This call is now closed to new applicants.

Algae UK, BBNet and IBioIC are delighted to invite applications for awards of up to £50k in this new PoC funding call.

Algae-UK, BBNet and IBioIC will support proof of concept and “scouting” projects between academic and industrial based partners with the view that they will deliver TRL progression of biorefining in marine biomass. This call will be run as a two-stage application process, with an initial short expression of interest (EOI) application with a closing date of 15th October 2021.

Applicants who are successful in the EOI stage will be invited to submit a more detailed application with a closing date of the 26th November 2021.

Scope of call

The aim of this call is to provide support for projects that help to address the technical challenges in delivering industrial biotechnology approaches to biorefining marine biomass – using for example seafood catch by-products, seaweed or other marine biomass resources. 

The call will focus on supporting projects that facilitate:

• The use of biotechnology approaches to deliver  more sustainable products in line with the drive towards net zero carbon (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-decarbonisation-strategy)

• The delivery of more sustainable bioprocesses that reduce  environmental impacts and maximise resource conversion/ return/ recovery into products

• The potential to improve yields, scale of production and reduce production costs through bioengineering or bioprocessing strategies.

Projects must fit with the BBSRC definition of industrial biotechnology (IB): “IB is a set of cross-disciplinary technologies that use biological resources for producing and processing materials and chemicals for non-food applications. The resources include plants, algae, marine life, fungi and micro-organisms. The feedstocks include renewable materials such as crop residue, animal wastes, food and municipal wastes and perennial biomass”. BBSRC has included the production of anti-microbial compounds and biopharmaceuticals in IB and these, therefore, fall under the scope of this call.

For full details and to apply, visit: