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- A 2nd Cyber Security Innovation Centre 💽, $250K to develop novel packaging, New Art & Culture Fund 🧑🎨
A 2nd Cyber Security Innovation Centre 💽, $250K to develop novel packaging, New Art & Culture Fund 🧑🎨
New Year, New Opportunities - Make 2025 the year that you smash your goals!
Ben Mushen
January 01, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 21 minutes
New Year, New Opportunities!
Hey there,
I hope you had a wonderful festive break!
We have some super exciting developments in the works that we can’t wait to share with you soon. But to help you in the now, let’s look at some opportunities which are live right now that you can check out and hopefully benefit from!
Have a scroll through and see what looks relevant to you and your organisation. Feel free to forward this email to a friend who you think could stand to benefit.
Feeling overwhelmed by the number of opportunities or don’t have time to read through them all?
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To make your life easier, below is a handy table of contents of all the opportunities listed in this month’s newsletter.
Just click to skip to the opportunities which tickle your fancy:
This edition's opportunity list
🚀 Accelerators & Business Support
Global Incubator Programme: Singapore - Cleantech 2025
Support Type: Business Support, Acceleration Programme
An acceleration programme for innovative Cleantech companies to work with world-leading incubators in Singapore to speed up their global growth and scaling.
Application Deadline: 09/02/2025
Enhancing Efficiency in ISO Loading and Securing
Support Type: Business Support
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) seeks innovative methods to enhance the loading, securing, and unloading of ISO containers using standard NATO pallets, aiming to reduce manpower, loading times, and costs.
Application Deadline: 29/01/2025
Global Business Innovation Programme in Canada - Semiconductors
Support Type: Business Support
The Global Business Innovation Programme is a comprehensive initiative to help ambitious businesses collaborate and expand in new markets, accelerating business growth. It includes phases such as preparation workshops, in-country visits, and exploitation workshops.
Application Deadline: 19/01/2025
Horizon Europe Brokerage Visits 2025
Support Type: Business Support
Up to 15 UK organisations in hydrogen and battery technologies and smart manufacturing will be selected to join Horizon Europe Brokerage visits to Italy, Germany, and Spain. Innovate UK will fund and organise flights, accommodation, in-market travel, and daily subsistence costs for one representative from each company.
Innovation Exchange Challenge: Business-to-Business EdTech Platform and Services
Support Type: Business Support
Sigma Software University seeks industry partners to establish a B2B EdTech platform in the UK, offering opportunities for collaboration and market entry.
Application Deadline: 11/02/2025
Innovation Exchange Challenge: Cyber Security Adoption
Support Type: Business Support
FS Group from Ukraine is seeking partners to accelerate demand for their cybersecurity services in industries such as Fintech, with opportunities for successful applicants to pitch and trial solutions.
Application Deadline: 11/02/2025
Innovation Exchange Challenge: Secure Global Wireless Connectivity for Traveling Workforce
Support Type: Business Support
SIS/MI6 seeks innovative means to protect communication between wireless peripherals and devices for their travelling workforce.
Application Deadline: 17/01/2025
Innovation Exchange Challenge: Super-App for Education and Career Development in Creative Industries
Support Type: Business Support
The CASES team aims to establish a collaborative educational ecosystem in the UK and seeks industry partners to scale their product and facilitate UK market adaptation and adoption.
Application Deadline: 11/02/2025
ICURe Engage Programme
Support Type: Business Support, Entrepreneurship Training
A 4-week, part-time programme for research students and technicians to identify potential beneficiaries of research, provide tools for commercialisation, and foster entrepreneurship.
Application Deadline: 03/01/2025
Daring Capital
Support Type: Equity Investment, Business Support
Daring Capital connects investors with entrepreneurs, focusing on underrepresented founders building for-profit companies that drive innovation and social impact.
Funding Available: £50K to £200K in equity investment
Application Deadline: 08/01/2025
Innovation Centre #2
Support Type: Business Support, Incubator
CyberNorth's Innovation Centre #2 offers a series of workshops aimed at developing products or services in the cyber security sector. The programme includes six full-day incubator style courses covering various business aspects.
Global Incubator Programme: Singapore – Advanced Manufacturing 2025
Support Type: Business Support, Incubator Programme
An acceleration programme for innovative businesses in the Advanced Manufacturing sector to work with world-leading incubators in Singapore.
Application Deadline: 20/01/2025
AI Management Standards Training
Support Type: Training, Business Support
BSI offers SMEs within the BridgeAI programme free expert-led training on AI Management Standards, comprising five courses with the opportunity to gain the AI Management Practitioner qualification.
