Funding schemes
1. STFC IAA Fund
a) Starter Fund
Starter fund is for small projects with early-stage innovation (e.g. TRL1-3), including market research, events, meetings, visits. The projects can be six to twelve months in duration and £2k-£40k in value.
b) Accelerator Fund
Accelerator fund is for ambitious, scalable IAA projects (e.g. TRL4-TRL6) that will progress outputs closer to commercialisation, or exploitation, or use by the non-academic sector. The accelerator projects are typically six to twelve months long and around £30k-£75k in value (or if higher, provide good justification).
Types of activities supported by the STFC IAA programme include (but are not limited to):
(i) Impact Development or Technology Development activities are expected to support
(a) transfer of knowledge, whose take-up will provide benefits to users but will not necessarily generate a financial return to the University (e.g. applications for NHS and other public bodies, local/national government, NGOs, etc.)
(b) the development and commercialisation of new technologies to the point where they are suitable for follow on support from other sources (e.g. other IAAs; STFC’s External Innovations Programme – Early stage research and development scheme, e.g. (i) Early Stage Research and Development or (ii) Late Stage Commercialisation; Challenge-led Programmes led by STFC Horizons Programme; Oxford University Innovation (OUI) UCSF) or for commercial exploitation.
Impact/Technology Development could include, e.g.
- proof of concept
- commercialisation activity
- market validation support
(ii) Partnerships or KE activities that will accelerate impact through increased engagement of researchers with end-users of research in non-academic organisations, and includes
- proof of concept projects
- people movement across sectors
- support for networks
- industry events
2.
STFC Doctoral impact fund
Doctoral Impact Scheme supports and encourages new DPhil graduates to maximise the impact of their research beyond academia through engagement with non-academic partners.
DPhil students are eligible to apply for the scheme if:
- their research is within STFC research areas (students do not need to have received STFC funding before)
- they have passed their Confirmation of Status examination
- they are within 12 months of submission of their thesis
Applications should be led by the supervisor, who must be an employee of the University for the duration of the project, and who will assume responsibility for ensuring that the award is used within the terms of the grant. DPhil secondees can be named as Co-Investigators.
The project can be up to six months in duration and £30k-£35k in value. Applicants could seek longer (12 months) and/or higher value (£60k) awards, with justification.
Please refer to the EPSRC Doctoral Impact Funding Scheme tab for purpose and use of funding.