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Working with business:

Follow-on funding pathfinder scheme

Application deadline: apply at any time

Financial support available for follow-on funding will increase to £3M per year by 2010/11.

Our new pathfinder scheme enables potential follow-on funding applicants to secure small amounts of funding to carry out preliminary commercial activities.

These activities will help to:

• Develop a clearer understanding of the commercial potential of the outputs of a research grant
• Assist with the development of a full follow-on funding application

Aim

To provide funding for commercial activities such as:

• Commissioning expert advice from sector specialists on the best commercial development strategy for a business idea
• Completing a market assessment to determine likely potential, competition and opportunities
• IP searches – in particular freedom to operate (but not to support patent filing costs)
• Development of contacts with potential licensees or other interested parties – this can help to develop an understanding of needs and requirements
• Milestone 1 achievement – if the first milestone of the work is particularly risky and the success of the entire project depends upon this, funds can be sought to support this first milestone

These activities will strengthen a future application for full follow-on funding and be useful in targeting the commercialisation of the work.

Award size, duration and conditions

• Applications will be in the region of £7-10k (fEC)
• Maximum duration of 6 months
• Projects must start within 60 days from submission of an application

You should discuss your application with your Technology Transfer Office (TTO) or equivalent. The purpose of the application should reflect a considered view of the essential first steps to establish whether the work has commercialisation potential prior to submitting a full follow-on funding application.

In exceptional cases up to £20k can be requested for activities such as Milestone 1 achievement. This would need to be strongly justified by the TTO (or equivalent) statement of support and it should explain why they are unable to fund this work.

Eligibility

Open to eligible researchers in UK universities and Research Council institutes. Applications for follow-on funding pathfinder support must build on the outputs of recent or previous BBSRC-funded research activity.

How to apply

Complete the application form in the downloads section. Post 1 signed hardcopy and e-mail an electronic version to the contact below.

Application form guidance notes can be found in the downloads section.

Assessment

Applications will be assessed in Swindon Office using external expertise from the follow-on funding assessment panel.

A funding decision will be made within 30 working days of submission.

Final report and funding outcomes

Documentation, such as a commercial evaluation or market assessment, arising from pathfinder funding should be submitted as part of the final reporting on the award.

Contact