Sustainable Innovation

Applications Currently Closed

Sustainable Innovation is not currently recruiting. Please complete the expression of interest form below to be notified when applications open later in the year.

Express Interest

Application Process

Interested SMEs should complete the below form, it allows us to capture your contact details, check eligibility, and understand your technical requirements and challenges.

Applications will be assessed as they are received. SMEs will be invited for scoping meetings on a first come, first served basis.

Application Form

Eligibility Criteria

To get access to all that Sustainable Innovation has to offer you must:

Have received less than €200,000 State Aid within the last 3 years;
Be a start-up or SME with less than 250 employees;
Be a company developing a low carbon product, process or service;
Be a businesses registered in Greater London, or registered elsewhere in the UK with an operational address within Greater London (co-working spaces and virtual offices are fine with us). Sole traders may also apply.

Deadline Monday 3rd May

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What is Sustainable Innovation?

Sustainable Innovation connects London SMEs with University academics and expert consultants to bring new clean tech products, processes, and services to market.

Our cohort structure provides sustainable businesses the access to the expertise, facilities and support required to succeed.

R&D collaborations

As part of the application process, we ask SMEs to identify the key technical challenges they face, and their goals for the coming 6-12 months.

Each successful applicant is assigned a team of experts from the schools of Engineering and the Built Environment. Together, we develop a bespoke project for every businesses.

Cohort Timeline

19.12.21

Applications are due before 11.59PM on Sunday 19th December. They will then be processed by our Sustainable Innovation Working Group, made up of project staff, academic experts, and Researchers.

14.1.22

By this point all applicants will be informed whether they have been successful or not. If unsuccessful they will be given advice on how to prepare their business for the next round of applications.

17.1.22

SMEs will be contacted by a lead academic to begin scoping their project.

31.1.22

Members will receive their welcome pack. Meetings, events and academic collaborations will commence.

R&D Collaborations

As part of the application process, businesses can propose projects with experts from the schools of Engineering and the Built Environment. This project should help them to further develop their product, conduct an independent evaluation, and support their progress towards launching to market.

If you have a design prototype and would like to support to develop a MVP, or you already have a MVP and are ready to start independent testing, then we are able to assist.

Technical Product Development

Academic Consultancy – Expertise from the schools of Engineering and the Built Environment
Experimentation – Well equipped laboratories to support a variety of experimental activities
Prototype Development - Capability to fabricate in-house to provide proof of concept
Prototype Testing – Evaluation of usability and performance
Materials Development and Analysis

Academic Consultancy

Theoretical Investigation, Modelling & Simulation
Life-cycle Assessment - Assess costs, energy balance and emissions for materials, products, and processes
Literature and Technology Reviews
Product Strategy – Market analysis, business development, and commercialisation strategy

Subsidised Staff

We offer a wage subsidy for a new R&D hire to help accelerate your product/process development goals.

We will provide 40% of the salary + employers contributions of pension + NI.
Maximum salary = £45,000
Maximum grant length = 1 year
Must be a new hire to the business, for research or development of a low carbon product or process.

Without the support of Ben and LSBU numerous opportunities to display our prototype to industry experts would have been missed, which would have had a negative effect on the securing of the IP.

Our involvement has helped If.Vehicles receive investment of £750,000, and to secure collaboration meetings with Royal Mail and the Department for Transport (DfT).

Read the case study

Personal Development

A good leader is as valuable to a business as a good product or idea. Throughout participation you will have opportunity to meet with subject matter experts and gain the benefit of their experience.

Support & Guidance

Throughout the programme you will meet with the Sustainable Innovation Team to discuss your progress through the programme.

Showcase Event

The cohort culminates in a showcase event in which members will have the opportunity to present their business, as if to a panel of investors.

It enables participants to expand their network as they graduate from the programme and generate momentum towards their business goals.

Peer Network

Members will be able to join the cohort Slack Channel, providing them the opportunity to connect with each other and seek out collaboration and feedback where appropriate.

Man standing at lectern in from of people

Kyle's experience of bio-electrochemical systems has enabled WASE to redevelop existing designs and build new and more efficient systems.

WASE utilised our 40% staff subsidy offer to hire Kyle Bowman, a bio-electrochemical engineer. With Kyle's expertise and the company's increased capacity, they have significantly accelerated development.

