Author: Angela Bywater

Events Roundup – Sep 18 – AD Network

SEP

NEPIC International Bioresources Conference 2018, Durham, 20th September 2018

The NEPIC International Bioresources Conference brings together a large gathering of senior industrialists, business leaders, scientists, academics and agriculturalists from across global markets to hear some of the latest developments in the circular economy and bioresources sector.

See: www.nepic.co.uk/event/nepic-international-bioresources-conference/

 

KTN/INNOVATE: Food security, sustainable agriculture, blue growth and the bioeconomy: Horizon 2020 Information & Brokerage Event, London, 26th September 2018

Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network are hosting the Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 2 (food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy) event which is aimed at supporting collaboration across the UK and Europe.

 See: https://ktn-uk.co.uk/events/food-security-sustainable-agriculture-blue-growth-and-the-bioeconomy-horizon-2020-information-brokerage-event  

 

OCT

 

The Big Green Expo (Southampton) 2018: Environmental & Facilities Management Support, Southampton, 2nd October 2018

The aim of the Expo is to improve efficiencies, drive down the cost of running a business facility and its environmental impact – and to meet the expectations of customers and staff.

See: http://thebiggreenevent.co.uk/

 

IBBK: Progress in the treatment and application of manure and digestate products, Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, 16/18th October 2018

International conference with trade exhibition and excursion

See: http://ibbk-biogas.de/en-gb/konf-okt2018-science-meets-practice

 

Microbiology Society: Focused Meeting 2018: Microbiomes Underpinning Agriculture, Cork, Ireland, 1/2nd October 2018

See: https://microbiologysociety.org/event/society-events-and-meetings/focused-meeting-2018-microbiomes-underpinning-agriculture.html

 

STFC B4I Chemical Event, Redcar, 17 October 2018

Bridging for Innovators (b4i) funding now available to support UK industry. Bridging for Innovators (B4I) is a programme run by STFC to support UK industry to overcome challenging product, manufacturing or process performance. Accessing our unique laboratories and engaging with world class researchers, you will develop projects that address your specific challenge and help you make a step-change to your business.

See: https://www.ktn-uk.co.uk/events/stfc-b4i-chemical-event

 

EBRI: Value from Waste Masterclass, West Bromwich, 17-18th October 2018

EBRI’s series of Master Class Courses provides exclusive content for entrepreneurs and business leaders covering the technical and commercial fundamentals of bioenergy. Companies looking to develop new products and services can benefit from attending this event, as can those who are simply looking for a better understanding of the bioenergy market. FREE to SME businesses located within specified West Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas.

See: http://bioenergy-for-business.org/calendar/ 

 

NPRONET Community Meeting 2018, Midland Hotel, Manchester, 29-30th October 2018

At the event we will hear from some of our industrial and academic members about what the network has done for them over last 5 years, how industrial biotechnology has changed during this period and what challenges lie ahead. The programme will also include updates on recent research progress in the field as well as a session discussing the network moving forward.

Registration is free, including accommodation and dinner on the evening of the 29th October in Manchester.

See: http://npronet.com/events/

 

Introductory Course in Algaculture for Biotechnology, Oban, 30-31st October 2018

The course is delivered by leading algal scientists in the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) associated with the Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa. Free to PHYCONET members.

See: http://www.phyconet.org.uk/event/introductory-course-in-algaculture-for-biotechnology

 

Bioscience Careers Day, Manchester, 27th October 2018

The Royal Society of Biology flagship event for biosciences students. See: http://bcd.rsb.org.uk/

 

NOV

KTN: Women in Innovation: Building Success

Cardiff 5th November 2018; Glasgow 28th November 2018; Belfast 5th March 2019

Take the opportunity to network with like-minded women, learn from experts and hear from successful female entrepreneurs.

