Robotics for a more resilient future: feasibility strand

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £6 million to support R&D projects to advance or develop solutions in service robotics for a more resilient future.

The aim is to encourage R&D investment in service robotics capabilities made in the UK.

The vision for the ISCF Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Challenge is to:

• develop robotic solutions to make UK industries more resilient to future disruptions
• increase productivity
• open up new cross-disciplinary opportunities

We are looking for robotic solutions that exploit business opportunities in areas such as, but not exclusively:

• healthcare
• logistics, warehousing and transportation
• agriculture and food production
• construction
• ‘general-purpose’ remote working
• robotics that can contribute towards the UK’s Net-Zero greenhouse gas commitment.

Your project must:

• have total eligible costs between £25,000 and £100,000
• start on or after 1 April 2021
• end by 31 March 2022
• last between 3 and 12 months

Single applicants must:

• be a UK registered SME
• carry out project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

There is no limit to the number of applications an applicant can submit.

This strand will fund feasibility projects, as defined in the guidance on categories of research. If your project is at a more advanced stage, it may be more appropriate for the R&D strand of this funding (project size £75k-500k, must be collaborative) – click here for details.

An online briefing event will be held on Tuesday 20th October, 1.30-3.30pm UK time: click here to register.

KTN will also be holding a networking event on Friday 23rd October, 2-3pm: click here to register.

If you want help to find a project partner, contact KTN’s Robotics and AI team.