Digital Innovation Fund opens for applications

Digital Innovation Fund opens for applications

The Made Smarter Innovation – Smart Manufacturing Data Hub (SMDH) is now accepting applications for funded projects that will support manufacturing small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) on their smart manufacturing journey.

The fund aims to support the development of concepts into a market-ready solution for deployment and dissemination to SMEs.

There are three different funding opportunities based on the needs of the company:

  • Lighthouses – aims to develop already proven digital products and processes into readily accessible solutions which meet the needs of manufacturing SMEs. Grant funding of up to £315,000 is available per project.
  • Virtual Testbeds – aims to provide financial support and opportunities to bring pre-existing testbeds to the SMDH community and enable SMEs to utilise them. Grant funding of up to £100,000 is available per project.
  • Rapid Demonstrators – aims to support SMEs with sensor installation, data analysis or similar to enable levelling-up the opportunities for SMEs to exceed and expand. Grant funding of up to £50,000 per project is available.

The fund is open to any UK-based industrial or professional sector organisation which can provide skills, support or solutions for manufacturing SMEs.

The deadline for applications is 31 October 2023.

See: Apply for Digital Innovation Funding (smdh.uk)