Analysis for innovators
The Innovate UK programme Analysis for Innovators is a very different type of programme from Innovate UK. It is focused on helping individual companies to solve tricky and, perhaps, long running technical challenges, affecting existing processes, products, or services.
The National Measurement Laboratory (NML) is a founding partner of the Analysis for Innovators Programme and is the UK’s designated institute for chemical and bio-measurement, supporting the work of the Government Chemist.
Through the Programme, we provide companies with access to our state-of-the-art measurement and analytical capabilities, helping them address problems and challenges in innovative ways, boosting their competitiveness and productivity. Other partners include, National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the National Engineering Laboratory (NEL), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Advanced Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies, Henry Royce Institute, National Gear Metrology Lab, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Newton Gateway to Mathematics.
Round 14
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing in small collaborative innovation projects working with their chosen Analysis for Innovators (A4I) partners to solve complex analysis and measurement challenges faced by companies.
The aim of the competition is to help businesses address their existing analysis and measurement problems related to products, services and process owned or used by the company. These are problems that can be best explored by scientists and cutting-edge facilities available in the UK.
The pivotal factor contributing to the success of Analysis for Innovators lies in the Brokerage Meetings facilitated between participating companies and experts affiliated with the program. These sessions provide an opportunity for companies to engage in discussions with experts willing to collaborate on addressing their specific challenges.
The competition is divided into 2 stages:
Stage 1 – Brokerage consultations with relevant analysis for innovators partners on potential approaches to solving your problem
And
Stage 2 – Application for a funded project.
Project size: If successful at stage 1, your stage 2 project’s total project costs will need to be between £15,000 and £100,000 and your project can be between 3-6 months in duration.
Why Collaborate with the National Measurement Laboratory?
Our chemical and biological measurement science supports the areas of health, food security & supply, defence & security, environmental protection & sustainability and renewable resources. Our work, which spans nanoparticles to small molecules, nucleic acids and peptides and proteins to cells, is based on the core platforms of mass spectrometry, nucleic acid quantification and flow cytometry.
We provide traceable and accurate standards of measurement, e.g., developing high quality nanomaterials to underpin standardisation or validating novel diagnostic technologies to support innovation. We play a leading role internationally to develop best practice and standardise measurements. We address measurement challenges of the future to foster innovation, promoting productivity and economic growth.
Who can apply:
To enter this phase of the competition, your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.
Your project must:
- meet the A4I problem scope requirements.
- relate to work being undertaken in the UK.
- intend to exploit the results from or in the UK.
- involve at least one of the A4I partner organisations.
How to apply:
Round 14 is now closed for applications.
Do you have a question for the NML? email us here
Supporting UK businesses
With ~110 staff based in sites in Teddington, Leeds, Glasgow and Belfast, our chemical and bio-measurement supports manufacture and trade, protects consumers, enhances skills, and improves quality of life.
The IUK Analysis for Innovators Programme allows the NML to engage directly with UK businesses to solve measurement challenges affecting existing processes, products or services, that ultimately help increase productivity and growth. Here are some examples of how NML expertise helped resolved different challenges:
Environmental – Using our mass spectrometry expertise (LC-MS and UV-Vis), we helped characterise an innovative product to remove carcinogens and developed methods to provide insight into the complex reaction monitoring process, to improve performance and product validation data and support certification.
Radiography - Using our solid state analysis (LA-ICP-MS) and high accuracy elemental analysis (ICP-MS) expertise, we provided quantitative results on the nanoparticle content and distribution of novel X-ray sensors, opening new market opportunities in the areas of healthcare, non-destructive testing and security.
Consumer products – Using our organic mass spectrometry expertise (LC-MS/MS), we conducted analysis to support the development of new bicycle lubricants, enabling a series of prototype lubricants to be fully characterised and assessed against performance, allowing for faster product development and more targeted performance gains.
Biotechnology (biocomputing) – Using our mass spectrometry expertise (LC-MSMS, LC-HRMS), we helped develop methods to analyse the 3D-printed materials integrated into bioprocessors and provide characterisation data to improve understanding of their reactivity and support further product development for safe and effective biocomputing.
Healthcare (therapeutics) – Using our mass spectrometry expertise (LC-MS, SECMS) we helped determine and optimise the body’s effect on a novel oligonucleotide drug delivery system and its pharmacokinetic profile, enabling preclinical studies to be completed in line with regulatory requirements to support the rapid commercialisation of a safe drug delivery method for novel therapeutics.
Biotechnology (therapeutics) - Using our quantitative single cell analysis capabilities (NGS), we helped develop and validate sequencing panels for specific cell types and applied these to existing cell therapy product pipelines, providing a novel and more rapid approach for product quality control to enable quicker product release with associated reduction costs.
Read our IUK Analysis for Innovators cases studies to find out how the NML helped companies with their measurement challenges in other sectors such as environmental monitoring or food.
BiologIC - 3D printing to manufacture bioprocessing units.
Air Quality Research – AQR optimises clean water treatment technology.
Puraffinity - tackling global water scarcity with game-changing innovation.
Coconut Collaborative Ltd - Rapid and robust screening approaches to support food quality control.
What our scientists have to say:
“The Programme is a great scheme that brings industry and the UK’s measurement laboratories closer for the benefit of both. As a Senior Researcher, I was very happy to take part.” Dorota Bartczak, Senior Researcher Nanometrology
What our scientists have to say:
“Analysis for Innovators provides an excellent opportunity for companies to access measurement resources to solve a complex problem, enabling them to grow and benefiting the economy. It is also a chance for us to apply the fundamental research we perform, supporting the quality of measurement in the UK beyond our core work of developing reference materials and standards.” Sarah Hill, Science Leader Inorganic Analysis
What our business partners have to say:
“As a young technology company, grants like the scheme have enabled us to access cutting edge techniques and equipment and experienced scientists that we could not otherwise access. This has really benefited BiologIC in our innovation and product development journey. Without such resources, we would not have been able to execute investigations around our core technology at a pace that supports our early commercial engagement. Furthermore, it has facilitated future collaborative work with experts in the field, all helping to bring our vision of building the world's first Biocomputer to reality.” Dr Colin Barker PhD FCMI, Chief Scientific Officer, BiologIC
"The Analysis for Innovators project has been instrumental in maintaining, as well as extending our market position. There is a growing requirement from our customers to guarantee our standards through analytical data. However, we work with advanced materials that cannot be characterised easily by commercial providers. The project connected us with NML, a world class materials characterisation facility that we would not otherwise be able to access. Through our collaboration with NML we have the data we need to, not only retain our place in the market, but also take on new customers and expand into new markets." Dr Zoe Tolkien - Research Director, Advanced Furnace Technology.
