NEW SURVEY ON SME R&D NEEDS FOR INNOVATION IN ADVANCED MATERIALS

A new survey from the Henry Royce Institute for advanced materials is aimed at supporting SMEs on their on their innovation journey to develop the advanced materials that will contribute to the game-changing products, services and engineered solutions that will improve all our lives.  From increased durability and lightweighting to improved functionality and sustainability.

Royce, which coordinates over £300 million of state-of-the-art facilities across its 11 Partners, would like to better understand both the barriers that SMEs face in developing and adopting advanced materials, and the role Royce should play in supporting innovation and technology translation.
This includes, for example, the type of support and capability required, specific sector-based needs, the type of technical support or training that might facilitate or de-risk the development and adoption advanced materials and how to best target Government funding.

Dr Ania Jolly, Head of Research and Business Engagement, said:

“Our ability to design new materials and to modify those which exist holds huge potential. For example we can now modify the structure of materials at the atomic scale; innovation in materials is now transforming engineering and manufacturing, and indeed our world.
“The transition to net-zero, improved health outcomes and sustainability are of course all key drivers, reflecting Royce’s vision for advanced materials for a sustainable society. We very much want Royce to play a key role in helping UK SMEs to develop the high-value products that will both support this vison as well as economic growth nationally and regionally. “

Royce has welcomed the Government’s UK Innovation Strategy: Leading the future by creating it which sets out plans to cement the UK’s position as a world-leader in science, research and innovation. The report confirmed seven technology families of “UK strength and opportunity” including Advanced Materials & Manufacturing.
If you are a SME, or you work closely with SMEs, complete the survey here
The results will be published on the Royce website in October.