The government’s push to maximise UK participation in Horizon
Europe continues today with the start of a new multichannel
campaign across social media, podcasts and more in both UK and
Europe
the Science and Tech Secretary wants UK academics, researchers
and businesses of all sizes to seize the enormous opportunities
presented by the £82 billion scheme
UK firms are already benefitting from Horizon funding to support
their research
A new campaign launched to encourage UK businesses, academics and
researchers to apply for Horizon Europe funding kicks off today
(Monday 29 January). Horizon is the world’s largest programme of
research collaboration, which the UK is a part of after the Prime
Minister secured a bespoke deal, last year.
The average Horizon grant is worth £450,000 to a UK business, and
Ministers are determined for UK researchers and businesses to
capitalise on the opportunities the programme offers to support
vitally important research benefitting all our lives, from health
to the environment.
The multi-channel campaign will include media partnerships,
content on digital audio platforms (such as podcasts), and
targeted digital media investments, with a focus on paid social
adverts on platforms regularly used by research professionals
such as LinkedIn, and digital displays.
It will also include real-world examples, spotlighting
outstanding researchers and businesses who have delivered their
ideas through Horizon Europe funding. The campaign’s reach will
extend both domestically and internationally, building upon an
ongoing series of official-level engagements with stakeholder
organisations, designed to actively promote and advocate for the
programme.
UK firms are already benefitting from Horizon funding to support
their research, like Nova Innovation, whose consortium won over
£17 million to develop tidal energy in Orkney, and South
Yorkshire tech firm The Floow who are part of a project awarded
just under £3 million, looking into road safety. The campaign
push will shine a light on the benefits of Horizon participation
for businesses like these – particularly smaller firms involved
in R&D which might not have previously considered applying –
as well as academics and researchers nationwide.
Science and Technology Secretary said:
“We listened to the research sector and secured an excellent
bespoke deal associating to Horizon. Being part of Horizon is a
colossal win for the UK’s science, research and business
communities and we need to capitalise on this incredible
opportunity, once again putting our world class researchers and
businesses at the very heart of the Horizon programme, which is
precisely why I have set up this campaign blitz.
“I want to ensure that every part of the country is getting
the most out of this programme. From a comms blitz to ensure
every business and institution that does research in the UK knows
about the opportunities Horizon offers, to grants to help our
researchers and businesses put in the best applications possible,
we will leave no stone unturned to boost our role in the world’s
largest research programme.”
The launch of this campaign builds on concrete support already
being made available to encourage UK bids for Horizon funding,
such as ‘pump priming’ grants delivered in partnership with the
British Academy offering of up to £10,000 for selected UK
researchers and businesses to help them create better
applications. The aim is for this funding to encourage those
researchers who have not previously had experience, including
next generation researchers, to apply to Horizon.
This is just the start of a packed 2024, with plans for
engagement throughout the year to ensure this message reaches
businesses of all kinds, who might not have previously considered
applying, as well as researchers and academics in every part of
the country. More details on this will be made available in due
course.
The future of the UK depends on science, innovation and
technology. By leading the way in these fields, we can grow the
economy, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities, as well as
unlock breakthroughs that could improve everyone’s quality of
life.
We know from recent history that the UK can be a leader in this
area. We have four of the top ten universities in the world, and
the second-highest number of Nobel prize winners. A quarter of
projects in which the UK participated, funded through Horizon’s
predecessor, were UK-led.
Horizon Europe is built around three main pillars – excellent
science (Pillar 1), global challenges and industrial
competitiveness (Pillar 2), and innovative Europe (Pillar 3).
Horizon’s Pillar 2 has the largest budget, and supports research
that is aimed at tackling some of the biggest problems facing
society, from improving people’s health to tackling climate
change. The average Horizon grant from Pillar 2 is worth £450,000
to a UK business.
In addition to funding, collaboration with European and global
partners through the programme can help unlock export markets for
UK businesses.
Further information, including practical support on how to apply
is available on Innovate UK’s
website and UK Research and
Innovation (UKRI) also host regular
events that help guide businesses and researchers through the
opportunities on offer and the application process.
Encouraging smaller businesses to pitch for, and win, Horizon and
Copernicus funding supports DSIT’s
aim to help the UK’s promising science and tech firms scale-up
and grow.
