Funding for UK-South Korea data driven urban innovation

Innovate UK has allocated up to £4 million to fund UK innovation projects over the two phases of this bilateral UK-South Korea competition

The aim is to fund business led, collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects which link activities in the UK and South Korea.

Phase 1 is currently open for applications and is offering up to £1 million to CR&D feasibility projects lasting up to eight months.

The Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA) will match the UK funding to support South Korean participants.

Eligible projects

Projects must focus on exploring the potential of proposed data driven innovations in cities that will deliver positive impact around key urban issues. They should also fall within one of the four competition themes:

• mobility innovation solutions
• disaster management solutions
• net zero energy optimisation solutions
• other data-centric innovative solutions

Successful projects from Phase 1 may get the opportunity to apply into Phase 2 for further support with testing, iteration, and eventual commercialisation.

Who can apply?

The Phase 1 of this competition is open to UK-registered businesses:

• seeking a grant between £50,000 and £120,000 for a project lasting six to eight months
• collaborating with at least South Korean partner that has secured KAIA funding

Your project must start by 1 July 2024 and end by 28 February 2025.

South Korean partners must be a separate legal entity not linked to the UK partners to ensure that projects encourage genuine international collaboration and not internal company research.

Find out more about the UK - South Korea data driven urban innovation bilateral.

First published 23 January 2024