Innovate UK has posted details of a funding opportunity for synthetic biology approaches to produce novel materials to address defence challenges.

£750,000 has been made available for this first phase of the award, which is seeking proposals that aim to address the technical challenges associated with developing protective applications. A second phase will have a funding pot of up to £1 million available.

Innovate UK says that the first phase is seeking ‘short-term, highly innovative, proof-of-concept research’ for applications such as novel armour solutions, self-healing materials, enhanced resistance to corrosion and novel adhesives. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) funding, which opened on 21 January and will close on 14 April 2016.

The MOD’s Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) proves the value of novel, high-risk, high-potential-benefit research sourced from the broadest possible range of science and technology providers, including academia and small companies, to enable development of cost-effective capability advantage for UK Armed Forces and national security.

£750,000 of funding is available for this Phase 1 competition. Up to £1 million will also be made available for Phase 2. Funding will be considered on a per-project basis.

This CDE-themed competition is looking for synthetic biology approaches to produce novel materials to address defence challenges. Novel materials with enhanced performance in a variety of applications will enhance defence and security, while also having civilian, commercial uses.

This Phase 1 competition seeks proposals for short-term, highly innovative, proof-of-concept research that bring together multidisciplinary teams of researchers who use synthetic biology in the design and/or development of next-generation structural and functional materials.

Proposals that aim to address the technical challenges associated with developing the following solutions will be of particular interest:

  • protective applications, such as novel armour solutions;
  • self-healing materials;
  • enhanced resistance to corrosion; and
  • novel adhesives.

This competition will be briefed at a CDE Innovation Network event on 10 February 2016 and at a webinar on 7 March 2016.

Further details and call documentation can be accessed via the CDE website.

This competition closes on Thursday 14 April 2016 at 5pm. Proposals must be submitted to CDE online.

This competition is run by the Centre for Defence Enterprise.

Open Date: 21 January, 2016
Close Date: 14 April, 2016
Contracts awarded: TBC

Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/centre-for-defence-enterprise

e-mail: cde@dstl.gov.uk