Innovate UK seeks innovative Advanced Manufacturing companies for its Global Incubator Programme with Singapore.

Note: This opportunity is fully funded support and not monetary funding.

Innovate UK’s Global Incubator Programme is an acceleration programme for innovative businesses to work with world leading incubators abroad.

We are currently accepting applications for up to eight innovative companies in the Advanced Manufacturing technology sector to join SDTA’s Global Incubator in Singapore.

The aim is to deliver this initiative physically and virtually, including two week-long visits to Singapore in March/April and October 2025 with 6-months programme activity delivered virtually.

We are committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of this programme. As such we welcome applications from those under-represented in the Advanced manufacturing technology sector.

About GIP
We are looking for businesses with the ambition and commitment to scale globally. The programme best suits businesses that already have some traction and sales in the UK that are now looking to innovate their products and services through building global partnerships and collaborations to accelerate their growth and scaling journey. Where the business proposition could grow faster in Singapore than the UK, for example in certain industrial biology applications, we are receptive to applications from earlier stage businesses. We are also open to Advanced Materials propositions where engagement with the Advanced Manufacturing ecosystem is critical to global expansion. The CEO, founder or a senior decision maker from the company needs to commit to being involved in all stages of the programme. To be eligible for the Global Incubator Programme, you must be a small or medium sized company based in the UK.

The three stages of the programme are as follows:

Prepare
Online preparation workshops will be delivered to the entire cohort whilst in the UK. You will be allocated an Innovate UK Business Growth innovation and growth specialist to work with in the UK who will work with you on your strategic action plan for the programme. You will receive an overview of the innovation and sector landscape of the country’s market, a full briefing on the programme and working with the incubator, and support to better present and articulate your business and the value proposition. We will provide one-to-one support to help shape your first visit.

Pursue
This 6-month stage of the programme is about working with the incubator. The programme will see a visit to the market at the beginning (31/3-4/4), providing the opportunity to consider technology and market fit, preliminary customer validation and an introduction to ecosystem players. This will be followed by regular (weekly or fortnightly) virtual sessions with the incubator team, mentors, and experts, to do a deep dive into understanding what it takes to be successful in accessing the market. The final part is a second visit to the market (13-17 October), including a demo day to showcase the achievements of the cohort and attendance of the ITAP expo (14-16 October), continuing to raise the profile and make connections for the businesses involved.

Exploit
Work with your Innovate UK Business Growth innovation and growth specialist to continue to exploit the programme, building on all the connections, knowledge, and expertise gained. You should now be in a much better position with the necessary understanding and networks to accelerate your global growth and scaling journey.
Who can apply?
To apply for this programme, you must:
Be the CEO, founder or a senior decision maker in the business
Be a UK based business with fewer than 250 employees
Have a focus on Advanced Manufacturing

Why Singapore?
The Singapore Manufacturing 2030 Vision sets out a 10 year plan to grow the sector by 50%. As the world progresses towards industry 4.0, sectors in advanced manufacturing are growing in importance to help materialize this vision. Leading firms across industrial sectors such as GE Aerospace, Micron, and Merck have chosen Singapore as a strategic manufacturing hub.

Singapore is the world’s 4th largest global exporter of high-tech goods and produces 4 of the world’s top 10 drugs. Singapore is a critical manufacturing base producing a diverse range of medical technology products from implantable pacemakers, to contact lenses and life science instruments for global markets. Virtually every key gadget today has parts created in Singapore. You most likely own a piece of Singapore’s electronics industry, industry, from Seagate’s hard disk drives and HP Inc’s print heads to Energizer’s iconic batteries.

Our Incubation Partner
Singapore Deep-Tech Alliance (SDTA) is Singapore’s leading innovation platform and venture builder that empowers founders to rapidly build, validate and scale Industry 4.0 startups. Through their innovation and venture builder programmes, SDTA works with businesses to reduce the environmental footprint and solve global challenges through revolutionary solutions.

SDTA’s portfolio of companies represent industry-leading solutions across the advanced manufacturing sector. SDTA is supported by Enterprise Singapore, HighTechXL, XNode, AStartCentral and National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC). For more information about SDTA, visit sdta.sg

What is the cost?
Innovate UK will fund and organise flights, accommodation, in-market travel, and additional fees such as for conference attendance for successful applicants. Innovate UK will also pay for any reasonable adjustments throughout the initiative.

Only one representative from each company will be funded; second delegates from businesses are welcome at your expense. On acceptance to the initiative a commitment fee of £2000 will be obtained from each business, which will be refunded on completion of the full activities and agreed action plan.

