Applying through the Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) system
You should apply through the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.
You should attach the following documents to your application:
- Je-S pro forma
- case for support (seven pages)
- Gantt chart (one page)
- data management plan
- letter of support from technology transfer office
- letters of support from each project partner
- letters of support from any organisations interested in the project
- optional covering letter (covering letters will not been seen by external reviewers or the panel)
- other (any document uploaded under ‘other’ will not be seen by external reviewers or the panel).
We recommend you start your application early. You can save completed details in Je-S at any time and return to continue your application later.
When you submit the application, it will first go to your host organisation for review. Please allow sufficient time for this.
The process from submission deadline to decision normally takes about three months.
In Je-S, please include and complete the following:
- council: STFC
- document type: standard proposal
- scheme: IPS
- call/type/mode: KE Feb 2022.
Find more information on how to apply in the full guidance for applicants (PDF 344KB).
Project partners
A project partner is required for an IPS project, as the schemes are designed to support knowledge exchange.
The primary investigator should include details of the project partner under ‘project partners’ in the Je-S form and through a letter of support. Resources to be provided by any project partners, whether in cash or in‐kind contributions, should be clearly identified in the proposal.
You’re advised to obtain the necessary clearances from collaborators with a commercial interest in the content of the application before submitting it.
Case for support
The case for support should be no longer than seven pages and conform to the font and margin guidelines in the Je-S help text.
It’s the responsibility of the principal applicant to ensure that the information is worded in such a way as to protect commercial, confidential or sensitive data.
STFC will assume that you have obtained necessary permissions from any party that may be involved in the application.
The case for support should be a self-contained summary of the proposed work with the necessary context given to enable panel members to make an informed judgement on the overall quality of the proposal.
The case for support must be structured using the following headings. The guidance notes underneath have been specifically designed by us to encourage you to develop and think about your commercialisation ideas as part of the application process.
We appreciate that not all points will be relevant to all applicants, as it will be dependent on the maturity of the technology.
You’re encouraged to engage with your project partners or technology transfer office (or equivalent) when developing your case for support. If there are any questions, or additional clarifications needed, please contact the office.
Technical overview
A one-page overview (maximum of one page) of the technology must be included as part of the case for support. This should include:
- a brief review of the underpinning research and context from the science area the opportunity arose from (include details of previous funding where relevant)
- a technical overview of the innovation or technology, including any preliminary data or proof-of-concept, for example, which will explain the current status of the innovation.
Business case
The remaining six-pages should be the business case of the application. This should be structured using the following headings. The technical overview can be referred to as part of the business case where relevant.
Opportunity and market analysis
This is where you should explore the opportunity or challenge you’re seeking to exploit or address, which could lead to the development or deployment of a new or improved product, service or technology.
You should use this section to:
- describe the market opportunity or need that this proposal will seek to address
- give an overview of the target market, including the sector and scale
- outline how your proposed solution will address the opportunity or need, considering the scalability of the proposed approach
- explain how your proposed approach is an improvement (where there are existing or competing innovations or solutions)
- identify the end user or customer base and explain how the proposed solution provides a practical solution to their needs.
Development plan
This is where you should explore how the idea or solution has been developed to date and what the proposed approach is for further development. This section should expand on the technical overview section listed above to discuss how the innovation will progress towards commercialisation.
You should use this section to:
- detail the current understanding or maturity of the innovation or technology and how the proposed work will enable its development towards commercialisation (you can reference back to the technical overview document if required)
- detail how key users, customers or potential investors will be engaged throughout the project, referencing any prior interactions to date
- include specific project milestones or deliverables, and the resourcing necessary to deliver the proposed work
- detail any necessary access to facilities, expertise or consultancy essential to delivering the proposed work, including any regulatory requirements
- consider where risks exist (for example, financial, commercial, technical and regulatory), and outline mitigation strategies for the issues that may limit this project from delivering on its objectives (risks and mitigation strategies can be presented as a table)
- detail the contribution (for example, intellectual, technical or financial) from business or organisation partners.
Please upload a separate Gantt chart (or similar) to illustrate the project plan. The similar attachment should be maximum one side of A4.
