HVB’s Flexible Fund provides a range of awards that support progression of research within the scope of the Network. The total fund value is £1.41M and we anticipate all funds will have been awarded by 2022. All funding must be awarded to applicants who are eligible to receive BBSRC funding. There are currently five types of awards:
Proof of Concept (PoC) – for research at TRL 1-4: industry support in terms of cash or in-kind contribution is important, and collaborative, cross-disciplinary projects are preferred. PoC projects should aim to do excellent research with impact.
Business Interaction Voucher (BIV) – these are smaller awards for a defined piece of work undertaken by an academic with an industrial partner who should co-fund the project with cash or in-kind contributions. Awards should encourage further collaboration and develop partnerships.
Sandpit Projects (SP) – these are high impact, collaborative projects that respond to well-defined, industrial challenges and targets. Projects will be developed at sandpit events and should include plans for future inward investment.
Progression Fund (PF) – for successful HVB projects close to impact we may invite applications to the Flexible Funds for a funded project extension to enable feasibility studies, for example, demonstration of scale-up or market analysis.
Enterprise Fellowships (EF) – to provide support for an individual to enable progress of a concept towards commercialisation. Enterprise Fellows are supported by a mentor funded by HVB.
HVB will fund three Enterprise Fellowships to provide support for an individual to enable progress of a concept towards commercialisation. Enterprise Fellows will be supported by a mentor funded by HVB.
Funding of £70,000 will be awarded per fellowship and duration will be up to one year.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 11:00, 15th April 2020
HVB Business interaction vouchers (BIVs) aim to encourage collaboration and develop partnerships between academic and industrial partners. BIVs will provide funds of up to £10,000 for a defined piece of work undertaken by an academic with an industrial partner, who should co-fund the project with cash or in-kind contributions.
The HVB network has a training fund of £50,000 to be spent over the lifetime of the network.
HVB network members, eligible to receive BBSRC funding, may request funds by applying for a training bursary which will provide up to £1,000 towards the cost of a training activity.
NEXT HVB PROOF OF CONCEPT CALL WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN 2020
