Scheme details
Area: Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, County Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Northumberland
Categories: Finance & funding, Grant
Business stage: Trading business
Page last updated: 27 February 2025
The fund supports the generation of fresh and highly novel ideas, technologies, products and services that address challenges related to tackling climate change, protecting our environment, and delivering a Net Zero future. We are looking to support truly innovative leaps through small grants of approximately £10,000 to test ‘might work’ concepts.
The fund is open to UK-based SMEs, start-ups and spinouts, sole traders, individual entrepreneurs, academics and students with early-stage ideas (Technology Readiness Level [TRL] 1-3). The award is intended to enable participants to progress their idea towards validation of a ‘proof of concept’, and to enable a go/no go decision for further development. Example areas to explore (not exhaustive) include:
- Technical viability, including modelling, or component/early prototype development.
- Market need and potential for end user uptake.
- A viable business model.
The grants can be used for consumables, equipment and third-party services, with some allowance for travel and subsistence. In addition, successful applicants will receive support from Cranfield University, including up to four days of a staff mentor to provide technical expertise and to help guide and coach throughout the project, and/or access to appropriate facilities that might enhance their proposed project plan (if required). This package of support will be determined at the kick-off meeting depending on the needs of the project.
The call for applications for cohort 6 is now open with a deadline of March 3rd at 17.30