ATI Strategic Programme

This is an expression of interest (EoI) competition.

The Aerospace Technology Institute’s (ATI) flagship funding programme enables technology research and development for the benefit of the UK aerospace sector delivering clean growth.

Your proposal must align with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, Destination Zero, and is split into these areas:

Zero-Carbon Emission Aircraft Technologies: Zero-carbon emission technologies are focused on propulsion and infrastructure development to enable zero-carbon tailpipe emissions. This encompasses battery, hydrogen, and fuel cell technologies, much of which are in early stages of development.

Ultra-Efficient Aircraft Technologies: Ultra-efficient technologies are focused on improving energy efficiency and hence impact CO2 emissions, NOx, and noise. Continued development of crucial high-value, sustainable, and high-productivity manufacturing technologies will position the UK to be a first-choice location for the industry.

Cross-cutting Enabling Technologies: To enable both the zero-carbon and ultra-efficient opportunities, the UK must develop cross-cutting enabling technologies and capabilities for whole aircraft design and analysis. These capabilities should extend to the aircraft lifecycle from design through manufacture and assembly, operation, and end of life.

Non-CO2 Technologies: Developing technologies and scaling up solutions to reduce the negative effects of non-CO2 emissions. Complimenting and in some instances spanning across the existing Destination Zero roadmaps, it covers three main research areas: fuel characteristics, aircraft technologies, and knowledge data and operations.

Your project cannot be a mixture of industrial research and capital infrastructure investment.

This is phase 1 of a strategic batch competition within the ATI Programme. There are two phases to each strategic batch competition. The whole assessment process takes at least six months.

Expression of interest (EoI) (this competition): This opens regularly, and your proposal is reviewed by the ATI only. The Department of Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for the decision to progress your EoI proposal to phase 2 based on the ATI’s recommendation. There is no funding in this phase; funding will be awarded in phase 2.

Full stage application (FSA) (invite only): If you are successful in the EoI competitions, you will be invited to apply. Your proposal will be subject to an independent assessment by Innovate UK, value for money (VfM) and policy review by the DBT, and strategic review by the ATI.

This is a 2-stage process, outline and full proposal:

Draft Application

• Draft EoI

Stage 1

• EoI
• EOI notification

Stage 2

• Draft full stage application
• Full stage application
• Full stage application notification
• Proceeding to contract

Industrial Research Projects

The total grant request in your application cannot exceed 60% of the total eligible project costs. This is regardless of the individual partners’ grant claims.

Capital Infrastructure Projects

Your project must focus on the construction or upgrade of research infrastructures that perform economic activities.

Each infrastructure project can request total grant funding of up to £18 million, and the total project grant funding must not exceed 50% of the total eligible project costs.