New funds released for business-academic collaborations

Scottish Enterprise and Interface have announced £250,000 funding for research and development collaborations to create new products, processes and services.

The Advanced Innovation Vouchers are aimed at building sustained relationships between business and academia. They are open to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland and are awarded on a sliding scale with the business match funding the award up to £20k.

Since 2011, the Advanced Innovation Voucher programme has awarded £1.77m for 143 business-academic projects.

Paul Cross, Innovation Team Leader at Scottish Enterprise, said: “We are really pleased to invest in this funding which will enable businesses to create impacts as they innovate and scale whilst deepening their relationships with academics”

Laura Goodfellow, Associate Director of Business Engagement and Systems at Interface, said: “Interface encourages universities and colleges across Scotland to collaborate with SMEs on groundbreaking products, processes, and services. This funding provides a significant opportunity for businesses aiming to scale their innovative projects—whether building on a successful partnership or launching a new venture. Interface is here to help businesses connect with the academic expertise that can drive their ideas forward.”

The initial deadline for applications is 27 September 2024, with subsequent deadlines on 31 October and 29 November, 2024.

Further information on application criteria can be found here:

Advanced Innovation Vouchers | Interface Online (interface-online.org.uk)