Read the case study

Research & Development

We're able to provide R&D support in each of the areas below. Successful applicants will work with our in-house experts until the agreed outputs are achieved.

Electronics

Component Selection

Current Sensing, AC + DC Calibration

Breakout Board Design and Manufacture

Load, Power Consumption, Standby Power, and Power Quality Testing

Circuit Board Layout

Product Performance at Global Power Grid Voltages and Frequencies

Trace Antenna Manufacture and Test

Antenna Measurement and Radiation Pattern Testing

Power Electronics Efficiency Measurement

EMC Pre-compliance Testing and Radiated Emissions Investigation

Power Supply, Power Consumption, and Battery Life Testing

Apply now

Computing

Software Architecture for Cloud, on Premises and Embedded Systems

Software Load Testing and Metrics

Proof-of-concept App Development

Code Review and Test Suites

Apply now

Device Fabrication

Energy Harvesting (E.G. Photovoltaics, Piezoelectrics, Thermoelectrics)

Energy Storage (E.G. Batteries, Supercapacitors, Hydrogen, Thermal Energy)

Energy Conversion Technologies (E.G. Fuel Cells)

Sensors (E.G. Gas Sensors and Toxin Measurement)

Apply now

Materials Science

Chemical and Structural Characterisation

Electron Microscopes for Surface Topography and Composition

Material Imaging

Recycled Aggregate Concrete

Material Properties

Electrochemistry Including Corrosion and Electroplating

Surface Engineering

Setting up Standard Operating Procedures

Apply now

Sustainable Processes

Improvement to the Circular Economy of an Existing Product, Process or Service

Processes That Reduce Pollution in the Environment

Modelling Materials and Manufacturing Processes

Biomass/Waste to Products (E.G. Biogas, Biofuel, Biopolymers and Chemical Feedstock)

Green Chemistry

Apply now

Frequently Asked Questions

At what stage of product development do companies have to be to apply?

Companies can be at a variety of stages in product development and benefit from the wide range of expertise and support available through the programme.

Companies that have a product or solution that is well-defined, i.e. MVP, and are ready to start user testing or building their evidence base are likely to benefit the most from collaborative research and development with LSBU academics as part of the programme.

What happens if I dont get accepted?

If you apply and are unsuccessful in joining the cohort we will provide feedback to support you in future application, as well as signposting to potential areas of support to help you develop.

What is expected of me?

We expect you to actively engage with all of the support available through the cohort. This will typically equate to around 6 hours per month and applicants will need to dedicate additional time to work on any actions set to them via one-to-one support.

How is this free?

A2i and LCLDN are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and London South Bank University (LSBU). All support is provided under Article 28 Innovation Aid to SMEs, and does not affect your de minimis allowance.

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Applications Currently Closed

Application Process

Eligibility Criteria

Fully-funded research & development support

What is Sustainable Innovation?

R&D collaborations

Cohort Timeline

R&D Collaborations

Technical Product Development

Academic Consultancy

Subsidised Staff

Personal Development

Support & Guidance

Showcase Event

Peer Network

Research & Development

Electronics

Computing

Device Fabrication

Materials Science

Sustainable Processes

Some Previous Participants

Are you ready? Let's begin your innovation journey

SBI Member Repowering London's Dr Rashid named “Climate Leader” for COP26

SBI Alumni if.Vehicles Launch if.Micro Electric Vehicle

Celebrating Black Entrepreneurship: Inspiring Enterpreneurs to Watch

Getting a new energy storage solution off to a flying start

Sustainable Innovation Researchers Awarded 'The Best Paper Award'

Helping a Vertical Farming Business Flourish and Grow

Simulating Sudan’s Weather to Boost Prospects for Solar Start-up

Getting Pumped about a New Low Carbon Heat System

Harnessing Electric Car Charging to Balance the Grid

Developing an App to Help Reduce Carbon Footprints

Shining a Light on Blinds, Shades, and Carbon Footprints

Meet Sustainable Innovation's New Cohort

Turning Waste into a Precious Resource

Helping If.Vehicles Secure £750k Investment

Innovating Edible Packaging with Skipping Rocks Labs

Researching the Carbon Offset of Alternatives to Steel

Frequently Asked Questions

Meet Our Team