The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to £5m in collaborative research and development that encourages innovative solutions to some of the higher-risk challenges facing the UK aerospace industry. Up to a further £1m may be available from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for projects with a significant, high-quality academic research component.

The competition will focus on the key barriers or challenges at underlying levels that are identified in the National Aerospace Technology Strategy (NATS) and will support high-risk, high-potential approaches that might not otherwise have been accommodated in the large integration and validation projects more typical in the aerospace sector.

This is an open competition. We are looking to fund applied research projects attracting up to 50% public funding. Proposals must be  ollaborative and business-led. We expect to invest between £500k and £1m in each successful project, although projects outside this range will be considered. Projects are likely to have a maximum duration of around two years.

This is a two-stage competition. It opens on 13 February 2012 and the deadline for registration is at noon on 14 March 2012. The deadline for expressions of interest is at noon on 21 March 2012. The second stage for invited applicants opens on 18 April 2012 and the deadline for completed applications is at noon on 23 May 2012. A briefing event will be held in London.