Funding support

Funding is essential to bridge the gap between early stage university research and commercialisation. Bridging this gap (sometimes referred to as ‘the valley of death’) is necessary to make research more attractive to investors and increase your chances of commercial success.

Funding may be required to establish market credibility, secure an intellectual property position, or complete proof of concept studies.

Market credibility, Intellectual Property, and Proof of Concept funding is available from a variety of sources and can be used to help build prototypes, complete essential qualification research, file initial patents, or gather data in support of your idea.

We can help you identify appropriate funding sources through Research Professional and our own network of contacts. Please get in touch at innovation@uhi.ac.uk to find out more. 

Below are some examples of funding support available :

• Interface is a central hub to connect businesses and academia, with the aim of promoting innovative, commercially relevant business and academic collaborations. Typical value is £1,000-£10,000 of support, which is designed to facilitate small feasibility and proof of concept research studies. 
• The University Innovation Fund (UIF) provided by the Scottish Funding Council aims to make it easier for businesses to engage in collaborative projects with universities. It is a great way for companies and third sector organisations to collaborate with academic experts.
• Knowledge transfer partnerships are collaborative funding opportunities to support business oriented research activities with commercial relevance and impact. Typical funding amounts range from £50,000-£200,000.   
• Innovation Centres are supported by the Scottish Funding Council and support transformational collaboration between universities and businesses.