Businesses operating in Scotland’s bio-based manufacturing industry are being invited to apply for support packages of between £25,000 and £1 million as Innovate UK opens Round 2 of its Launchpad funding programme.

Total investment of up to £5.25 million is being channelled into the Launchpad for Scotland in this round, with grant funding packages between £25,000 and £1 million available for projects from micro, small and medium sized enterprises, as well as consortiums with the potential to impact the bio-based manufacturing industry cluster.

Applications can be made from 4 November to 11 December 2024 with funding expected to provide additional financial backing to innovative companies ready to scale their operations and contribute to a greener economy.  

The first year of the Launchpad saw initial funding of over £1.8 million allocated to companies in Scotland including businesses innovating in areas such as green fuels, polymers, and alternative foods, while this next phase is designed to foster collaboration, with hopes of keeping Scotland at the cutting edge of bio-based technologies.

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will work with Scottish Enterprise to deliver the scheme, while also providing support to the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre as the local cluster management organisation.

The competition will be split into two strands, the first being for single applicants, with grants worth between £25,000 and £100,000 per project, while the second is aimed at collaborative R&D projects, with funding worth between £150,000 – £1 million per project.

Among the themes Innovate UK are looking for in successful applications are ideas for the acceleration of the biomass supply chain, projects focused on sustainable production and ‘greening’ traditional supply chains, and innovation in industrial biotechnology.

Derek Shaw, Scottish Enterprise director for scaling innovation, said: “Scotland is at the forefront of the bio-based manufacturing revolution. We punch above our weight with a fast-growing nascent innovation cluster, abundant bio-resources and renewable energy, world class research in the field and effective cluster management from the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC).

“With this second round of funding, we’re keen to support Scottish businesses to innovate, collaborate and lead in sustainable practices that will benefit our communities and the environment, as well as supporting Scotland’s ambitious Industrial Biotechnology strategy goals.”

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Scotland is well positioned to drive innovation in the bioeconomy, with the country already producing over 10 million tonnes of organic surplus every year for bio-based processes, according to Zero Waste Scotland, which could be used in various ways from animal feed to bio-based materials that might replace petrochemicals.

The Scottish Launchpad is just one of eight similar regional Launchpads rolled out in last year, backed by £75 million in funding, which aim to support regional clusters of small and medium-sized enterprises in high-tech sectors, including key industries such as agri-tech, renewable energy, and digital healthcare solutions.