Partnership Development Call 

An open call has been launched by EI’s Major Projects Group, funded by the EPSRC IAA, to support the University’s ambition to increase its number of strategic industry partners. Funds are available to colleagues with Business Development (BD) responsibilities, to develop and progress relationships with industry partners that have long-term, multidisciplinary, strategic potential. The funds will provide resources for engagement initiatives aimed at accelerating the development of a relationship along its engagement journey.

Deadline Currently closed

EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account

The EPSRC IAA funds can be used to support industry engagement and commercialisation activities and aim to increase, advance and accelerate the achievement of impact from EPSRC-funded research. Supported activities can include collaborative projects, commercialisation projects, travel and events, and secondments. Final opportunity for full-length 12-month duration projects before 2025! Note there is now an exception to the cash co-funding requirement. The deadline for registering an idea has been extended. Academics can join the Q&A sessions by registering their idea anytime before the commencement of the events to be held on Wednesday 1 November at 16.30 and Tuesday 7 November at 12.00 if they have any questions.

Deadline Currently closed

EPSRC IAA Innovation competition

ECRs can apply for up to £2,500 to develop and validate an impact opportunity from your research within the EPSRC’s remit. Applicants must discuss their application with their PI. Register your interest. Rolling deadlines.

EPSRC IAA travel and events

Funding for travel, industry meeting/event attendance and hosting industry events towards developing EPSRC-funded research. No deadline. 

UKRI Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account (IAA)

Apply for £20k-£60k over 12 months for impact or translational projects that include at least two researchers representing separate council remits (BBSRC, ESRC, EPSRC, MRC). Projects should address a clearly identified unmet societal need, challenge or opportunity by combining research from the listed council remits. Applicants must justify why it is necessary to collaborate across research council remits and demonstrate that the proposal brings together the capabilities, expertise, and resources necessary to meet project aims. Early Career Researchers (PDRA level and above) are eligible to apply.

Deadline (EoI) 30 June; (Applications) 13 September 2024

MRC Impact Acceleration Account

Apply for £10k-£30k to support preliminary work towards the translation of fundamental science to benefit human health.

Currently closed.

MRC IAA Engagement Fund

Apply for up to £2k to support engagement with external organisations to build collaboration that will enable the translation of research into new therapies, diagnostics, medical devices and technologies to benefit human health. No deadline. 

Scottish EPSRC IAA cross-institutional funding

To support impact collaboration from EPSRC-themed research between two or more of the participating institutions (Heriot-Watt University, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of St Andrews, University of Strathclyde).

Deadline Currently closed to new applications

Knowledge transfer partnerships (KTP)

The KTP partnership brings new skills and the latest academic thinking into the business partner to deliver a specific, strategic innovation project.

Rolling deadlines  

Innovate UK-Smart grants

These support disruptive research and development innovations in any area of technology with a potential to make a significant impact on the UK economy. Funding covers up to 70 per cent of costs.

Deadline 24 July 2024

ICURe opportunities: 

  • ICURe Explore September 2024 Opens 07 July. 12 weeks full-time programme with up to £35,000 funding available to help explore the commercial potential of a research/technology. Includes a 4-day bootcamp followed by 12 weeks of market discovery and support to test key market assumptions, and to present market findings to a panel of sector specialists, funders and investors. Deadline 19 August 2024 
  • BBSRC ICURe Explore October 2024 – in partnership with Kidney Research UK and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Opens 04 June. 12 weeks full-time programme with up to £35,000 funding available as above. Webinar, 10-11.30am 27 June. Deadline 10 September 2024 
  • BBSRC ICURe Engage September 2024 Scotland Focused Opening 05 August. A 4-week, part-time programme tailored for bioscience research students and technicians. Aims to identify potential beneficiaries of bioscience research, introduce participants to tools for commercialisation, and foster consideration of entrepreneurship as a pathway for achieving societal impact and a viable career choice. Deadline 16 September 2024 
  • BBSRC-NC3Rs ICURe Explore Opening 20 September. In this round, the programme will support market exploration for emerging technologies, products and services that offer the realistic possibility of replacing the use of specific in vivo models or refining animal studies in line with the NC3Rs mission that align with BBSRC’s standard ICURe scope. Deadline 20 November 2024 

Seeking Novel Therapeutics for Pulmonary Autoimmune and Fibrotic Diseases

A multinational pharmaceutical company is seeking novel therapeutics for pulmonary autoimmune and fibrotic diseases.

