Fifth Round of EPSRC Business and Academia Prosperity Partnerships

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) offers Prosperity Partnerships to support business-led research that arises from an industrial need. The opportunity is aimed at supporting excellent, world-leading fundamental research which has clear benefit to the businesses involved, resulting in accelerated impact arising from the new knowledge, innovations, or technologies.

EPSRC wishes to support existing, strategic, research-based partnerships that support fundamental research with a technology readiness level of one to three. While the research must be business-led, it must be co-created and co-delivered between the industrial and academic partners. Proposals should address EPSRC’s delivery plan priorities and, in particular, those aligned with delivering economic and social prosperity for the UK. All Prosperity Partnerships must generate value in some form for the UK.

Applications should be submitted by consortia of businesses and universities. An existing strategic relationship must be in place between the lead business and university partners. Any business may lead on only one bid, but may be a contributor to other bids. A university may be involved in more than one bid.

Businesses can act as the Business Lead if they:

• Are a UK based business or have UK based research activity.
• Are a business in the private sector driven by profit, or from an organisation with a commercial arm which generates independent revenue.
• Are in a position to contribute to the UK national prosperity through increasing their investment in R&D activities and subsequent product development in the UK.

Research Organisations can act as Academic Lead if they are eligible to receive research council funding as set out in the EPSRC Funding Guide.

At least 50% of the proposed research should be within EPSRC’s remit. The inclusion of other UKRI disciplines may be included if they clearly strengthen the research programme.

Up to £38 million is available under this call, split across two tranches of £18 million to £20 million. Tranche A grants will receive their EPSRC commitment shortly after the full proposal panel in November 2022; Tranche B grants will receive their commitment at the beginning of the 2023-2024 financial year in April 2023.

Requested funds may include staff costs; equipment and other items required to carry out the project; costs related to impact; travel and subsistence; and doctoral studentship costs.

Funding will be issued at 80% full Economic Cost (fEC), with 100% fEC provided for studentships.

Applicants should submit an expression of interest form by the 16 November 2021 (16:00) deadline. This will not be used as part of the assessment and is not a commitment to apply.

Proposals should be submitted by the 11 January 2022 (16:00) deadline.

Further information can be found here.