Travel Support for UK Businesses to Attend European Events
Support Type: Travel Support, Business Support
Innovate UK offers travel support for UK-based SMEs to attend consortia-building events in Europe, enhancing their networks and participation in international research and development projects.
Funding Available: Up to £700
🤑 Grants
abrdn Financial Fairness Trust Funding
Support Type: Grant
Funding for research, campaigning, and policy work to improve living standards and personal finances for people on low to middle incomes in the UK.
Funding Available: £10k - £200k
Application Deadline: 05/02/2025
One Stop Community Partnership
Support Type: Grant, Community Support
The One Stop Community Partnership programme supports community groups or organisations operating within two miles of a One Stop store with an initial grant and partnership opportunities.
Funding Available: Up to £1,000
AHRC Responsive Mode: Collaborate with Researchers in Luxembourg
Support Type: Grant
Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in Luxembourg. Submit a collaborative research grant application within the remit of AHRC and Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR).
Funding Available: £300,000 - £1,500,000
AHRC Responsive Mode: Standard Research Grant
Support Type: Grant
Apply for Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) standard research grant funding to support well-defined collaborative projects across the arts and humanities.
Funding Available: £300,000 - £1,500,000
AHRC Responsive Mode: UKRI NSF-SBE Lead Agency
Support Type: Grant
Apply for funding to work with overseas researchers in the United States (US) through a collaborative research grant application within the remit of Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and US National Science Foundation, Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences Directorate (NSF-SBE).
Funding Available: £300,000 - £1,500,000
AHRC Responsive Mode: Working with Brazilian Researchers
Support Type: Grant
Funding opportunity for collaborative research projects between UK and Brazilian researchers, specifically in the State of São Paulo, under the remit of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).
Funding Available: £300,000 - £1,500,000
ARIA: Scalable Neural Interfaces: Opportunity Seeds
Support Type: Grant
Funding opportunity for projects to transform understanding of neurological disorders by interfacing in new ways, at scale, with the human brain.
Funding Available: Up to £500k per project
Application Deadline: 13/02/2025
ARTES Call for Innovative Hybrid Network Solutions
Support Type: Grant
A call for expressions of interest in delivering future satellite services for very hard to reach areas under the European Space Agency (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme.
Funding Available: £500k to £2m depending on project
Application Deadline: 31/01/2025
European Space Agency: Integrated Digital Solutions for the Energy Sector
Support Type: Grant, Business Support
ESA invites proposals for projects that leverage space-based technologies to advance resilience and sustainability in the energy sector, focusing on digital transformation and innovative solutions.
Funding Available: Maximum total cost for feasibility studies is €500,000 per study; ESA funds up to 80% for SMEs, or up to 50% for larger companies.
Application Deadline: 30/06/2025
European Space Agency: Space for a Sustainable Textile Industry
Support Type: Grant, Business Support
ESA seeks proposals for feasibility studies for space-based solutions and services to enhance transparency, sustainability, and resilience across the cotton value chain and wider textile industry.
Funding Available: Up to 200,000 Euro per project, 80% of the maximum total cost of 250,000 Euro.
Application Deadline: 23/02/2025
Funding Futures Programme
Support Type: Grant, Business Support
The Funding Futures Programme provides financial support and business development assistance to social entrepreneurs who are working to create positive social change.
Funding Available: Varies depending on the project
ICURe Discover Programme
Support Type: Business Support, Grant
An 8-week, part-time online market discovery programme designed to support researchers and technicians in exploring their potential market.
Funding Available: £2,500
Application Deadline: 30/01/2025
Knowledge Exchange Hub Short Projects Scheme
Support Type: Grant, Business Support
Enables participants from academia, business, industry, and government to work on a doctoral-student-level research project with significant co-funding available for projects involving SMEs.
Funding Available: Co-funding reducing project price by £5,500+VAT for SMEs.
Application Deadline: 17/01/2025
Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): 2024 to 2025 Round 5
Support Type: Grant, Business Support
UK registered academic institutions, RTOs or Catapults can apply for a share of up to £9 million to fund innovation projects with businesses or not for profits.
Funding Available: Up to £9 million
Application Deadline: 12/02/2025
Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab
Support Type: Grant, Business Support
Funding and support for developing novel sustainable packaging or alternatives to replace single-use packaging for specialty crops.
