FAQs

 Frequently asked questions

• What are Kick Start Awards?
• How much funding is available?
• How do I find a partner?
• What is required in the Final Report?
• What about confidentiality and intellectual property?
• Is this State Aid?
• How does the University decide who should get a grant?
• What is the deadline for applications?
• Where can I get help with my application?
• What happens next?
• How do I claim the grant?
• Where does the funding for Kick Start Awards come from?

What are Kick Start Awards?

Kick Start Awards are intended to stimulate academic and industrial engagement by providing funding to buy out an academic's time spent on small projects between the University and Scottish SMEs (Small to Medium-sized Enterprises). Helping to build relationships between SMEs and academics and facilitate collaborative work that will lead to new commercial opportunities that benefit the enterprises, the University and the Scottish economy.

The output of the projects should, preferably, reflect the value to be obtained from any partnerships on an ongoing basis and the potential to develop a new commercial opportunity that can bring benefit to the participants and to the Scottish economy.

Projects that allow the participants (of whom there must be two or more) to assess both the potential and feasibility of a new product, process or market are strongly encouraged. These feasibility studies should focus on opportunities that can either; attract follow-on funding from existing sources, demonstrate a clear route to market or indicate a step change in current processes within a company. 

How much funding is available?

The grants of up to £5000 per project are awarded to a University School/Department to evaluate the feasibility of applying research expertise to a market-led problem. This should be of relevance to a Scottish SME who should be a contributing partner to the study. The value of the company contribution is normally expected to match the grant contribution from the Award.

To encourage participants, maximise the effectiveness of the programme and deliver results to each SME, a simple, quick-response application process has been created. There are no restrictions on the number of Kick Start Awards that an SME or academic can apply for and there is also flexibility in the way in which the funding may be committed, however, all expenditure must be clearly accounted for in the Final Report. 

How do I find a partner?

Research & Innovation (R&I) will help match academic expertise with SME partners.  We would encourage academics who are already working with Scottish SMEs to contact R&I to discuss possible projects.

For SMEs seeking suitable academic expertise, R&I will provide assistance to help you find research projects and researchers working in your area of interest. 

What is required in the Final Report?

The Final Report is in two parts and is produced jointly by the partners but primarily led by the academic partner. Part 1 should detail the work done during the project and outline the outcome of the study. Part 1 will be available for publication and for use by Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government. Part 2 of the Final Report is NOT for publication. It will include detailed accounting of all project expenditure and full details of the SME contribution. If the Final Report contains any confidential material, then this should be included in Part 2 which will only be available to the project partners. 

What about confidentiality and intellectual property?

The academic/s and SME/s applying for the Kick Start Award must consider both confidentiality and intellectual property prior to submitting their application. Given the value of the Award, it is considered unlikely that significant levels of intellectual property will be generated during the project. However, the applicants should evaluate the potential for generating intellectual property and address this within a suitable collaboration agreement between the SME and the University of Aberdeen which must be in place in order to take up the grant. The University's technology transfer office, R&I, is the designated contractual authority for the University and can assist both parties in drafting the agreement, so it is strongly recommended that applicants make contact with R&I at the earliest opportunity.

It will be a condition of the Award that the SME is able to exploit any foreground intellectual property within their business sector. 

Is this State Aid?

Under EC regulation 1998/2006 ("the de minimis aid regulation") this is a de minimis aid to an SME.  There is a ceiling of €200,000 for all de minimis aid provided to any one firm over a 3-year period.  Any de minimis aid awarded to you under this grant will be relevant if you wish to apply, or have applied, for any other de minimis aid.

Further information regarding state aid issues is available at www.stateaidscotland.gov.uk.

How does the University decide who should get a grant?

Decisions on applications will be made by the Vice Principal for Research and Knowledge Exchange and the Director and Deputy Director of Research & Innovation on the recommendation of the R&I technology transfer team. Proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria (applications do not necessarily have to satisfy all of these criteria but will be considered on their merits):-

• The involvement of two or more partners, one of which must be an SME based in Scotland.
• How the collaboration will ultimately lead to new commercial opportunities that can bring benefit to the participants and to the Scottish economy.
• Quality of the work proposed in the project.
• The creation of long-term relationships between SMEs and the academic base (e.g. partnerships that have not jointly received funding from any source).
• Leverage potential (e.g. the potential to attract follow-on funding from other sources).
• Value for money (e.g. the amount of effort relative to the funding requested). 

What is the deadline for applications?

Applications can be submitted at any time and there is no closing date. 

Where can I get help with my application?

General enquiries regarding Kick Start Awards should be directed to Research & Innovation who will help you find the right member of the team to help you. 

What happens next?

Acknowledgement that we have received your completed application form will be given within 2 working days of submission.  You will receive notification of the outcome of your application no later than 20 working days from receipt of all the required information. If your application is successful, subject to verification of status, the University School/unit you have chosen to work with will be offered a grant of up to £5000 to carry out the work proposed in your application. 

How do I claim the grant?

The grant is payable to the University School/unit which is involved, in arrears and will be paid on receipt of the Final Report detailing how the Kick Start Award was used which meets with the criteria specified in the project application. 

Where does the funding for Kick Start Awards come from?

The University of Aberdeen is working with the University of Glasgow's Innovation Network to provide Kick Start Awards, which is in part financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and co-funded by the Scottish Government's SEEKIT Programme.