The UK’s innovation agency Innovate UK has up to £5 million to invest in UK businesses working on collaborative research and development projects with partners in Jiangsu province, People’s Republic of China.

Innovate UK is looking for projects that address the challenges faced by infrastructure owners, cities, towns and users through innovation in infrastructure systems. The agency is also interested in projects use transformational or disruptive innovation to create new products, processes or services drawn from any technology, engineering or industrial area.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate a significant return on investment and a clear, anticipated impact on business growth from proposed projects, which can focus on industrial research or experimental development.

Innovate UK said there should also be demonstrable benefits of cooperation between the UK and China for the participants from both countries. Jiangsu is one of the provinces in China with the most abundant scientific resources and innovation activities.

Deadline for registration is 21 June 2017 - projects must be business-led and involve at least one partner from the UK and one from Jiangsu province. Academic and research entities in the UK are eligible to join as partners.

Projects should last up to 24 months and range in size up to £500,000 - businesses could attract up to 70% of their project costs. A webinar briefing event will be held for potential applicants on Friday 21 April 2017.

A webinar briefing event will be held for potential applicants on Friday 21 April 2017 – click here to register 

Click here to apply for the Jiangsu-UK Industrial Challenge Programme