PoC Funding

Proof of Concept Funding

The Biofortification Hub offers funding to support innovative research via Proof of Concept (PoC) awards to encourage and support collaboration between academics and industrialists on Biofortification.  

The awards will help pump-prime collaborative research projects of industrial relevance that could lead to a:

• Longer term relationship
• Route to commercial translation
• Clear potential for further funding
• New research technology transfer projects

OPEN PoC call (2023): Biofortification of food, feed and fodder

Open 20-03-2023

Deadline to submit proposal 01-06-2023 – call closed

Applications forms as well as the additional information requested (see PoC guidelines) should be sent to  biofortification.hub@nbi.ac.uk

PoC funding summary:

• Award up to £100K (£50K recommended)
• Project duration: up to 9-12 months
• Eligible costs include Directly Incurred costs + max 20% institution Overheads (Directly Allocated and Indirect Costs)
• Justification of why Overheads (if requested) are necessary to the project and should be covered
• Projects are costed at 100% Full Economic Cost (fEC) & funded at 80% fEC by the BBSRC/Biofortification Hub
• Cash or in-kind contribution from an industrial partner(s) based in the UK is expected (Business partner contribution examples are available from the Hub Manager)
• Funding is only available to UK institutions and principal applicants who are both eligible to BBSRC funding
• Membership of the biofortification hub is encouraged but not mandatory to apply for PoC funding. You can become a member simply by filling the form online.
• Detailed guidelines about PoC funding and how to apply are available in the download section above.

PoC funded projects:

• Successful applicant(s) will provide a public summary of the project (150 works)
• All successful applicants (including co-investigators and industry partners) must join the Biofortification Hub network. It only takes two minutes to apply for membership online.
• The academic applicant(s) and industrial partner(s) will agree a start date and will need to have a signed agreement in place prior to the project commencing
• A formal offer letter (including award Terms and Conditions) will be issued to the successful applicant
• A short report (authorised by the industrial partner for use in the public domain) and an expenditure statement (authorised by the applicant’s Institution) should be sent to the hub Manager within one month of project ending
• Once a project has been completed, funds will be transferred at 80% fEC from BBSRC to Quadram Institute Bioscience then to the awardee.