The UK’s materials innovation sector is set to receive a significant boost following a £12.8 million investment from the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to strengthen links between academia and industry.
The funding will support four national networks and nine collaborative research partnerships as part of the National Materials Innovation Programme (NMIP), which is funded by the UK Government and delivered by Innovate UK and EPSRC.
The programme aims to address one of the key challenges facing materials innovation in the UK: fragmentation across the sector. While the UK is home to world-class research, specialist facilities and innovative businesses, organisations can often struggle to identify suitable expertise, partners and opportunities needed to bring new materials technologies to market.
The latest investment is intended to help bridge those gaps by creating stronger connections between researchers, manufacturers and industrial partners, accelerating the journey from scientific discovery to commercial deployment.
Four new Network Plus initiatives will establish national communities focused on strategic areas including energy solutions, healthcare, advanced surface technologies, and next-generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors. The networks will encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing and skills development while improving access to facilities and expertise across the UK.
Alongside the networks, nine Materials Innovation Partnerships will deliver collaborative research programmes jointly designed and carried out by universities and businesses. The projects cover a range of growth areas identified in the National Materials Innovation Strategy, including energy-harvesting materials, metallic materials, hydrogen transport and storage, low-carbon construction, advanced composites, surface engineering and tribology, power electronics, telecommunications and sustainable packaging.
Industry backing forms a key part of the initiative, with participating companies contributing more than £11 million in cash and in-kind support in addition to the EPSRC funding. The involvement of businesses from the outset is intended to ensure research addresses real industrial challenges and has clear pathways to commercial application.
Jane Nicholson, executive director for research at EPSRC, said: “The UK has outstanding materials research and ambitious businesses with the potential to turn new discoveries into better products, services and technologies.
“This investment will create the connections needed to bring those communities together, helping research address real-world challenges and progress towards economic, societal and environmental benefit.”
The funding forms part of UK Research and Innovation’s Industrial Strategy 8 Advanced Manufacturing Programme, which seeks to strengthen the UK’s position in materials development and accelerate the commercialisation of new technologies.