UK registered organisations can apply for grants for late-stage robotics and automation innovation projects.

Through this Made Smarter Innovation competition, Innovate UK (IUK) is investing in innovation projects focused on late-stage robotics and automation to increase productivity, sustainability and resilience within manufacturing processes.

Proposals must deliver an innovative digital development or significantly novel application of robotics and automation, and overcome a technical barrier within manufacturing processes in a factory production area.

Up to £6 million has been allocated to fund industrial research and experimental development projects. Each project’s total costs must be between £200,000 and £4 million. The total grant funding request for a project must not exceed 50% of the total project costs.

This competition is open to collaborations only. To lead a project an organisation must be a UK registered business of any size. To collaborate with the lead, an organisation must a UK registered business of any size, academic institution, charity, not-for-profit, public sector organisation, or research and technology organisation (RTO).

Projects must involve at least one factory, include both manufacturing and digital technology capabilities in a consortium, and be applicable to at least one manufacturing sector. IUK encourages projects that cover multiple manufacturing sectors.

The deadline for applications is 5 April 2023 (11:00 BST).

How To Apply

Applications open on 19 January 2023. The deadline for applications is 5 April 2023 (11:00 BST).

Applications are made online. More details can be accessed at the Innovate UK website.