Innovate UK funded access to our services
20 November 2023 | Craig Leadley, Technology Fellow
As a Research & Technology Organisation (RTO) dedicated to the development and transfer of science and technology to the benefit of the economy and society, we are part of a group of ‘Catapults’ and ‘RTOs’ whose services can be accessed via a grant from Innovate Edge (part of Innovate UK).
Eligible start-ups and SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises) can apply for £15,000 of grant funding to spend with us, and others.
The idea behind this is for innovative, ambitious businesses to benefit from the facilities and expertise provided by Catapults and Research & Technology Organisations (RTOs), to support their growth and scaling.
Innovate UK background and Innovate UK Edge funding
UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. It brings together the seven disciplinary research councils (Research England) responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and for the UK’s innovation agency (Innovate UK).
Innovate UK, also part of UKRI, is the UK’s national innovation agency. It supports business-led innovation in all sectors, technologies and UK regions. Innovate UK helps businesses grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive and easy to navigate.
Innovate UK Edge is part of Innovate UK, and focuses specifically on grants to support high potential small to medium sized innovation-driven companies. Through this channel, eligible start-ups and SMEs can apply for £15,000 of funding to spend with the dedicated list of Catapults and RTOs.
Innovate UK Edge RTOs are non-profit organisations who bring together the knowledge, skills and infrastructure needed to deliver various research and development activities in collaboration with public and industrial partners. The Innovate UK Edge Catapult network is made up of technology and innovation centres established by Innovate UK.
Catapults and RTOs, such as Campden BRI, have been selected based on having the expertise and resources to be able to support the transfer of great ideas into valuable products and services.
How to access Innovate Edge funding
To find out if your business is eligible for funding, contact Innovate UK Edge via their website. They will support you in determining eligibility, and will support eligible businesses through the application process so that you can secure the £15,000 of funding.
Examples of work funded by Innovate UK and Innovate UK Edge
We, both independently and as part of consortiums, currently have four exciting Innovate UK-funded projects in the set-up phase. These cover novel low-emission food production systems, development of a new powder decontamination technology, novel functional ingredients, and extraction technology.
We have also received enquiries and work from an exciting array of different start-ups and SMEs who are accessing Innovate UK Edge funding. Across various product categories, such as alcoholic beverages, coffee, soft drinks, plant protein, canned foods and more, this work ranges from new product development, process development, regulatory support, through to nutrition testing, packaging development and consumer insight studies.
Unlock the funding, expertise and resources to realise your vision
Are you an entrepreneur moving into the food industry for the first time? Do you need support on the fundamentals of food science and technology to assure that your product is legal, safe, nutritious and has an adequate shelf-life?
We can act as the facilitator to connect you to the funding that you need, such as Innovate UK Edge, to get your innovation off the ground. If you want to know how you can make the best use of your Innovate UK Edge grant with us, get in touch with our experts.
We have more than 200 scientists and technical experts collaborating on a wide range of projects every day. And we provide a wide range of services to help start-ups transition from kitchen scale to industrial food production. We are not just about giving you the results but the understanding too.
How can we help you?
For more information on our services or for support on securing and using Innovate Edge funding, contact our support team to find out how we can help.
Campden BRI membership
We work closely with our members to ensure that we provide the practical, technical, scientific and regulatory support which enables them to run their business efficiently and cost effectively.