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Manufacturing the future

UK Research and Innovation

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Summary
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Rolling deadline
£2,000,000
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Individuals
R&D and Higher Education
UK
Education, Skills Building and Training Research, Development and Innovation
Overview

Manufacturing the future investigator-led research grants are for researchers at UK higher education institutions, research council institutes, UKRI-approved independent research organisations and NHS bodies.

We encourage collaboration with other researchers, industry, the public sector and other relevant partners.

We are looking for researchers in engineering, physical sciences, information and communications technologies, and mathematical sciences who want to apply their expertise to manufacturing challenges.

We have up to £3 million available for projects each quarter, dependent on demand and the quality of the proposals. There are no deadlines.

We will award 80% of the full economic costs of the project, and your organisation must agree to find the balance.

We are seeking a range of investigator-led proposals from researchers working in the engineering and physical sciences who want to apply their expertise to challenges faced by UK manufacturing.

We define manufacturing research as the development of new and existing manufacturing processes, systems and networks.

We aim to help solve some of the most serious challenges facing the UK, both today and in the future. Manufacturing makes a major contribution to the UK economy but further investment is required, particularly in research into high-value and specialist manufacturing.

We particularly want to support work that turns science and engineering research into products and processes that can be used at scale in manufacturing.

Our manufacturing the future theme highlights a number of key areas for research:

  • 21st century-defining products enabled by new technologies and advanced materials
  • digital manufacturing
  • sustainable manufacturing
  • new industrial systems, including alternative machine tools, cellular manufacturing, self-healing tools, systems that self-build, and alternative supply chains and business models.

Find out more about our manufacturing the future theme.

We fund a wide range of projects ranging from small, short-term grants to multi-million-pound research projects, including:

  • high-risk/high-return research embracing new concepts or techniques
  • feasibility studies
  • instrument development
  • project-specific equipment
  • collaborative projects that cross different disciplines.

You can use this funding opportunity to apply for standard grants, new investigator awards, networks or workshops.

Find out more about new investigator awards.

We will fund 80% of the full economic costs of your project. You may request funding for staff costs, equipment and other items required to carry out the project, costs related to impact, and travel and subsistence.

We have up to £3 million to invest in manufacturing the future projects each quarter. We can accept applications for up to £2 million. If you are considering a larger proposal, please contact a member of EPSRC’s manufacturing the future team to discuss this.

Eligibility

Manufacturing the future investigator-led research grants are for researchers at UK higher education institutions, research council institutes, UKRI-approved independent research organisations, Public Sector Research Establishments and NHS bodies with research capacity.’

Find out more about institutional eligibility.

You can apply if you are resident in the UK and meet at least one of these criteria:

  • are employed at the submitting research organisation at lecturer level or equivalent
  • hold a fixed-term contract that extends beyond the duration of the proposed research project, and the host research organisation is prepared to give you all the support normal for a permanent employee
  • hold an EPSRC, Royal Society or Royal Academy of Engineering fellowship aimed at later career stages
  • hold fellowships under other schemes (please contact EPSRC to check eligibility, which is considered on a case-by-case basis).

Holders of postdoctoral level fellowships are not eligible to apply for an EPSRC grant.

Clinical applicants must be employed or be on a fixed-term contract longer than the proposed project at an NHS trust, hospital, board, primary care trust or general practice.

You can apply for this grant if you are a new investigator.

Find out more about individual eligibility.

We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UKRI or any other funder.

Learn more or apply
All information about this funding has been collected from and belongs to the funding organization
20 April 2023