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Working with business:

Follow-on funding

The call for applications is closed

Next application deadline: TBC

Summary

The programme is designed to help demonstrate the commercial potential of ideas arising from Research Council funded research. It provides financial support at the very early or pre-seed stage of turning research outputs into a commercial proposition.

This is the proof-of-concept model where further work on an idea will take it through to the stage at which the route to commercialisation is clear and marketable, to proceed, for example, to a spin-out (seed or venture finance) or licensing opportunity.

The programme aims to increase the level and accelerate the rate of commercialisation of research ideas arising from our research community.

The programme enables activities essential to preparing a robust business plan and secure further funding to progress commercially. These activities might include:

• Undertaking further scientific and technical development of an idea
• Improving an IP position through, for example, supporting further work to exemplify or broaden patent claims
• Gaining further information about the market for the new products or process
• Identifying potential licensees or opportunities for joint ventures

The programme has been established to bridge the funding gap between Research Council funded research, and the point at which other initiatives are able to provide support. It will not be used to simply extend existing research grants, nor will it be used to duplicate other sources of public and private funding.

Eligibility

Open to researchers:

• Within a UK university or an institute strategically funded by us
• Who hold a permanent academic post and have or have had grant funding, with relevance to the application, from us

These programmes do not support students.

Projects must draw substantially on previous BBSRC-funded research .

Value

The value of these awards will be dependent upon the requirements of the proposed project but typically standard follow-on funding grants are expected to be:

• Under £250k (fEC)
• 12 months in duration, of which we pay the standard 80% fEC proportion.

Super follow-on funding (pilot)

A small number of larger strategic awards are also available called super follow-on funding grants (SuperFOF). These are expected to be awards:

• Valued between £0.25-1M per annum (fEC)
• 12 to 24 months in duration, of which we pay the standard 80% fEC proportion

Due to the size of these awards, there is an optional outline application stage through which applicants can obtain feedback from the Assessment Panel on the proposed project.

This is a pilot and there will be 2 calls for applications to SuperFOF in 2012. Applicants can make a full or outline application. Please see guidance notes for full details (see downloads).

How to apply

Applications must be within our portfolio and draw substantially on outputs from previous or recent research we have funded.

Applicants must read and abide by our principles on good scientific practice (see information for award holders and research staff in related links).

Applications must be submitted electronically via the RCUK JeS System (see external links).

Application guidance notes are provided in the downloads section.

Panel membership

Dr Simon Bright (Chair) - Warwick HRI
Dr Alison Campbell - Kings Business
Professor Miles Carroll - Health Protection Agency
Professor Ben Davis - Oxford University
Dr Mike Dawson - Novacta Biosystems
Dr Rich Ferrie - UMIP
Dr Kerry Fisher - Hybrid Systems Ltd
Dr Steve Martin - TMO Renewables Ltd
Dr Andy Muir - Rainbow Seed Fund
Dr Wendy Nicholson - Edinburgh Research and Innovation
Professor Andy Porter - Aberdeen University
Ms Sue Sundstrom - University of Bristol
Dr Iain Thomas - Cambridge Enterprise

Future dates

Round	Announced	Application deadline	Assessment panel meeting
2012 call 2	10 April 2012	16 May 2012	6 August 2012
2012 call 3	Early September 2012	Early October 2012	7 December 2012

Case study

Dr Andrew Almond - Conformetrix

Dr Almond's unique technology, to determine the dynamic 3D shapes of drug molecules, is the culmination of a large body of work produced during a BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship. Within the space of 3 years, Dr Almond's research has gone from laboratory concept to the edge of commercial reality, which promises to have a substantial contribution to drug discovery and, ultimately, patient health.

His research group's discovery of the flexible 3D molecular shape of hyaluronan quickly led to a UK patent and the all-important 'proof of concept' that their new methodology could be generalised to any small flexible molecules, such as antibiotics and hormones With the support of two Follow on Fund awards and a BBSRC/RSE Enterprise Fellowship, Dr Almond has made rapid progress towards commercialisation and, with his colleague Dr Charles Blundell, formed the spin out company Conformetrix to exploit the technology. They went on to raise seed funding from Aquarius Equity Partners.

For more information about Conformetrix visit their website (see external links section above).

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