Deadline 24 June 2024 

Nature Awards Microbiome Accelerator

The Accelerator will identify microbiome research with the potential to transform human health outcomes. Winners will each receive: A $10,000 grant to support the commercialization of your research and an immersive residential training programme at Springer Nature Headquarters in central London.

Deadline 24 June 2024 

Innovate UK Design Foundations Round 5

Collaborate with industry partners on small projects (£40k-£80k) to support use of people centred and systemic design methods to progress innovative ideas with potential to deliver significant benefits. Projects can focus on topics including net zero, AI/ML, emerging/advanced digital technologies, health and wellbeing, food and agriculture.

Deadline 26 June 2024

Translational approaches for mitochondrial function driven diseases

Seeking mechanism- and target-based approaches to explore mitochondrial biology in immune related diseases.

Deadline 30 June 2024

Novel mode of action or site of action herbicide for grass-weeds

UPL is seeking to develop a herbicide with a previously unknown mode of action OR novel site of action to control grass weeds such as Alopecurus, Avena, Setaria, Echinochloa, Phalaris or Lolium in cereal crops including winter wheat, spring wheat, durum wheat, rice and possibly corn. Potential partnerships include licensing or joint development.

Deadline 30 June 2024

Women in Innovation Award 2024/25

Innovate UK will award up to 50 Women in Innovation Awards to women entrepreneurs within SMEs across the UK. The winners will receive a £75,000 grant and bespoke business support.

Deadline 10 July 2024 

UK-Taiwan CRD 2024

Collaborate with industry partners in the UK and Taiwan to apply for up to £900k for collaborative research and development projects focused on industrial research between the UK and Taiwan. These projects are expected to create an innovative tech product, industrial process, or service that has high market potential. Applications are welcomed from a variety of sectors including green energy tech and biotechnology.

Deadline 17 July 2024 

UK-Singapore Collaborative R&D 2024

Collaborate with UK and Singapore-based businesses for the purpose of developing innovative proposals with Singapore. Applications are particularly sought from sectors including health and life sciences.

Deadline 28 August 2024

Merck Research Grants

​​​​​​​Deadline 31 August 2024 

BBSRC Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe) Explore

Funds, and supports research teams to determine whether there is a market for products or services that utilise their bioscience-based ideas, research, science, and technologies.

Deadline 19 September 2024 

Innovate UK, Canada-UK: Biomanufacturing of Biologics and Advanced Therapies round 2

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £3 million for collaboration with Canadian SMEs on joint R&D projects, for enabling technologies and innovations in biomanufacturing of biologics and advanced therapies.

Deadline 16 October 2024 ​​​​​​​

Eureka funding calls Network projects applications

Access national funding for international collaborative R&D projects.

Deadline 31 December 2025 

IBioIC feasibility funding

Targeted grants of up to £10k will be launched to support industry-led collaborations with Scottish academics to build connections between chemical manufacturing and IB communities. Join Net Zero Chemical Manufacturing webinar 10am-12.30pm, 14 September 2023 (Registration link) to find out more.

Deadline 03 June 2024 

BBSRC Carbon Recycling Network business interaction vouchers

To support collaboration between academic partners and industrial partners within the Carbon Recycling Network framework. All participants named on the application must be members of The Carbon Recycling Network and based in the UK.

No closing date

Cancer Research UK: AstraZeneca antibody alliance laboratory.

This enables researchers who have novel biological insights into targets and are keen to ensure their discoveries have real impact for people affected by cancer to use and work with the laboratory.

Deadline: None

Merck Biopharma Speed Grant

Pre-clinical researchers in the fields of oncology, immuno-oncology, autoimmune disorders and drug discovery technologies are invited to apply for up to £30,000 to accelerate innovation.

No deadline

 

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