Made Smarter Innovation (MSI): SME Resource and Energy Efficiency

Through the Made Smarter Innovation (MSI) programme, Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will invest up to £15.5 million across the two strands of this competition. This is subject to enough high-quality applications being received.

These awards will be for feasibility studies or industrial research projects.

The aim of this competition is to explore new industrial digital technologies (IDTs) for manufacturers. The IDTs will improve the sustainability, resilience, and productivity of UK micro, small, or medium-sized enterprise (SME) manufacturers by improving energy or resource efficiency.

This competition is split into two strands:

• MSI: SME Resource and Energy Efficiency—Feasibility Studies
  • Your project must have total costs between £25,000 and £150,000.
  • Your project must last between three and six months.
• MSI: SME Resource and Energy Efficiency—Industrial Research
  • Your project must have total costs between £200,000 and £1 million.
  • Your project must last between 6 and 12 months.

Your project must focus on one or more of the following:

Resource efficiencies:

• Raw material waste
• Production process waste
• Packaging waste, including in-process, single-use materials
• Maintenance or servitisation waste, including fluids and components
• Utilities waste
• End-of-life waste

Energy efficiencies:

• Boilers and steam
• Air compressors or vacuum
• Motors, drivers, pumps, or hydraulics
• Induction or welding
• Chilling or freezing
• Spray, extraction, or dryers
• Ovens, kilns, or furnaces
• Heavy machinery or presses

To lead a project your organisation must be a UK-registered SME operating as a technology developer.