Research Innovation Enterprise

Innovation Launchpad Network+ – Second tranche funding now open

The £6.75 million Innovation Launchpad Network+ is accelerating innovation by bringing together leading universities and the Catapult Network, with the call for applications for the second tranche now open!


About the Innovation Launchpad Network+

The Innovation Launchpad Network+ is a national collaboration, led by the University of Sheffield along with the Universities of Leeds, Strathclyde, Warwick, Bristol and Exeter, and the Catapult Network. There are currently nine Catapults, each established by and working in partnership with Innovate UK. They support businesses across healthcare, energy, emerging technologies and manufacturing in transforming great ideas into valuable products and services. The network has been funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The national research and innovation group’s first phase attracted more than 120 enquiries from 30+ different academic institutions across the UK, with all three key themes:

  1. NetZero
  2. Resilience
  3. Healthcare and Wellbeing

All 9 Catapults represented in a fascinating portfolio of applications.

Invitation for applications

The Innovation Launchpad Network+ is building on a successful launch of its Researchers in Residence scheme, with a second tranche of funding currently open for applications.

Academics can apply to the scheme now on the Expression of Interest page. More information on the scheme, including timelines and eligibility can be found here.

Key dates

The timeline for tranche 2 of the RiR scheme is:

  • Deadline for expressions of interest: 15 June 2023
  • Full application with letters of support: 3 August 2023
  • Decisions Announced: TBC

Further information

Watch video above to hear from Dr Peter Osborne, from the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). He said:

“The first round of the Researcher in Residence scheme attracted some really strong proposals across all three themes. In tranche 2, we hope to build on this initial interest and we would like to encourage applications from an even broader cross section of researchers from all four of the home nations. If you have some underpinning research that you would like to develop further with one or more of the Catapults then we would like to hear from you.”

If you are interested in finding out how the Researcher in Residence scheme could help you to translate your work into impact by working alongside one or more of the Catapults, then follow this link to the Innovation Launchpad Network+ website for more details.