Launchpad: Net Zero Industry Cluster in South West Wales (UK)

The aim of this competition is to support outstanding innovation projects led by businesses. Your business must use the funding to grow your innovation activities in the net zero industrial cluster in South West Wales, both during and after the project. The South West Wales region consists of Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and the City and County of Swansea.

Your project must focus on the markets for industrial decarbonisation in South West Wales and globally.

Scope

• Your project must focus on the markets for industrial decarbonisation in South West Wales and globally.
• Your project must contribute to growing your innovation activities in the cluster, both during and after your project.

Priorities

• They reserve the right to prioritise projects that demonstrate:
  • more innovation activity or value creation in the cluster or outside the Greater South East of England, during and after the project
  • more engagement in the innovation cluster, during and after the project
  • closer alignment to this competition’s scope and specific themes

Themes

• Your project can focus on one or more of the following:
  • offshore renewable generation
  • novel onshore renewable generation
  • carbon dioxide capture, distribution and storage
  • nature based solutions to achieving net zero, excluding primary production in fisheries, aquaculture, and agriculture
  • the circular economy
  • fuel switching
  • electrification
• Projects can also consider the following:
  • offshore wind (FLOW) Celtic Sea
  • sustainable fuel and platform chemical production
  • low carbon heat distribution and utilisation
  • mini grid community systems
  • innovation in skills development
  • advances that empower your business to start your journey to net zero
  • innovation that enables other businesses to learn from you and replicate your example

Funding Information

• They have allocated up to £1 million to fund innovation projects through this Launchpad competition for South West Wales.
• Your project’s grant funding request must be between £25,000 and £100,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Your project must:
  • have a total grant funding request between £25,000 and £100,000
  • last between 6 and 12 months
  • carry out all of its project work in the UK
  • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
  • not start before 1 April 2025
  • end by 30 June 2026
• Projects must always start on the first of the month, even if this is a non-working day. You must not start your project until your Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK. Any delays within Project Setup may mean they need to delay your project start date.
• You must only include eligible project costs in your application.
• You will be made ineligible if you exceed the Minimal Financial Assistance limit. You must submit a complete declaration as part of your application.
• Lead organisation:
  • Your business must:
    • be a UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
    • be growing your innovation activities in the net zero industry innovation cluster in South West Wales
    • not have previously been awarded funding from the Round 1 MFA competition strand for this South West Wales Launchpad
    • have a demonstrable ambition for business growth
• Subcontractors:
  • Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.
  • Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.
  • They expect all subcontractor costs to be justified and appropriate to the total eligible project costs. They will not accept a cheaper cost as a sufficient reason to use an overseas subcontractor.
• Number of applications:
  • A business can lead on only one MFA strand application for this competition. Any subsequent applications submitted by the same business will be ineligible and will not be forwarded for assessment.
  • You are not eligible to apply to this Round 2 MFA competition if you led a successful application to the Round 1 MFA competition for this Launchpad in South West Wales.

For more information, visit Innovate UK.