More than £0.3 mill in R&D on offer to engineering innovators
30 May 2017
Seven engineering innovators will have the chance to share £350,000 of R&D support in a competition to promote the transfer of technology to new sectors.
The Horizontal Innovation Programme has been launched by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult to aid small and medium enterprises.
It will provide technology support for commericalising problem-solving in seven sectors – including healthcare, agri-tech, energy, food and drink, transport, construction and nuclear. The proviso is that applicants must be seeking to adapt technologies to an area that is new to them.
IET president Jeremy Watson explained: “The UK is internationally renowned for its creativity, research and innovation, but often technologies or processes can get locked into one sector or industry.
We want to break down barriers to sharing ideas to enable innovations to be used where they are needed
Jeremy Watson, president, IET
“We want to break down barriers to sharing ideas to enable innovations to be used where they are needed, and not just in the sector in which they are created.”
The IET’s partner in the project, HVM Catapult, is an advocate of technology transfer, having introduced manufacturing technologies derived from aerospace and automotive to the construction sector.
“This is proving to be a speedy, cost-effective and lower-risk way of innovating which has the potential to create real benefit, particularly for small and medium-sized companies,” commented Sam Turner, HVM’s chief technology officer.
Applications for the scheme must be made by 31 July. SME participants must submit a proposal that demonstrates how their technology solution can be used and commercialised to solve a real-life issue in one of the seven sectors.
For information and to apply click here.
