Grants are available from various funding bodies,

here is a summary guide of grants that are currently available.

• National Institute for Health Research (UK)

Invention for Innovation

The NHS national Institute for Health Research has developed a new programme for funding innovation that can impact the health service in the UK. The invention for innovation programme has various strands operating which can be suitable for companies collaborating with universities or hospitals in healthcare technologies. Grants are available under the Future Product Development programme and range from £100k to around £300k per year depending on the project.

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• SBRI programme under the Technology Strategy Board (UK)

The SBRI is a programme that brings innovative solutions to specific public sector needs. Projects are short-term development contracts to deliver products or services for specific Government departments. The application process is through open tendering. Proposals are assessed and a first phase feasibility study can be undertaken for up to 6 months with £100k of funding. If successful, the company may progress to the next stage of development where contracts may be awarded for up to 2 years and £1M of funding. The programme is of particular interest to SME's and the awarded contract will cover the full costs of demonstrating the feasibility of their technology. Competitions take place throughout the year depending on the government department. Current competitions are available from:

Various contract calls open during the year across a range of Government departments.

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• Technology Strategy Board (UK)

The technology Strategy Board publishes a range of competitions throughout the year. Funding is available to support project from many areas. The application processes usually requires an expression of interest followed by full proposal development if selected for further consideration. Funding is usually around 50% of project costs but the level of funding per project is variable depending on the total project costs.

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• European Programmes

European Framework Programme 7

A range of opportunities exist under the FP7 programme for companies and particularly SME's. Funding for SME’s is typically at 75% of project costs for research activities. The maximum contribution per project can range from around 1M euro up to 12M euro depending on the nature of the project. Projects tend to be collaborative involving academia and industry and need to involve organisations from at least 3 member states in order to be eligible for funding.

Call are published annually, usually during July with deadlines in the autumn / winter of each year.

Most of the deadlines for the calls are approximately 3 months following the call date. As such, most of the calls appearing now will have a deadline during during 2010. EU funding is a complex area and we would suggest that you contact us to find out more as quickly as possible if you are interested in any of the calls taking place this year.

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• Eurostars Programme

The Eureka Eurostars programme is specifically designed for research active SME's. The programme seeks to support innovative SME-based projects in any area of technology development. Funding is dependent on national allocation of funds to support projects. The funding mechanism can be quite complex as each member state tends to have slightly different funding criteria. However, the application process is relatively straight forward. Funding levels are frequently in the 0.5 – 1M euro range. The programme is a rolling programme with proposal cut-off dates usually in the spring and autumn of each year.

If you are interested in this funding opportunity please contact us at your earliest convenience so we can work with you on determining whether it is the right opportunity for your company.

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• Other European programmes

There are a wide range of other opportunities for SME’s to attract grant funding within the EU. This includes programmes such as Eco-innovate, Innovative Medicines Initiative and other technology platforms and joint venture vehicles. However, many of these are very specific and we would suggest that an early engagement with EURAM would allow us to work with you to identify those that would be suitable for you.

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• International Funding Programmes

Many of the funding agencies in the USA will make grants available to non-US companies. These tend to be project specific and if you are interested in grants from the USA please contact us so that we can determine your eligibility.

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• Other forms of funding

Euram also monitors funding from charities such as the Wellcome Trust and NESTA in the UK and international organisations such as the Gates Foundation. If you are interested in any form of funding contacting EURAM would be a useful first step as we can provide free advice and guidance as to the type of funding and programmes that might be suitable for your needs.

While there are significant funding opportunities available most are competitive and you need to be aware that constructing a strong proposal is vital if you are to secure funding for your R&D activities. Many proposals fail because they do not address the funder's requirements.

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