Non-completion after formal acceptance may result in forfeiting some or all the commitment fee.
Focus areas
We would welcome applications from innovative companies who are developing technology that enables or improves processes and productivity. Singapore Deep-Tech Alliance primarily supports deep-tech businesses, by which we mean businesses built on patented (or patentable) technologies. Applicants with software-only solutions will need to clearly articulate technical depth and competitive advantage. The Innovate UK materials and manufacturing vision 2050 identifies these key themes:

- Materials for the future economy.

- Smart design.

- Resilient supply chains.

- World-class production.

- Longer use and reuse of products and materials.

Benefits of the programme
- Advisory support - Guidance from sector experts and experienced entrepreneurs in Singapore and from an Innovate UK Business Growth innovation and growth specialist.
- Tools and services - Webinars, information sessions, peer-to-peer guidance, and access to marketing and communication expertise.
- Access and introductions - Connections to Singapore-based customers and partners.
- Connections to capital - Introductions to VCs and corporates looking to invest in new ventures.
- Connections to talent - Support with finding and recruiting skilled workers from Singapore and the world.
- Professional network - Participate in a vibrant community of Advanced Manufacturing entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
- Exploit the opportunity – support to help maximise the opportunity.
- The programme will be delivered through a combination of online sessions and two visits to Singapore.
Dates, briefing and support
To learn more about the programme, including hearing how this has worked for previous delegates, register for the applicant briefing event on the 10th December 2024 at 9.30 UK time.

Watch the applicant briefing recording here: Briefing Recording

Offline application form can be found here: Offline Application Form

Key Dates:

Closing date for applications: 11AM on 20 January 2025

Shortlist interviews: 8-11AM on 4 or 5 February 2025

First market visit: 31 March – 4 April 2025 (29 March – 6 April with travel)

Second market visit: 13 – 17 October 2025 (11 – 19 October with travel)

For more information, assistance with your application or to discuss accessibility needs, please contact the Kevin Hallas: kevin.hallas@iukbg.ukri.org.
Section 1: Applicant Information

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* 1. Applicant Name
This should be a senior person from the business who will be involved in all stages of the Programme.

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* 2. Position

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* 3. Email

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* 4. Phone

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* 5. ext.

Company Information

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* 6. Company Name

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* 7. Company Address

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* 8. Company Registration No.

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* 9. Website

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* 10. Number of Employees

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* 11. Annual Turnover

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* 12. Company Stage

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* 13. Company Key Words - Select up to 3 focus areas that are relevant to your business

Section 2: Business Information and suitability with scope and objectives

All questions in this section are mandatory. An incomplete application will not be considered.

This section is your opportunity to provide information that will be assessed against the scope and objectives for the programme.

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* 14. International Cooperation - Please use this field to indicate if you are already involved in international activities. If yes please provide a brief description and also mention if you have previously participated in a Global Business Innovation Programme

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* 15. Pitch Deck Upload
Alternatively, if you are unable to attach your pitch deck or you would prefer to email this through. Please email this to Kevin.Hallas@iukbg.ukri.org

PDF, DOC, DOCX, PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF file types only.
Choose File

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* 16. Please give a short description of the new product(s) and/or service(s) your business is developing - what is innovative about them and why do you think they fit the advanced manufacturing scope? (It may help to refer to the “Focus areas” guidance) Also state at what stage the new product or service you are developing is at (i.e. pre- R&D, in early R&D phase, prototyping/testing or full product in the market) (1000 characters max)

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* 17. Does your business own the IP in your technology/product?

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* 18. Have you formed any partnerships to support the production and/or distribution of your products?

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* 19. What do you think your company could achieve from participating in the programme? i.e. how will this support your growth strategy in terms of increasing turnover, employee numbers, increase profits, etc. (1000 characters max)

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* 20. Why are you specifically interested in working with Singapore and the Asian market and which Asian markets are you looking to expand into in the next 12-18 months? (Indonesia/ Thailand / Vietnam / etc.)

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* 21. What is your understanding of the competitive landscape? (identify where possible the UK market conditions vs Singapore and the Asian market conditions) Also, explain how will working with Asian collaboration partners help further develop or/and further exploit your innovation (1500 characters max)

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* 22. Describe your team and why they are well positioned to tackle this market opportunity. (1000 characters max)

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* 23. What is the climate impact of your technology or business? (1000 characters max)

Section 3: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We are committed to ensuring that there are no barriers to enabling diverse participation in the programme.

