Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will invest up to £800,000 in innovative Advanced Connectivity Technologies (ACT) ideas coming from the UK's academic research base. This competition is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and delivered by Innovate UK, UKRI. This is subject to a sufficient number of high quality applications being received. This competition is part of the Advanced Connectivity Technologies (ACT) R&D Programme, announced in the Digital and Technologies Sector Plan under the UK's Industrial Strategy. DSIT's ambition is for more technologies developed in the UK to be used in networks around the world. We aim to grow a strong UK ACT ecosystem of UK and international companies that attract private investment. ACT are emerging and advanced technologies that enable the transmission of data by communications networks and network infrastructure in an increasingly digitised economy and society, connecting both people and things. These include technologies that make up advanced wireless systems, such as 5G and the transition to 6G, non-terrestrial networks, and advanced optical networks. The ACT R&D Programme is a key part of delivering this ambition. Delivered through UKRI, it will use a range of interventions to: support the UK's world leading academic research base and keep the UK at the forefront of ACT research provide early stage, pre-commercial funding to help move ideas from research towards commercial viability support challenge focused solution development so government funding tackles real world needs, drawing on UK industry expertise and investment to develop ACT products and services support the growth and scale up of industrial solutions by helping UK SMEs attract private capital and expand the UK's global ACT footprint This Advanced Connectivity Technologies Academic Startup Accelerator Programme (ACTASAP) competition specifically focuses on early stage, pre-commercial support to help move ideas from research towards commercial viability. The aim of this competition is to identify the most promising commercial opportunities in academia relating to ACT. Your proposal must include the area of your research, the problem that you are looking to solve and your proposed solution. The ACTASAP is an 11 month programme. This is Phase 1 of a potential 2 phase competition. Phase 1 will last up to four months, split into two equal stages: an initial stage, P1a, for value proposition development activities a further stage, P1b, for market validation activities Project teams invited to the market validation stage will be required to give a presentation to an independent judging panel. The panel will select teams to progress. Phase 1 will determine the value of the idea and, if appropriate, identify the best commercial route to progress. The programme will be supported by industry experts, including some from the advanced connectivity technologies sector. In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition has a funding limit, so we may not be able to fund all the proposed projects. It may be the case that your project scores highly but we are still unable to fund it. Our experience from similar competitions suggests that you could have a 40% chance of success. We consider a range of factors when determining whether to provide funding to applicants. This includes an assessment of prior conduct, such as any outstanding payments owed to Innovate UK or UKRI. Such factors may influence the funding decision, potentially resulting in a refusal of funding or an award subject to additional scrutiny. We also reserve the right to adjust funding allocations for any of our competitions. This may be in response to changes in policy, portfolio funding considerations or broader government funding decisions. This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated in this Innovate UK competition brief . We cannot guarantee other government or third party sites will always show the correct competition information.
