SME definition
For this strand an SME is defined using the UK Government definition:
- Fewer than 250 employees
- Annual turnover of £50 million or less, or balance sheet total of £43 million or less
- Independent business and not a subsidiary of a large parent company
- The collaboration must involve a UK university or college and at least one SME partner.
Duration of collaboration
The collaboration should normally demonstrate at least two years of sustained engagement.
Examples may include but not limited to:
- Collaborative research and development
- Joint technology development
- Knowledge transfer partnerships
- Product development programmes
- Strategic innovation partnerships
Scope
- Submissions may come from any discipline.
Strategic engagement
The collaboration should demonstrate meaningful partnership between the SME and the university, such as:
- Shared decision‑making on research or innovation
- Regular collaboration through meetings or milestones
- Co‑created outputs such as prototypes, intellectual property, products or policy contributions
Partnership Structure
The collaboration must include a UK university or college and one or more SME partners. Applications may involve:
- A single academic lead
- A research group or centre
- Cross‑disciplinary teams
Institutional Submission
Each university may submit:
- One application to the Industry Strand
- One application to the SME Strand