The Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) have jointly allocated up to £400k to stimulate businessled innovation with technologies that can address the potential environmental, health and safety (EHS) aspects of development of nanoscale technologies. These may be in the form of an innovative EHS product or a solution to EHS issues with nanotechnologyenabled products and processes. Up to £250k will be invested by the Technology Strategy Board and up to £150k by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to support feasibility studies lasting up to three months and each costing no more than £33,000 in total. We will jointly fund up to 75% of the project cost (up to £25,000). Projects may be collaborative with industry or academia, or carried out by a single company.

The purpose of this competition is to seed business-led collaboration feeding into potential future European programmes in EHS-related applications. It also focuses on UK business priorities in EHS-related issues, and aims to deliver early stage novel solutions that will put the UK in a strong position to develop globally competitive technologies.

Each project will culminate in a short report, an initial business plan to take the project forward identifying UK/EU partners where necessary and, where relevant, a practical demonstration. Projects will also present their achievements at a public ‘Collaboration Nation’ event to be held in autumn 2011.

This competition activity complements three feasibility studies competitions being run concurrently in the areas of technology inspired innovation, digital services and space technologies.  For further information please visit our _connect pages.

Please note that registration for all Technology Strategy Board administered competitions will close one week before the competition application deadline. Registration is required to receive application forms and access the applications area.