Open Call: MSI Improving Energy or Resource Efficiency in Manufacturing Programme (UK)

Scope

• Your project must focus on the innovation of a unique digital application relating to one or more of the energy or resource efficiencies listed in the Specific Themes section, and must be:
  • affordable
  • easy to use
  • scalable across SMEs
• There is no limit to the number of processes or technology solutions you may address in your proposal, and there is no advantage in using more than one.
• Energy or resource efficiency innovations that use processes other than those listed will also be considered.
• Planned outputs from the study must:
  • have a clear indication of how your innovation might improve energy or resource efficiency in a manufacturing environment
  • clearly indicate how your innovation will result in a solution that will be sufficiently affordable, easy to use, and scalable
  • have technical, operational, and financial feasibility
  • include potential patents
  • include targeted market and scale-up plans
• Innovate UK wants to fund a variety of projects across different technologies, sectors, markets, and themes. This is called a portfolio approach.

Specific Themes

• Your project must focus on one or more of the following:
  • Energy efficiencies:
    • boilers and steam
    • air compressors or vacuum
    • motors, drivers, pumps or hydraulics
    • induction or welding
    • chilling or freezing
    • spray, extraction or dryers
    • ovens, kilns or furnaces
    • heavy machinery or presses
  • Resource efficiencies:
    • raw material waste
    • production process waste
    • packaging waste
    • maintenance or service station waste
    • utilities waste
    • end of life waste

Funding Information

• Up to £2 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition. Funding will be in the form of a grant.
• Have total costs between £25,000 and £100,000
• If your organisation’s work on the project is commercial or economic, your funding request must not exceed the limits below. These limits apply even if your organisation normally acts non-economically but for the purpose of this project will be undertaking commercial or economic activity.
• The balance between your total eligible project costs and the amount of grant awarded must be funded by the organisation receiving the grant.
• For feasibility studies, organisations can get funding for eligible project costs of:
  • up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
  • up to 60% if you are a medium-sized organisation
  • up to 50% if you are a large organisation

Eligibility Criteria

• Your project must:
  • last between 3 and 6 months
  • carry out its project work in the UK
  • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
  • not start before 1 October 2025
  • end by 31 March 2026
• Lead organisation
  • To work alone your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size. To lead a collaborative project, your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.
  • Academic institutions cannot lead or work alone.

For more information, visit TBAT Innovation.