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Innovate UK invites applications for its open sector competition – round three. This supports cutting-edge or disruptive ideas or concepts with a view to commercialisation, that may come from any area of technology, science or engineering, including arts, design, media or creative industries, and be applied to any part of the economy. Proposals must demonstrate:

•clear game-changing or disruptive innovative ideas leading to new products, processes or services;

•ideas that are significantly ahead of others in the field, set for rapid commercialisation;

•strong and deliverable business plan that addresses market potential and needs;

•team, business arrangement or working structure with the necessary skills and experience to run and complete the project successfully and on time;

•awareness of all the main risks the project will face with realistic management, mitigation and impact minimisation plans for each;

•sound, practical financial plans and timelines;

•good value for money;

•clear, evidence based plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment and growth through commercialisation, as soon as possible following project completion.

Priority will be given to proposals that demonstrate realistic, significant potential for global markets.

UK-based businesses of any size that will carry out their project alone or in collaboration with others in the UK may lead the project.

The total budget is £20 million. Projects that last between six and 18 months should cost between £25,000 and £500,000. Projects that last between 19 and 36 months should cost between £25,000 and £2m. Small businesses are eligible to receive up to 70 per cent of eligible project costs, medium-sized businesses up to 60 per cent, and large businesses up to 50 per cent for feasibility studies and industrial research. Small businesses are eligible to receive up to 45 per cent of eligible project costs, medium-sized businesses up to 35 per cent, and large businesses up to 25 per cent for experimental development projects which are nearer to market.

The Royal Society invite applications for the Dorothy Hodgkin fellowships. These enable early-career scientists who require a flexible working pattern due to personal circumstance to take the first step into an independent research career. Research may address all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine, social sciences and humanities.

Applicants must have completed their PhD but have no more than six years of research experience after receipt of their PhD award. Individuals who hold a permanent post in a university or non-profit organisation may not apply. Preference may be given to applications from underrepresented groups.

Approximately six to eight awards are available. Funding covers 80 per cent of the basic salary costs up to £40,030 in the first year, estates costs and indirect costs; as well as research expenses worth up to £13,000 for the first year and up to £11,000 annually thereafter

The Royal Society invites applications for its research grants. These provide seed-corn funding for newly independent researchers or principal investigators, and independent researchers or principal investigators returning from a career break, for research within the society’s remit in the life and physical sciences. The aim is to enable them to develop new ideas and projects of timeliness and promise and position them for competitive larger awards from other funders. This scheme covers all areas of life and physical sciences, including biological research, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics, but excluding clinical medicine.

Applicants must have a PhD or equivalent status, be working as independent researchers within five years of their first academic position and be resident in the UK at the time of the application. They must be based at an eligible UK institution and have access to their own lab space.

Grants are worth up to £20,000 each over one year, and may be used towards the purchase of specialised equipment, consumables and travel and subsistence costs.