SMART: SCOTLAND Grants

Are you a small or medium-sized business seeking to develop a new product, process or service? SMART: SCOTLAND grant can support technically focused feasibility studies to help discover if your idea will work in the real world. Check your eligibility and start the application process.

What is SMART: SCOTLAND?

The SMART: SCOTLAND grant is one of our research and development (R&D) grants that aims to support high-risk, highly ambitious projects. It provides support to conduct feasibility studies. It’s only available to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) based in Scotland, and supports activities that have a commercial endpoint.

What projects can SMART: SCOTLAND funding support?

The grant can support feasibility studies that help to show your idea could work in the real world. Your business will need to own any intellectual property (IP) generated from your project. The projects should fit with our new focus on economic transformation.

The SMART grant aims to support our priority areas for economic transformation. These are:

• Creating an internationally competitive energy transition industry in Scotland
• Scaling the impact of Scotland’s innovation strengths into high-growth industries of the future
• Driving capital investment to deliver a step-change in Scotland’s productivity

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible if:

• You’re a small or medium-sized business, university spin-out or an individual
• You’re based, or planning to set up, in Scotland
• Your project represents an advance in technological innovation for the UK industry or sector concerned
• There are technical risks and challenges associated with defining and developing the technology
• You own, or have rights to use, the intellectual property required to undertake the project
• You’ll own all intellectual property developed during the project
• You have the necessary management and technical expertise and resources (either in-house or brought-in) to make the project a success
• Both the project and the business are financially viable
• Financial assistance from SMART: SCOTLAND is essential for the project to go ahead

Fair work and net zero criteria

All companies which are awarded SMART: SCOTLAND grant funding need to meet the Scottish Government’s approach to Fair Work and net zero. This will include:

• Appropriate channels for effective voice, such as trade union recognition
• Payment of the Real Living Wage to all employees over the age of 16, including apprentices 
• Investment in workforce development
• No inappropriate use of zero hours contracts
• Take action to tackle the gender pay gap and create a more diverse and inclusive workplace
• Offer flexible and family friendly working practices for all workers from day one of employment
• Oppose the use of fire and rehire practice
• A credible plan in place to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045 at the latest

What level of funding is available for feasibility studies?

We can support up to 70% of the eligible costs for a small enterprise and up to 60% of the eligible costs for a medium enterprise. Studies must last between 6 and 18 months, and the maximum grant is £100,000. Feasibility is paid with a third of the grant in an upfront installment and the rest is quarterly in arrears.

Is it essential that a patent arises from the project?

No. Many inventions are protected by patent, but this is not the only way to protect intellectual property (IP). Our assessment process does, however, include a patent search to determine the level of innovation and identify any prior art.

Do I have to apply by a certain date?

No. SMART: SCOTLAND accepts new applications all year round.

You can find more about SMART: SCOTLAND following the link. 

If you need support with your application, feel free to get in touch with us at funding@innophyte.co.uk