Strength in Places Fund

Led by UK Research and Innovation, Strength in Places Fund (SIPF) is a competitive funding scheme that takes a place-based approach to research and innovation funding, to support significant local economic growth.

In Wave 1, 23 bids have been awarded seedcorn funding to develop full stage bids that will be submitted to a closed call in September 2019. Details of the 23 awards receiving seed corn funding in Wave 1.

Objectives of the fund

The high level aims of the Strength in Places Fund are:

To support innovation-led relative regional growth by identifying and supporting areas of R&D strengths that are:
- driving clusters of businesses across a range of sizes that have potential to innovate, or to adopt new technologies;
- in order that those clusters will become nationally and internationally competitive.
To enhance local collaborations involving research and innovation. Building on the underpinning regional economic impact role of universities, research institutes, Catapults and other R&D facilities (such as Innovation and Knowledge Centres - IKCs); and engaging those businesses at the forefront of delivering economic growth through innovation within the identified economic geography.

The specific objectives for the SIPF are:

Funded activities contribute towards significant, relative regional economic growth – we define ‘relative’ economic growth as having a significant impact locally that closes the gap between that region and the best nationally.
- These activities must be in line with UKRI’s mission, where the focus is on supporting those businesses and research organisations at, or near to the frontier of the economy.
Excellent research and high-quality innovation is completed, or underway as a result of funded proposals.
Collaborations between local businesses, research organisations and local leadership are enhanced as a result of the funded proposals.
The evidence base around the impact of locally targeted R&D spending in the UK is improved. This will be assessed from a programme-level perspective.
Funded proposals deliver good value for money relative to the area being supported, and in terms of additionality.

Who can apply to Wave 2

SIPF is a competitive fund for collaborative bids between businesses and research organisations. Bids must demonstrate strong engagement with local leadership partners. SIPF will welcome bids that are led by either research organisations or business.

How to apply to Wave 2

Applications for Wave 2 are now closed.

Wave 2 Stakeholder events

For Wave 2, UKRI held a series of stakeholder events across the UK. Attendance at these events is not a pre-requisite for submitting a SIPF proposal. Slides from the stakeholder events are available below.

Newcastle – Wednesday 15 May
Plymouth – Friday 17 May
Peterborough – Thursday 23 May
Sheffield – Wednesday 29 May
Swansea – Friday 31 May
Belfast – Tuesday 4 June
Birmingham (2 sessions) – Friday 7 June
Liverpool – Wednesday 12 June
Glasgow – Tuesday 18 June
London (2 sessions) – Thursday 20 June.
Leicester – Thursday 27 June
Aberdeen – Monday 24 June

Call documents as issued for Wave 2

Assessment Panel membership

The SIPF Assessment Panel membership is as follows:

Chair: Dame Kate Barker
Sir Peter Bazalgette, ITV
Professor Rick Delbridge, Cardiff University
Professor Iain Gray, Cranfield University
Catherine Johns, Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society
Professor Richard Jones, University of Sheffield
Dr Soraya Jones, The Invested Investor, The Bradfield Centre
Professor Philip McCann, University of Sheffield
Professor Tara Moore, University of Ulster
Professor Lesley Yellowlees, University of Edinburgh (retired).

Further information

Queries not addressed by the guidance documents available on this page can be sent to SIPF.