Project Management
Project Management Services
With limited resources and with projects often becoming more complex financially, technically and logistically, the role of the project manager has emerged as being pivotal to a project's success. Burgundy Gold has established a reputation for providing high quality project management services specifically focused on delivery of internal R&D as well as external multi-partner collaborative projects. We ensure that each client's objectives are clearly defined, with full knowledge of the implications of all the different options. Practical help takes the form of budget planning and management, meeting organization and reports preparation, as well as liaising with grant bodies, the EU, UK and International government departments, regional development agencies, charities and other funding bodies.
Example externally funded project include those funded by the UK Technology Strategy Board, GRAND and the Carbon Trust.
Assistance in obtaining the funding through preparation of the funding application is also offered. In the last 2-3 years Burgundy Gold has obtained in excess of £3M of funding for UK businesses.
Some examples of possible grant funding include:
Grant for Research and Development
Grant for R&D is designed to help individuals and small and medium-sized businesses research and develop technologically innovative products and processes.
The following help is available:
- Micro Projects are simple low cost development projects lasting no longer than 12 months. The output should be a simple prototype of a novel or innovative product or process. A grant of up to £20,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 10 employees.
- Research Projects typically involve planned research or critical investigation lasting between 6 and 18 months. The result of the project could be new scientific or technical knowledge that may be useful in developing a new product or process. A grant of up to £100,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
- Development Projects involve the shaping of industrial research into a pre-production prototype of a technologically innovative product or industrial process. A grant of up to £250,000 is available for businesses with fewer than 250 employees.
- Exceptional Projects involve technology developments which have higher costs. These projects are likely to generate much wider economic benefits and must have strategic importance for a technology or industrial sector. A grant of up to £500,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 250 employees.
Grants for R&D are available from Regional Development Agencies (RDAs). RDAs are responsible for appraising applications and deciding which projects to support in their region. They also pay grant claims and monitor the progress of supported projects
Technology Strategy Board
Collaborative Research and Development
Collaborative R&D is a primary delivery mechanism of the UK Government's Technology Strategy. It is designed to assist the industrial and research communities to work together on R&D projects in strategically important areas of science, engineering and technology - from which successful new products, processes and services can emerge. Regular competitions for funding of Collaborative R&D projects have been held since 2004, and by June 2007 a portfolio of over 600 projects was being supported with a combined business and Government investment in excess of £900 million. In the past year the scope of the Collaborative R&D competitions has been expanded to support large projects as well as smaller projects approved within faster timescales.
The Technology Strategy Board has identified six Key Technology Areas, priorities identified through consultation with business, which help set the priorities for Collaborative R&D and develop a longer lead-time for future competitions.
The Key Technology Areas are:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Advanced Materials
- Bioscience
- Electronics, Photonics & Electrical Technologies
- Information and Communication Technologies
Carbon Trust
Applied Research Grant funding is available to businesses and research institutions and aims to support the development and commercialisation of technology with the potential to reduce UK carbon dioxide emissions. As such we are endeavoring to encourage and support the progress of low carbon technologies towards large scale deployment.
When a call-for-proposals is open you can apply on-line for a grant of up to £250K towards the cost of your project. A minimum 40% match funding is required, and, to be successful your project must demonstrate:
- Genuine innovation and the potential to contribute to substantial reductions in UK greenhouse gas emissions
- That the work is a well planned and builds on previous work in the area
- That the results of the work will allow a clear step forward on the path towards commercialisation
- That it represents good value for money
- Provides demonstrative benefit to the UK
The Carbon Trust operates a two stage application process, with a competitive element at both stages. To date all of our calls have been substantially over-subscribed and competition has been intense. Successful projects closely match our selection criteria and only those proposals that make a strong case against all of the criteria have the prospect of progressing to the next stage in the process.
There are two stages to the application process: initial on-line application, followed by full proposal. we use independent, external assessors to help inform our decisions and selection for funding is extremely competitive. The final decision rests with the Carbon Trust and is not subject to appeal.