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* 24. What is your age?

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* 25. Please can you tell us your gender?

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* 26. Are your activities ever affected by a disability, impairment or long-term illness which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months?

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* 27. Do you have any caring responsibilities? If yes, please tick all that apply

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* 28. What is your religion or belief?

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* 29. Please can you tell us your ethnicity?

Section 4: ELIGIBILTY & SELECTION
Recruitment of businesses into the Global Incubator Programme will be in three stages: -

First Stage Selection - application and suitability criteria

This application form will be used for the recruitment of businesses onto the programme and will be managed by the Innovate UK Business Growth Delivery Manager on behalf of Innovate UK. To participate in this Global Incubator Programme your business must be established in the UK. If your business is not registered in the UK, your application will be rejected.

The Global Incubator Programme is designed to support businesses to grow and scale. Businesses with up to 250 employees (in Northern Ireland with fewer than 250 employees, a turnover of less than €50 million, or a balance sheet total of less than €43 million) are eligible to apply through this could include early-stage, micro and mature businesses. There are no firm guidelines on turnover requirements.

The following criteria will be used to shortlist the applicants at the first stage:

1. Programme fit: Must be a highly innovative company and fit with the Global Incubation Programme focus

2. Ambition: Must show ambition for growth and how participating in the programme can help them to achieve this.

3. Product market fit: The product has the potential to fit with the ecosystem and market of the partner country.

4. Capability: Must have sufficient expertise and resources to exploit the opportunities from the programme

5. Level of innovation impact: Given the competitive markets of the Global Incubation Programme, the company should offer a strong product or service which has a positive impact on climate change.

Second Stage Selection - panel interviews

A panel comprising a Lead Specialist from the Innovate UK Business Growth Partner team, the relevant Innovate UK Innovation Lead(s) and the Global Incubator Programme Manager and a representative from the partner incubator (SDTA) will shortlist the applicants and conduct short interviews with businesses. Further details will be provided after first stage process completed.

Third Stage - financial checks

Innovate UK will undertake financial background checks on the businesses (or directors if company is less than 3 years old) to ensure the business is viable and does not have any outstanding CCJs.

There are a limited number of places available on each Global Incubator Programme and only businesses that have passed these three stages, and have scored highly, will be offered a place on the programme.

Businesses that have taken part in previous Global Incubator Programmes

Companies who have taken part in a previous Global Incubator Programme are not eligible to participate in any new programmes unless by exception where clear additional benefit and impact can be demonstrated through the application process. These applications should be treated as exceptional.

Only one participant per company will be eligible for a funded place on a programme

- second and subsequent delegates are able to apply to attend once the company has secured a place on the incubator, but they would need to pay their own expenses.

Subsidy Control

Businesses less than 250 FTE can receive up to a maximum amount of £344,600 (€200,00 in Northern Ireland) of innovation advisory and support services provided through Innovate UK Business Growth over a rolling 3-year period. The limit of £344,600 relates purely to the support that a business receives through Innovate UK Business Growth and is not related to what was previously de minimis support or similar types of support provided by others.

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* 30. Please Provide:
Funding body I Purpose I Amount(€) I Year

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* 31. Existing Innovate UK support
Please list any grants that you have previously received from Innovate UK. Please provide Year, Amount of grant received, Programme

Section 5: Terms and Conditions
Each participant in the programme is expected to complete the formal contract with Innovate UK. The contract also details our expectations if the company should leave the programme without adequate reason.

Innovate UK has the following expectations of participants:
• Be committed - be involved in all parts of the programme and play an active role.
• Maximise your chances - work closely with the advisors.
• Demonstrate sufficient investment - ensure that you have the resources to participate effectively.
• Develop and implement an impact focused strategic development plan - working closely with your adviser.
• Engage an appropriate representative in the programme - discuss this with your adviser.
• Support and challenge each other.

On acceptance to the initiative a commitment fee of £2000 will be obtained from each business, which will be refunded on completion of the full activities and agreed action plan. Non-completion after formal acceptance may result in forfeiting some or all the commitment fee.

We take your data very seriously and are committed to the privacy and security of it. Our Privacy Statement explains the types of personal data we may collect about you and how we'll store and handle that data, and keep it safe. This is a joint programme and your data will be shared with Innovate UK and our partner incubator for the purposes of administering & following up this programme. Their privacy policy is available at https://www.gov.uk/help/terms-conditions.

By submitting this application you are agreeing to the above.

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