The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to £15m in collaborative research and development projects that stimulate innovation across our key enabling technology areas – advanced materials; biosciences; electronics, photonics and electrical systems; information and communications technology; and nanoscale technologies.

This competition is co-funded by Scottish Enterprise with up to £2.75m of additional funding. Our focus is on projects where recent technological discoveries or breakthroughs have inspired people to innovate in a context of significant technology risk, or have led to ideas that are yet to find applications in a recognised market or business sector. Innovation in these key enabling technology areas can be a significant driver of economic growth and enhance quality of life.

Proposals should be collaborative and led by a business. We expect to invest between £250k and £500k in each project, although projects outside this range will be considered. We are primarily looking to fund applied research projects attracting 50% public funding.

This is a two-stage competition. It opens on 31 October 2011 and the deadline for registration is at noon on 30 November,2011. The second stage for invited applicants opens on 6 February 2011 and the deadline for completed applications is at noon on 21 March2011. A briefing event will be held in London on 10 November 2011.