ROUND 2 OF THE SME FUTURE INNOVATION FUND

1. Title: ROUND 2 OF THE SME FUTURE INNOVATION FUND2. Awarding Authority: Growth Platform, GB. Web: 3. Contract type: Service contract4. Description: Applications for round 2 of the Future Innovation Fund will open from September 28th. It is a £3m fund and funding will be released in tranches of £1m. They expect applications to be turned around within 14 days.Eligible project areasEligible projects must demonstrate alignment to the following priority areas for the LCR:Delivering a sustainable industrial future: businesses seeking to take advantage of new opportunities in materials, manufacturing and engineering.Open health innovation: business initiatives to enhance health & wellbeing, during and following the pandemic.Global cultural capital: activities to support the resilience of LCR’s cultural vibrancy during and following the pandemic.Zero carbon economy: businesses pioneering sustainable approaches to living, travel and doing business in a post-pandemic world, for example linking to the circular economy, mitigating single-use plastic and non-reusable PPE.Tech for good: businesses that use technology and data to drive growth and improve society, including but not limited to “smart city” applications, high performance computing, data science and AI.Digitalisation: initiatives in any other sector that will yield a clear improvement in business productivity, adaptability and/or diversification.They will be looking to fund projects that will deliver a significant economic or social value within 6 months, therefore it is not to fund early stage research projects.They will also be giving priority to projects that bring in match-funding. This match-funding can be in a variety of forms including debt funding, equity investment or in-kind funding from the applicant.5. CPV Code(s): 73220000, 73220000, 73110000, 790000006. NUTS code(s): UKD, UKD7, UKD727. Main site or location of works, main place of delivery or main place of performance: Liverpool City Region8. Reference attributed by awarding authority: Not provided.9. Estimated value of requirement: It is a £3m fund and funding will be released in tranches of £1m. They expect applications to be turned around within 14 days.10. As no deadline date has been specified please contact the awarding authority for further information.11. Address to which they must be sent: For further information regarding the above contract notice please visit:12. Other information: Who should applyAny SME based, or with significant operations, in the Liverpool City Region, who can demonstrate a viable project plan, capability to deliver, value for money and a clear need for grant funding. Provision of grant fundingFunding can cover all eligible costs associated with the project including staff costs. Payments of the grant funding will be made in up to 3 stages depending on the amount of funding sought and will be provided on the basis of defrayed costs (ie you will need to show evidence of cost incurred). For more information please go to and also refer to the FAQ document .Also through the main weblink you can access additional forms for application guidance, eligibility checklist etc.# funding opportunity