SMART Partnerships
Funds collaborative R&D between Wales-based businesses and knowledge-base partners, with the Welsh Government covering 100% of the academic or research partner's eligible costs.
Eligibility · Wales (UK)
SMART Partnerships funds collaborative R&D projects between a Welsh business and a knowledge-base partner — a university (HE), further education college (FE), research and technology organisation (RTO), or a Catapult centre. The Welsh Government covers 100% of the knowledge-base partner's eligible project costs; the business is required to contribute a minimum 50% match of the knowledge-base partner's eligible costs. Projects run for 6 to 12 months.
The programme is business-driven: the Welsh company must be the applicant of record and must demonstrate the capacity and resources to exploit the project outcomes commercially. Applications are submitted jointly by the business and the knowledge-base partner, but the business's need is what defines the scope and direction.
Award amounts are not published on the current programme page — the programme is assessed on a case-by-case basis (marked as absent in the engine log). Priority sectors are: digital transformation, net zero and decarbonisation, agri-tech and food, creative industries and media, life sciences and biotech, and materials and manufacturing.
To apply, email the Business Wales innovation team at SmartFIS@businesswales.wales. A specialist will assess eligibility and, if suitable, invite a formal joint application. There is no published deadline — applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Key practical constraints: the business must have an active base of operations in Wales; work done before receiving a formal offer is ineligible; and the project must represent a significant technical challenge, not incremental improvement.
Applied research and experimental development addressing a meaningful technical challenge. The project must be business-driven with clear commercial application in Wales. Priority sectors: digital transformation, net zero and decarbonisation, agri-tech and food, creative industries, life sciences and biotech, materials and manufacturing.
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