Funding Available: $50,000 to $250,000 per project
Application Deadline: 12/02/2025
Astronomy Large Awards 2025: Full Application (Invite Only)
Support Type: Grant
Funding opportunity for large projects tackling significant research questions or technology development in astronomy, with the potential to produce world-leading research.
Funding Available: STFC will fund 80% of the full economic cost (FEC) for most fund headings.
Application Deadline: 04/03/2025
Astronomy Observation and Theory Small Awards 2025
Support Type: Grant
Funding opportunity for research in astronomy observation and theory, including modelling, simulation, software development, and new technology research beyond the solar system.
Funding Available: Covers up to 80% of the full economic cost for up to three years of research activity.
Application Deadline: 04/03/2025
Astronomy Solar and Planetary Studies Small Awards 2025
Support Type: Grant
Funding opportunity for research in solar system and planetary studies, supporting theory, modelling, simulation, observation, experiment, and new technology research.
Funding Available: 80% of the full economic cost (FEC) for up to three years of research activity.
Application Deadline: 04/03/2025
ATI Programme Strategic Batch: EOI - January 2025
Support Type: Grant
The ATI Programme funds industrial research and investment aid for research infrastructures to make the UK civil aerospace sector more competitive.
Funding Available: £975 million allocated for financial years 2025 to 2026 through 2029 to 2030.
Application Deadline: 21/01/2025
CCAV - CAM (Connected and Automated Mobility) Pathfinder 1 – Feasibility Studies
Support Type: Grant
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £2m for feasibility studies targeting early commercial connected and automated mobility (CAM) opportunities.
Funding Available: Between £50,000 and £250,000, covering up to 70% of project costs depending on business size.
Application Deadline: 15/01/2025
Collaborative R&D: Creative Catalyst
Support Type: Grant
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £2 million for projects that develop new innovative products and tools for the UK creative industry. This funding is part of Innovate UK’s Creative Catalyst.
Funding Available: Up to £2 million
Application Deadline: 29/01/2025
Community Cohesion and Resilience Programme (CCRP) Funding
Support Type: Grant
Funding available for voluntary, community, social enterprise, and faith organisations to deliver community cohesion and resilience projects in Gateshead.
Funding Available: Grants between £500 and £5,000, with potential for larger amounts.
Application Deadline: 13/01/2025
DASA Challenge: Future-Proofing Biosecurity by Strengthening the UK’s Microbial Forensics Capability
Support Type: Grant
DASA, in conjunction with Dstl, is seeking innovative proposals to strengthen the UK’s Microbial Forensics Capability, focusing on computational tools and technologies for microbial forensic capabilities.
Funding Available: Up to £250,000 per project, with total funding of £1 million available.
Application Deadline: 18/02/2025
Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme: Stage Two Application
Support Type: Grant
Funding opportunity to develop and test novel therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and other interventions.
Funding Available: No limit on the amount of funding, but typically funds 80% of a project's full economic cost.
Application Deadline: 05/03/2025
European Space Agency: Commercial Applications of Space Weather Data
Support Type: Grant
ESA seeks space-enabled services and products related to observation, monitoring, analysis, and modelling of the state of the Sun and (inter)planetary environments.
Funding Available: €200,000 per feasibility study, covering 100% of the total cost.
European Space Agency: Space for Intermodal Transport
Support Type: Grant
Funding for European teams interested in developing sustainable space-based services and applications for intermodal transport, covering both freight and passenger transportation.
Funding Available: Feasibility studies - maximum of €500,000; demonstration projects, no maximum, case by case assessment. Can cover up to 80% of costs depending on business size.
European Space Agency: Space Supporting Environmental Claims
Support Type: Grant
Funding for European teams interested in developing services that provide support and evidence for environmental claims and labelling using space assets.
Funding Available: 75% funding by the European Space Agency of up to €75,000 per contract.
Application Deadline: 14/03/2025
Nature for Health
Support Type: Grant
Nature for Health aims to improve mental health and provide greater access to natural spaces and nature-based activities for people experiencing mental health problems, socio-economic disadvantage, marginalisation, and discrimination.
Funding Available: £20,000 to £40,000
Particle Physics Theory Consolidated Grants 2025
Support Type: Grant
This grants round will consider grant requests to support particle physics theory research.
Funding Available: STFC will fund 80% of the full economic cost (FEC) of the research.
Application Deadline: 19/02/2025
Pebble Trust Local Donations
Support Type: Grant
The Pebble Trust provides funding to charitable and not-for-profit organisations in Brighton and Hove, focusing on community projects and work with disadvantaged people.