See: https://ktn-uk.co.uk/events/women-in-innovation-building-success-cardiff

 

Future of Biogas Europe, London, 7th-8th November 2018

See: http://ibbk-biogas.de/future-of-biogas-europe-2018

 

Synthetic Biology UK 2018, Bristol, 19/20th November 2018

See: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/brissynbio/events/2018/sbuk-2018.html

 

British Council Researcher Links Event: UK-Russia Workshop – Scientific and Technical Grounds of Future Low-Carbon Propulsion, Northumbria University, 19 – 22nd November 2018

The workshop will be organized with the following sessions: Bioresources and advanced biofuels for low-carbon propulsion; Electrification in transport; Waste energy recovery systems; Mathematical modeling of low-carbon propulsion systems. Application deadline: 1st August 2018

See: www.britishcouncil.org/education/science/current-opportunities/international-research-workshops

 

PHYCONET Annual Conference, Wesley Hotel, London, 8 – 9th November 2018

See: http://www.phyconet.org.uk/events

 

2019

Third Agri-Food Study Group, Nottingham, 29 April 2019

Express your interest to attend this unique event. This three-day Study Group held at Nottingham University (29th April – 1st May) will bring mathematical science researchers from across the UK to work on a number of industry problems over three intensive workshop days to come up with solutions to industry problems from areas as diverse as agriculture, food production and biotechnology. At this stage, the call is for companies to send problems to us: registration details for participants will be available soon.

See: https://ktn-uk.co.uk/events/third-agri-food-study-group 

Funding Roundup – Sep 18

CORBEL 2nd Open Call for Research Projects

More than 20 facilities from 10 different research infrastructures across Biological and Medical Sciences have joined forces and combine their technologies and scientific expertise to support advanced research projects. Successful applicants will be offered open access to cutting-edge technologies and services available at various research infrastructures. CORBEL funds will not be given to successful applicants directly. Instead, costs for travel to partner sites will be reimbursed (up to €5,000) and access to service providers will be granted without access fee (extra costs for consumables may apply).

See: www.corbel-project.eu/open-call.html

 

Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network are offering UK-based R&D performing SMEs the opportunity to receive a contribution of up to £500 towards travel and accommodation costs to selected European brokerage events. Looking for collaboration opportunities or to find partners for your Horizon 2020 project in Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials, Manufacturing and Processing (NMBP) Deadline: 24th September

See: https://ktn-uk.co.uk/news/apply-for-travel-support-for-non-uk-brokerage-event-in-nmbp-or-ict

 

BBSRC: ‘Stand-alone’ LINK

LINK supports collaborative research projects between at least one company and one academic partner. At least 50% of the full project cost comes from industry. Applications should be for pre-competitive research that would not be undertaken in this form without LINK support. Funding is only available for organisations eligible for BBSRC support.

Deadline: 25th September 2018

See: https://bbsrc.ukri.org/funding/filter/stand-alone-link/

 

BBSRC: Industrial Partnership Awards (IPAs)

IPAs are academic-led, responsive mode grants that have significant industrial involvement and industry partner(s) contributes in cash at least equivalent to 10% of the full project costs. Additional in-kind contributions from industry are welcome but do not count against the industry contribution.

Deadline: 25th September 2018

See: https://bbsrc.ukri.org/funding/filter/industrial-partnership-awards/

 

BBSRC: New Investigator Scheme

Assists early-career researchers – newly employed university lecturers, lecturer level equivalent fellows whose awards were secured in open competition, and researchers in Research Council Institutes at the unified Research Council Band E or its equivalent – to secure their first major element of research funding.

Deadline: 25th September 2018

See: https://bbsrc.ukri.org/funding/filter/new-investigator/

 

GCRF Global Engagement Networks

As part of the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), UK Research and Innovation invites proposals for community building networks focused around research challenges within the six strategic GCRF Challenge portfolios: Up to £150,000 is available per network, over a 2 year period. These funds are to support running costs, events and activities.

The Network Director (Principal Investigator) for each Network must be an academic based at an eligible research organisation in a country on the OECD DAC list.

Deadline:11th October 2018

See: www.ukri.org/research/global-challenges-research-fund/global-engagement-networks/

 

Business: Grants for equipment

The PAPI project help small businesses in York, North Yorkshire and East Riding develop innovative new products by providing grants (up to £20,000) for equipment. See: www.papi.org.uk

 

Scotland: Circular Economy Investment Fund

A funding opportunity for small and medium sized enterprises in Scotland who are helping to create a more circular economy. See: www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/circular-economy/investment-fund

 

NELSA – North of England Life Science Accelerator Programme, Cheshire, 13-14th November 2018

Up to 10 early stage businesses/commercialisation projects will receive support and the potential to secure seed funding. Applications close: 17 Sep 18.  