At the time of application, or during any subsequent grant, we would not anticipate any business to have exclusive rights to the assets and intellectual property arising from the funded project.
Route to market and intellectual assets
This is where you should explore:
- how the proposed project will progress the innovation or technology towards market or application
- how you will exploit and enable the deployment of the innovation into the proposed market or sector.
You should use this section to:
- describe how the proposed work will inform, enable or accelerate the deployment of the product, service or technology through the most appropriate route to market
- outline what further support you will need following this funding (where appropriate) to deliver your product, service or technology (for example, access to networks, further funding, private investment and skills) and how you will go about securing it
- outline how any intellectual assets, including intellectual property, generated will be managed throughout the project to enable further development and ensure future success
- outline where intellectual property and freedom to operate considerations will need to be accounted for (for example, where licences will need to be obtained)
- whilst the specific details are not required (unless they have already been obtained), you’re encouraged to have an understanding on what may be needed in this space
- outline any engagement with potential end users
- detail how key users, customers or potential investors will be engaged throughout the project, referencing any prior interactions to date.
Wider benefits
This is where you should explore what the potential societal, environmental and economic benefits of the proposed approach are (beyond the commercial opportunity).
You should use this section to:
- explain why the proposed programme is appropriate for public funding
- consider the potential of the approach to impact on high-level societal and environmental challenges, for example, gender equality, diversity, social inclusion and climate change
- outline any wider economic impacts to the UK, for example, on job creation, skills or capacity building
- describe what steps will be taken to maximise any potential benefits.
Ethical considerations
This is where you should explore any ethical considerations associated with your product, service or technology, including those that are beyond formal regulatory and legal frameworks.
You should use this section to:
- outline whether there are any ethical considerations relating to the project or its impacts, including any potential impacts on the environment
- outline the steps already taken to put ethical approval (for example, human or animal studies) in place, if relevant
- consider societal acceptance of your innovation and where you think this might limit its uptake, and outline strategies which could be employed to address this
- detail any implications for trusted and responsible research and innovation practices, if relevant (for example, dual-use (both military and non-military) applications to your research, which could limit the commercial potential).
Find out more about trusted research and innovation on our website and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure’s website.
Letters of support
Project partners
Letters or emails of support must be included from all named partners. In addition, you can include letters of support from other relevant parties not directly involved in the project but who support the objectives, for example, potential end users or customers.
The letters:
- can be either physical letters or emails:
- letters of support should be on headed paper and signed by a senior member of staff or director (the capacity in which the supporter is signing off the letter should be stated)
- emails of support should be from an appropriate person and clearly named alongside their title
- must be dated within six months of the submission
- must be no more than two sides of A4 in length
- must detail their interest and involvement in the project in terms of specific objectives and desired outcomes together
- must detail the projected market size, customers and sales
- must describe how the company will commercialise the technology beyond the project
- must detail specific contributions to the project (either cash or in kind) with a justifiable monetary value (these contributions should also be stated in the case for support).
If the principal investigator has any current or former links to the partner organisation, then they should be declared in the letter of support, alongside the details on any such involvement and how the conflict will be managed or mitigated.
This is only relevant where a named investigator has any formal connection with the partner organisation and a vested or financial interest in the commercialisation outcome (for example, current or former employee, shareholder or member of an oversight or advisory board).
Technology transfer office
A letter of support from your technology transfer office (or equivalent) must be included with each IPS application.
It should:
- relate specifically to the proposal
- not be a generic letter of support
- explain in detail how the university sees the project being taken forward and how the university intends to support the work involved
- outline the current and anticipated intellectual property position (if a patent has been filed or granted) of any involved parties.
Je-S only allows a maximum of three letters of support to be uploaded. Therefore, letters of support may be merged together into a single document if needed.
Data management plan
It’s anticipated that all applications will produce or collect data during the course of the proposed project.
The development of a data management plan as an attachment to the Je-S pro forma is mandatory for all applications.
The plan should be no longer than two pages of A4. The plan, together with any costs associated with it, will be considered and assessed by the normal peer review process.
The data management plan should explain how the data will be managed over the lifetime of the project and, where appropriate, preserved for future re‐use. Applications that do not have a data management plan will not be accepted.
