Launchpad: Net Zero Industry, Southwest Wales – Rd2 CR&D

Overview‍

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will work with Welsh Government and its agencies to invest up to £2.9 million in innovation projects.

This funding is from Innovate UK’s Launchpad programme which supports the UK government’s goals for local economic growth. This Launchpad is also supporting Net Zero Industry Wales as the local cluster management organisation.

The aim of this competition is to support outstanding innovation projects led by businesses.

Your business must use the funding to grow your innovation activities in the net zero industrial cluster in Southwest Wales, both during and after the project. This region consists of Carmarthenshire, Neath-Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea. Your project can focus on the markets for industrial decarbonisation in Southwest Wales and globally. ‍

Scope

The aim of this competition is to support outstanding innovation projects led by businesses. Your project must help to grow your innovation activities in net zero industry.

Your project can focus on the markets for industrial decarbonisation in Southwest Wales and globally. This region consists of Carmarthenshire, Neath-Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea.

Your business must use the funding to grow your innovation activities in the net zero industrial cluster in Southwest Wales, both during and after the project. This could be demonstrated by:

• your local innovation activities
• the value that your innovation activities create in the cluster
• your engagement with other innovation active organisations in the cluster, such as with Net Zero Industry Wales, this Launchpad’s cluster management organisation

‍Key themes and topics

Projects can focus on one or more of the following:

• decarbonisation of industry
• carbon dioxide capture, distribution and storage
• hydrogen energy
• renewable energy, including renewable marine energy
• energy efficiency, including industrial energy efficiency and demand-side management)
• green industry innovation

Projects can also consider the following areas:

• sustainable fuel and platform chemical production
• low carbon heat distribution and utilisation
• mini grid community systems
• industrial transport
• innovation in skills development
• advances that empower your business to start your journey to net zero
• innovation that enables other businesses to learn from you and replicate your example

This list is not exhaustive. Where you can show your proposal fits within the scope of this competition you can focus on other themes.

‍Project duration

• last between 6 – 18 months
• not start before 1 September 2025
• end by 31 March 2027

‍Award value

Project must have a total grant funding request of between £150,000 and £750,000

‍Funding rates

For industrial research projects, you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation
• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

For experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 45% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 35% if you are a medium sized organisation
• up to 25% if you are a large organisation

Research organisations can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs

‍Eligibility criteria

• Projects must be collaborative and lead by a UK registered business of any size
• Collaborators must be a UK registered business of any size; academic institution; charity; not for profit; public sector organisation; research and technology organisation (RTO)
• Projects must involve at least one grant claiming SME
• Subcontractors must be UK-based with fully justified and appropriate costs