See: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nelsa-north-of-england-life-science-accelerator-programme-tickets-47549316285


Newton Fund: PhD Placements and Supervisor Mobility Grants China-UK

This programme is a sponsorship opportunity for UK and Chinese PhD students and their supervisors to spend a period of study of three to 12 months (for PhD students) and up to three months (for supervisors) at higher education institutions in China or the UK. The focus is on research areas that reflect the common interests and demands of both countries, including: food and water security; environmental technologies; energy.

Deadline: 20th September 2018

See: www.britishcouncil.cn/en/programmes/education/higher/opportunities/phd 


Women in Innovation Awards 2018

UK business women can apply for one of 8 Women in Innovation Awards: £50,000 funding each and a bespoke package of mentoring, coaching and business support. Deadline: 3rd October 2018

See: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/204/overview

 

BBSRC Follow on fund

The BBSRC Follow on Fund currently has an Industrial Biotechnology highlight for the upcoming round.

Deadline: 10th October 2018

See: https://bbsrc.ukri.org/funding/filter/follow-on/

 

Energy Catalyst Round 6: Transforming Energy Access

The Department for International Development (DFID) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will invest up to £10 million in innovation projects. These must encourage technology that will help countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia access secure, low cost and low carbon energy. £3 million of the funding is set aside for bioenergy projects.

Deadline: 4th November 2018

See: www.gov.uk/government/publications/competition-guidance-for-energy-catalyst-round-6-transforming-energy-access

 

Bioenergy Master Class Course – EBRI – 17-18 Oct 18

Is your business seeking new market opportunities?

Manufacturing waste and other materials such as food waste, packaging and agricultural waste are only a few examples of redundant materials that could potentially open up fresh possibilities for your business.

 

EBRI’s Master Class Course provides exclusive content for entrepreneurs and business leaders covering the technical and commercial fundamentals of bioenergy. Companies looking to develop new products and services can benefit from attending this event, as can those who are simply looking for a better understanding of the bioenergy market.

 

This course is highly acclaimed by the local business community: 97% of attendees have rated it ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’.  To hear more feedback watch their short video and business reviews.

 

Their team has designed a  course to introduce the practical skills, concepts and strategies your business needs to achieve success in the bioenergy sector. By 2020 this sector is expected to generate £12 billion of new market opportunities in the UK supply chain.

 

Topics covered

  • Technologies & Feedstock
  • Supply Chains
  • Business Models
  • Policy & Incentives

 

 West Bromwich: 17-18 October 2018

National Metalforming Centre (NMC Venue), 47 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, B70 6PY

 

Please click here to register your place

 

  Who should attend

SME business leaders and entrepreneurs in the West Midlands seeking:

  • New opportunities in the bioeconomy marketplace including biomass, biorefining, bioenergy, biofuels and biobased products and services.
  • Expert advice and guidance to help develop ‘value from waste’ solutions that are right for their organisation.

There will be no charge for eligible* companies to attend this event.

*SME businesses located within the following West Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas: Greater Birmingham and Solihull, Black Country, Coventry and Warwickshire, the Marches, and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

 

Further information

Call 0121 204 3383 or email: bioenergy@aston.ac.uk

Funding Roundup – April 2018

BBSRC New Investigator Scheme, Deadline: 24 April 2018

See: https://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/filter/new-investigator/

 

BBSRC Industrial partnership awards

These support academic-led research projects and where industrial partners contribute in cash funding. The industry partners must contribute in cash at least equivalent to 10 per cent of the full project costs. Deadline: 24 April 2018

See: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/filter/industrial-partnership-awards/

 

BBSRC Stand-alone LINK programme, Deadline: 24 April 2018

This supports pre-competitive research projects including the collaboration between at least one company and one academic partner. Grants are worth up to £400,000.

