Bayes Centre

Bayes Centre News: Space and Satellites innovation seed-funding call

Thanks to strategic funding from the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), The Bayes Centre has been allocated up to £30,000 for small grants to enable University staff working in collaboration with industrial partners to convene and support partnerships that develop major funding bids for R&D investment in Space and Satellites (S&S) with a strong Data Science or Artificial Intelligence (AI) underpinning. Please note this is for internal University of Edinburgh applicants only.

 

S&S is a priority area of the City Region Deal, with 15 years of R&D KPI targets set for CSE, so medium-/long-term thinking is encouraged in the area. We take a broad view of S&S focused around key societal challenges:  

 

  • Climate Change & Sustainability 
  • Food Security & Agriculture  
  • Financial Services & Environmental, Societal Governance 
  • Infrastructure, Transport & Asset Monitoring  

 

Crucially, for this call, we expect activities to involve a collaboration with an industrial partner and a focus on using Data Science or AI for the benefit of one or more of the application areas listed. Academics interested in identifying new collaboration opportunities with industry are encouraged to contact Business Development colleagues at their Schools/Units initially and the e-mail address for enquiries below subsequently. Bayes Members and Partners interested in identifying relevant academic expertise are encouraged to contact their Bayes Business Development manager or the e-mail address for enquiries below. 

 

The aim of the call is to support the development of major funding and partnership propositions, rather than the delivery of research activities. Some examples of appropriate activities we would seek to fund are:  

 

  • Employing a project manager to convene interdisciplinary groups and organise grant-development activities/workshops  
  • Employing a grant writer to assist with bid development activities  
  • Employing a researcher to carry out pilot work needed to de-risk funding applications 
  • Covering the costs of workshops or market/competitor research   

 

In line with funding conditions, all funding awarded must be spent by the end of July 2022. While the general expectation is that funds would be spent internally, it is possible to pay for services provided by organisations outside the University, provided standard procurement rules are followed. The Bayes Centre will provide additional in-kind contribution to funded projects in the form of business development, administrative and financial management support. 

 

  If you would like to apply, please complete an application form here: https://forms.office.com/r/qBF6MRUJZV

The deadline for applications is 1st May 2022 and we will accept applications through the online application form provided. Application outcomes will be notified within 10 working days.   

  

For more details on the bid development seed-funding call contact:  

Miguel O. Bernabeu, Deputy Director, The Bayes Centre (miguel.bernabeu@ed.ac.uk)