IUK Launches Newton-Ungku Omar Fund Grand Challenge 2019

The UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK (IUK) and the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) are working collaboratively under the Newton-Ungku Omar Fund. Together they will invest in innovative projects that provide collaborative solutions to the large societal challenges of ‘urban mobility’ and ‘waste to wealth’ in Malaysia.

The overall programme will be delivered in 2 phases. This application process is for phase 1. Only successful applications from phase 1 will be able to take part in phase 2.

Phase 1 is for collaborative feasibility studies only. This is to help UK and Malaysian businesses investigate:

the interaction between their innovations; and

how feasible a joint demonstration project would be in responding to Malaysia’s mobility and waste to wealth challenges.

For phase 1, IUK will only be supporting feasibility studies, focusing on innovative products, processes and services that are at the stage where a pilot has already been developed in an industrial research setting.

A total of up to £200,000 in the UK and RM 1.1 million in Malaysia is allocated to fund up to 10 projects in phase 1. Total eligible project costs for the UK part of the consortium can be up to £30,000 and total eligible project costs for the Malaysian part of the consortium can be up to RM 165,000.

Projects must contain at least one business from Malaysia and at least one business from the UK. To lead the project in the UK, the organisation must be a UK based business of any size and must comply with Official Development Assistance requirements throughout the lifetime of the project. The organisation must collaborate with at least one Malaysian business. Applicants can collaborate with the lead organisation if they are a UK or Malaysia based academic institution, research and technology organisation (RTO), charity or public sector organisation.

Phase 1 applications are now open, with a deadline for registrations of 16 October 2019, and a closing date for full applications of 23 October 2019.

More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.