See: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/filter/stand-alone-link/

 

BBSRC-Brazil (FAPESP) joint funding of research, Deadline: 24 April 2018

See: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/filter/fapesp-joint-funding-research/

 

INNOVATE: Innovation loans: manufacturing and materials readiness, Deadline: 25 April 2018

See: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/116/overview

 

CBMNet Undergraduate Vacation Scholarship, Deadline: 27 April 2018

Up to £2350now available. See: http://www.cbmnetnibb.net/

 

Universal Biotech Innovation Prize, Deadline: 30 April 2018

 The Innovation Prize aims to promote innovation in the field of Life Sciences. The most innovative projects in the field of biotech, medtech and digitech will be awarded with a grant and a year of consulting services offered by Universal Biotech, with a combined value of €30,000.

See: www.universal-biotech-prize.com

 

Open Sector Competition

Deadline: 9 May 2018

UK businesses can apply for a share of £19 million for game-changing innovations with strong commercial potential that will significantly impact the UK economy. Projects should aim to lead to new products, processes or services (or novel use of existing ones) believed to be significantly ahead of anything similar available in the field. Proposals can come from any technology and any part of the economy. See: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/120/overview

 

The 2018 #NewtonPrize call is now open, centring on partnerships in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Start your application today! **Call closes 25 May** http://www.newtonfund.ac.uk/newtonprize/ 

 

Innovation Loans: April 2018 Open Competition, Deadline:6 June 2018

Innovate UK is to offer up to £10 million in loans to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Loans are for highly innovative late stage projects with the best game changing and/or disruptive ideas or concepts. There should be a clear route to commercialisation and economic impact. Your proposal can come from any technology (including arts, design, media or creative industries) and any part of the economy. See: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/120/overview .

 

UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships scheme, Deadline: 7 June 2018

The Future Leaders Fellowship scheme (FLF) aims to develop, retain, attract and sustain research and innovation talent in the UK. Providing up to seven years of funding, for at least 550 early-career researchers and innovators, the scheme will tackle difficult and novel challenges. See: https://bbsrc.ukri.org/funding/filter/future-leader-fellowship/

 

H2020 2018-2020 Work Programme

See: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/news/horizon-2020-work-programme-2018-2020

For example – CE-BIOTEC-04-2018: New biotechnologies for environmental remediation

Scope: Proposals should include research and innovation for efficient and low cost remediation strategies using microorganisms by means of (bio-)electrochemical systems, or alternate systems that require minimum or zero external energy or chemicals. This topic is part of the EU-China flagship initiative on Biotechnology for Environment and Human Health, which will promote substantial coordinated and balanced research and innovation cooperation between the EU and China. Proposals requesting a contribution from the EU up to €5M would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately.

 

Bridging for Innovators (B4I), Deadline: March 2021

Bridging for Innovators (B4I) is a programme run by Science Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to support UK industry. It is designed specifically to help companies overcome difficult product, manufacturing or process performance issues by leveraging more than £2b worth of government investment in large scale scientific infrastructure. See: https://stfc.ukri.org/funding/research-grants/funding-opportunities/closing-calls/bridging-for-innovators-funding-programme/

FUNDING CALL: Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy in the Developing World

BBSRC has launched a call for proposals titled ‘Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy in the Developing World’ which may be of interest to our Network members.

 

The call is up to £5 million and aims to support a number of collaborative research projects addressing challenges relating to industrial biotechnology and bioenergy in the developing world.

 

This call will develop the potential to utilise different biogenic feedstocks (for example crop residues) for the purpose of generating multiple (valuable) products (for example energy, pharmaceutical/ chemical precursors and clean water) in a sustainable way using biotechnologies to help support economic and welfare activities in the developing world.

 

The call is funded from the UK government’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). As well as being scientifically excellent, research supported under it must meet the criteria for classification of expenditure as Official Development Assistance (ODA).

 

Funds can be requested for up to three years and projects must be completed by 1 February 2022. Applications must not exceed a maximum of £2 million (at 100% of their full economic cost).

 

Applications must be submitted via the Je-S system by 6 June 2018, 16:00

 

Further information can be found on the BBSRC webpage here:

https://bbsrc.ukri.org/funding/filter/industrial-biotechnology-bioenergy-in-the-developing-world/

Don’t Miss the 7th LCEDN Conference: 30 May to 1st Jun, Holywell Park, Loughborough

Registration is here.