Funding Available: £500 to £5,000, occasionally larger donations may be considered.
Application Deadline: 28/02/2025
Pebble Trust Talent Grants
Support Type: Grant
Grants of up to £500 for young people with exceptional talent to support lessons, training, competitions, and equipment.
Funding Available: Up to £500
Application Deadline: 31/01/2025
The Baobab Community Fund
Support Type: Grant
The Baobab Community Fund offers grants to Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority collectives, organisations, and individuals working towards dismantling systems of oppression.
Funding Available: £5,000 - £30,000 per year for up to 5 years
Application Deadline: 03/02/2025
UKRI Creating Opportunities Evaluation Development Follow-on Fund: Invite Only
Support Type: Grant
Follow-on funding to enhance or expand existing Evaluation Development Fund awards, generating and/or maximising causal evidence on spreading opportunities and reducing disparities across the UK.
Funding Available: £100,000 - £300,000
Application Deadline: 25/02/2025
🎓 Fellowships
No10 Innovation Fellowship
Support Type: Fellowship, Business Support
The No10 Innovation Fellowship Programme is 10 Downing Street’s flagship initiative for bringing world class technical talent into government for high impact tours of duty.
New America Fellows
Support Type: Fellowship
The New America Fellows program supports thinkers—journalists, scholars, filmmakers, and public policy analysts—who generate big, bold ideas that have an impact and spark new conversations about the most pressing issues of our day.
🏦 Other Opportunities
Telling the Foundation's Story – Invitation to Tender
Support Type: Consultancy Opportunity
Paul Hamlyn Foundation is seeking a consultant to help tell the story of the Foundation by using historical records and oral history records from key staff, trustees, and organisational contacts.
Application Deadline: 07/01/2025
Contracts for Innovation: Accessible Information on Coaches
Support Type: Procurement
Organisations can apply for a share of up to £680,000 to develop an affordable, user-friendly hardware and software solution providing accessible audio-visual information on coaches.
Funding Available: Up to £680,000, inclusive of VAT, with individual project costs ranging between £50,000 and £170,000.
Application Deadline: 12/02/2025
Arts & Culture Impact Fund
Support Type: Loan, Impact Investment
An £18 million social impact investment fund for socially driven arts, culture, and heritage organisations in the UK, providing affordable repayable finance.
Funding Available: £150,000 – £1,000,000
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If you have any comments or feedback, I’d love to hear it!
Just respond to this email or reach out to [email protected]!
Thanks for reading,
Ben Mushen
Founder of the North East Support Directory
Disclaimer: The content on this email/website and all subsequent support detail pages, has been AI-generated, based upon publicly available information found on grant and/or business support websites, sourced either via URL submissions by North East Support Directory users, or via research, discovery and submission by the North East Support Directory team. The information from these websites has been extracted, processed, summarised, and categorised using the latest AI technology to produce content on the North East Support Directory that is easier for query and consumption for our users. The North East Support Directory and it's owners assume no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site. The information contained is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. The North East Support Directory's primary objective is to provide high-level, easy to query, find, and understand information and eligibility criteria regarding grants, finance, business support, and more, so it's users can make more informed, efficient decisions on where to spend their time in reaching out for support. The North East Support Directory acknowledges that eligibility criteria can be complex, and so advises that for full, true, and up-to-date opportunity details and conditions, users should visit the corresponding grant or support programme site directly. Users can do so by clicking the 'View Opportunity' link next to each opportunity, or by searching the support title in your search engine of choice. Please note that your visit via the 'Vier Opportunity' link will be tracked by the North East Support Directory. No personal details or protected information will be tracked or guarded against your North East Support Directory account. The only data we track is the number of times that each website is visited via the North East Support Directory. The collection of this data may later be used to form insights in regards to, but not limited to; grant and/or support programme demand, appetite, and popularity; identifying 'hot' and 'cold' areas of the region, and those in need of greater support; and potentially in informing future grant and/or support offerings. These data/insights may later be shared or sold to local authorities, business support organisations, or others, to inform future grant and/or support opportunities. The North East Support Directory would like to highlight that the AI generated information on this page is generated and produced for entertainment purposes only and is for the sole use of the recipients. All supporters expressly disclaim all representations, warranties, assurance of any kind, expressed or implied. Should any user, grant-making body, support provider, or other, have any questions or query in regards to the content on this email or website, or wish to update/remove any of this AI generated content for any reason, then they should contact [email protected], and someone in the team will try to get back to your query as soon as possible.