Major funding opportunities for glass innovation, research and development

With its grant funding in the past two years topping £3.6 million and grant applications achieving an astounding 100% success rate, Glass Technology Services Ltd is keen to develop more innovative projects and partnerships.“Our extensive experience and specialist knowledge in glass has enabled us to develop some highly successful knowledge and technology transfer partnerships and we’re continually looking to extend these further with new partners, networks and project opportunities,” said GTS Innovation Director, Dr Malcolm Glendenning.“Our specialist experience, extensive supply-chain and academic networks, mean we can offer advice on the variety of funding sources available from commercial organisations, government bodies and institutions and can assist in the writing of grant proposals.We have an excellent track record of securing grant funding for innovation, market studies and other research. Our established reputation and global network of academic and commercial partners across a wide range of sectors, enables us to quickly pull together world-class consortia of experts and commercial partners.”

Funding opportunity highlights

Malcolm said the GTS team would welcome any inquiries about research and development partnerships and grant providers and highlighted just a handful of key funding opportunities available:

• Innovation Vouchers: funded by Innovate UK, the national innovation agency and the new name for the Technology Strategy Board, these funding vouchers aim to encourage and enable UK-based small and medium sized businesses to look outside their current network for new expertise, providing funding awards to cover up to £5,000 of research with approved suppliers they have not worked with before.
  
   




• Smart Grants: awarded by Innovate UK they target micro, small and medium-sized businesses, to support innovative research and development projects in science, engineering or technology, which could lead to successful new products, processes or services. Grants range from £25,000 to £250,000 and businesses can typically receive up to 60% of funding towards project costs.
  
   




• Horizon 2020: the biggest ever EU Research and Innovation programme, with nearly €80 billion of funding available during 2014-2020.

GTS can also provide advice and consultancy for the glass industry on a range of funding available to improve energy efficiency and competitiveness, including Enhanced Capital Allowances, with tax rebates for energy efficient equipment, the EU Sustainable Industry Low Carbon Initiative, the UK Energy Efficiency Investments Fund, Green Deal for Business and CO₂Sense.

Innovation leaders

GTS is leading the way on glass products innovation, working in partnership with leading manufacturers and universities to develop new and novel glass compositions, coatings, melting and processing technologies - in many cases taking innovations through to product commercialisation.

For further information about the range of funding opportunities available, and for further details of our current work and capabilities, please see www.glass-ts.com/project-funding or sign-up to the GTS newsletter for regular updates.

Our portfolio of non-confidential projects is available online at www.glass-ts.com/projects.

GTS provides analysis, consultancy, testing and research and development support throughout the glass supply chain and beyond – from raw materials to the end consumer. GTS prides itself on its confidentiality and independence and is accredited to ISO 9001, 14001 and 17025 standards.

For more information please visit www.glass-ts.com, email enquiries@glass-ts.com, follow us on Twitter (@GlassTesting), LinkedIn or Google+ or telephone +44 (0) 114 290 1801.