The 7th LCEDN conference is intended to harness involvement of the LCEDN with the UK government Department for International Development’s Transforming Energy Access (TEA) programme by opening the research theme up to the low carbon transition/energy access community. The focus of this conference will be to examine what is meant and intended by the word ‘transformation’, used in the widest sense – all transformative aspects of energy for development are open to consideration.

The conference will be run in collaboration with the TEA Research Partnership Development Consortium (RPDC) with the intention of showcasing and feeding into the consultations with RPDC partners from across the world; it therefore represents a fantastic opportunity for LCEDN members to better understand the TEA programme and contribute to it.

The daily programme will begin with two plenary sessions on Transforming Energy Access (Wednesday 30th) and Innovation and Technology Development (Thursday 31st) and the Friday (1st) will begin with an Under the Grid plenary which we will be combining with an online webinar run by our colleagues at Smart Villages.

There will also be a series of break-out sessions on themes integral to energy transformation, such as Waste; Planning and Energy Access; Community Resilience (ecology, migration etc.); Value Chains (local manufacturing, mineral extraction, assembly etc.); Innovative Finance; Transdisciplinarity in energy research (publishing, working practices, career development etc.) and Energy Justice Revisited (taking forward some of the debates from the last conference).

In addition there will be an Energy Catalyst Companies Showcase and a session on Innovative Businesses and Community Projects From the Global South and we are particularly interested in getting entrepreneurs and commercial actors (from large, medium or small businesses) to attend the whole conference to interact with the research/NGO/policy community to better inform us of their research needs. The LCEDN is particularly anxious to attract entrepreneurs from the Global South to explain their projects, products and needs.

Lastly, there will as usual be plenty of opportunity to discuss the future direction of the LCEDN and since we expect a good blend of people from the NGO, commercial and policy sector (especially our colleagues in DfID) this conference will be a fantastic opportunity to network discuss your current and future involvement in low carbon energy transitions in a friendly and exciting environment.

 

Invitation to take part in research project: Utilisation of energy crops from contaminated land

Background

The Supergen Bioenergy Hub’s current research project focuses on evaluating the full value chain where biomass is grown on contaminated land, is pretreated and then converted to bioenergy, including the assessment of the environmental, economic and social impacts of this strategy.

We invite you take part in this research by completing a questionnaire to help us better understand current knowledge, practices and perceptions of the use of contaminated lands and to define the sustainability aspects of land remediation and energy recovery from biomass grown on such sites.

You are invited to participate in this research because of your expertise in the field of energy, environment and land use.

Questionnaire

Please click here to proceed to the questionnaire or copy the web address into your browser https://goo.gl/forms/9c7sMoq9cLCRW2Ht1. Completing the online questionnaire will take approx. 20 minutes.

If you would like to contribute beyond this questionnaire or have any questions, please contact mirjam.roeder@manchester.ac.uk. Please feel free to circulate the questionnaire to colleagues working in this field.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer this questionnaire and supporting the Supergen Bioenergy Hub.

Plant Powered (MFC) Camera Trap Challenge – 10K on offer, deadline 30 Apr 18

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the Arribada Initiative and OpenPlant have launched a competition for designing and prototyping a plant-MFC (microbial fuel cell) system able to power camera trap in remote locations.

All the details are available in this link: https://www.wildlabs.net/plant-powered-camera-trap-challenge

Take up the challenge – there is £10k on offer. Deadline 30 Apr 18.

£5 million project to develop the bioeconomy across Yorkshire, Humber and Tees Valley

The THYME project will build on the existing expertise and innovation in the region in a new collaboration between the Universities of York, Hull and Teesside. Those involved in the three year project say the funding will boost the region’s economy, create jobs and deliver major environmental benefits. In partnership with regional industry, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and the wider community, the THYME project (Teesside, Hull and York – Mobilising Bioeconomy Knowledge Exchange ) has three key themes:

  • Transform:Produce high-value products from bio-based wastes and by-products
  • Convert: Re-purpose industrial sites for bio-based manufacturing
  • Grow: Increase productivity by reducing waste and energy use, adding value to by-products and developing better products using industrial biotechnology.

 

The full press release can be read on the University of York website