Innovate UK and the Government of India are to invest up to £3.4 million in collaborative industrial research and development projects that propose new commercial solutions to critical challenges impacting the socio-economic growth and development of India in relation to its clean-tech, healthcare and ICT sectors.
The UK investment has been made possible through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills-managed Newton Fund
The aim of the competition is to bring together companies (small to medium-sized companies and/or larger businesses), research organisations, academics and other collaborators from India and the UK for the joint research and development of new solutions to key socio-economic challenges, in the form of innovative products, processes or services. The principal market a project must consider is India.
Projects must be collaborative, involving both UK and Indian participants with both a UK lead partner and an Indian lead partner. On the UK side, the lead partner must be a business but other businesses or research organisations can collaborate as partners in the consortium. The lead partner in India must be a business. Academic institutions, research hospitals, other R&D institutes that are headquartered and operate in India are encouraged to participate as co-investigators/partners.
We expect to fund mainly industrial research projects. For UK participants, small or micro businesses could receive up to 70% of their eligible project costs, medium-sized businesses 60% and large businesses 50%.
We expect total UK project costs to range in size from £350,000 to £450,000, and for projects to last for up to 24 months.
The UK lead partner must submit an application on behalf of the entire consortium to Innovate UK. The Indian lead partner must submit an identical application, again on behalf of all participants, to theGlobal Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA).
This competition opens for applicants on 9 November 2015. The deadline for applications is at noonUK time on 20 April 2016. UK applicants must register by noon on 13 April 2016, one week before the application deadline.
A briefing webinar for potential applicants will be held on 17 November 2015, which will cover the UK part of the application process.
Key dates
Competition opens – 9 November 2015
Webinar briefing – 17 November 2015
Deadline for registration – noon UK time 13 April 2016
Deadline for applications – noon UK time 20 April 2016