Essential:

• The academic lead applicant should be early stage lecturer/PIs (either within the ECR criteria of 8 years post-PhD award or within the first 3 years of your first independent position).
• There must be an industrial co-applicant with agreed match funding as cash or in-kind contributions*
• Academic applicants from across all HEIs and Research Institutes are eligible to apply, however SULSA funding can only be awarded to those employed at on of their 12 member universities.
• All applicants must have at least 12 months remaining on their contract/current funding from the 1st May 2023. If your contract is ending before then, you are still eligible if you can secure a letter from your host institution confirming that your contract will be extended.

* For applications for the commercialisation of research where there is not an industry partner tied in this is not required, however you must show a strong case of support from a business development specialist.

Desirable:

• Additional co-applicants can be academics, post-graduate students, technologists and technicians, or anyone with a PhD employed as a researcher. Including ECRs, with a defined plan of engagement and CPD, will be looked favourably upon.
• We would encourage applications to be multidisciplinary and collaborative across multiple national or international universities.
• Engagement with an Innovation Centre or similar external organisation.
• Further funding agreed in principle.

• Between £5,000 and £15,000 is available per application. For industry-partner applications the amount requested must be match funded by the industry partner. This award can be used to cover consumables and facilities access only, it is not for staff costs.
• Match funds from the industry partner can be extended to in-kind contributions, or be a combination of cash and in-kind. In-kind contributions might include consumables, use of lab space or facilities, or industry staff time.
• We expect 3-5 projects will be awarded, depending on the amount requested from suitable applications.
• We expect that funds will be awarded in June 2023.
• The Innovation Centres listed will be involved in the review process, as will external partners, and there is potential for suitable applications to be supported and/or developed by these centres.
• Connecting with relevant organisations external to your academic institution will be seen as a strength, these do not have to be Innovation Centres.
• Funds will be awarded to the lead applicant’s institution.
• Updates on the collaboration will be provided to SULSA as and when requested. SULSA reserves the right to clawback funds not used in accordance with these terms and conditions.
• A short report (template will be provided) to be submitted to SULSA 3-months into the project summarising expected outputs. Industry partners must agree to this prior to the award being funded. If funded through an Innovation Centre, other reports may also be required, including from the industrial partner.

Judging Criteria:

• The novelty, innovative nature and need for the project
• The collaborative strength
• Project feasibility
• Engagement of external organisations
• Potential to leverage further funding
• Sustainable and impactful outcomes
• Consideration of group member support

Submitting Your Application:

Please submit your application (a single PDF) to jill.inkster@glasgow.ac.uk at SULSA by 5pm on Monday 22nd May 2023.

Notification of Outcome:

Successful applications will be notified by email by July 2023. 

Payment of Funds:

If successful, funds will be transferred to your lead Institution. Funds must be spent within 12 months of the date of transfer. Upon request funds can be divided up between applicant’s host institutions.

Reporting:

You must provide the SULSA administration with project updates and outcomes when requested for reporting purposes. If this project leads to a published article, or leverages grant funding, please contact the SULSA administration to make them aware.

Call now closed.