Notice

Unlocking Space for Business Grant Call – Q&A

Updated 8 April 2024

1. When does the grant call close?

The grant call closes at 4pm BST on Wednesday 22 May 2024. Applications must be submitted to commercial@ukspaceagency.gov.uk by this time.

2. How many projects are you looking to fund?

No limit has been set, however the total amount of grant funding available is £3.5m including VAT.

3. Can you define partners and sub-contractors?

If you are collaborating with another organisation or company, then they are your project partner and will be included in your proposal. If you wish to sub-contract some work, then that company cannot be considered as a project partner as payment to them will be made from the award and they will therefore be included in the costs of the project.

4. Can you expand on what other enabling technologies could be?

Pilot projects may involve complementary terrestrial data and technologies, including but not limited to AI, machine learning, quantum, drones and geospatial data.

5. What if we identify an application outside of the Financial Services or Transport & Logistics sectors. Can we still apply?

No. Projects must provide benefit to an end-user business within either the Financial Services or Transport & Logistics sectors.

6. Can Unlocking Space for Business SBRI recipients/project teams apply?

The grant call is open to innovative pilot projects that use of satellite data and services alongside complementary terrestrial technologies in the Financial Services and Transport & Logistics sectors. This grant call is targeting medium-to-high technology readiness level (TRL) solutions that can deliver a tangible end-user benefit within the 9-month maximum project duration. Projects must be ready to commence in July 2024. The lead applicant must be an end-user business within either the Financial Services or Transport & Logistics sectors. We will not fund projects that are being funded elsewhere in the UK Space Agency or UK Government.

7. If we miss the deadline, will we be able to submit after the set date?

We cannot accept any late applications unless a failure on the part of UKSA has been identified, where all applicants will given extra time. Applications must be submitted to commercial@ukspaceagency.gov.uk by 4pm BST on Wednesday 22 May 2024.

8. How will applications be evaluated?

Applications will be assessed by a team of evaluators from UKSA and our delivery partner, the Satellite Applications Catapult. Annex F clearly defines the scoring criteria, how each response will be marked and what a good response would include.

9. Is there any font and font size recommended for answers on the application form?

Applications for project funding shall take the form of a proposal in single-spaced typescript (minimum font size 12-point, including diagrams and tables).

10. What if we can’t explain our proposal in the limits of the page count?

All applications are required to adhere to the specified page limits per question. Anything over the specified count will be disregarded by evaluators.

11. What are the reporting requirements for successful grants? 

As set out in the Announcement of Opportunity, the lead end-user will provide a monthly progress report that shows evidence of progress against milestone/deliverables in their project plan. On acceptance of the evidenced milestone/deliverable, the grant recipient will be invited to provide an invoice detailing the spend against each budgetary category for that milestone/deliverable.

12. Will there be any funding after this call to further develop any product or service that may come from these pilots?  

No further funding commitment decision has been made at this point.  

13. Can we exceed the £400,000 maximum limit of grant funding available in our application?  

No. We have a limited total grant fund and would like to support as many projects as possible.  

14. We think we will need some mobilisation funds to kick off a pilot. Can we invoice expenditure for pre-pilot set up?  

No. This grant call is for pilot projects that can deliver a tangible end-user benefit within the 9-month maximum project duration.  

15. What is match funding and why is match funding required for this call? 

Match funding refers to the requirement for the grant recipient to contribute a portion of the total project costs themselves. Match funding is a requirement for UK Space Agency grants as it ensures shared investment in projects, encourages collaboration and innovation, and enhances the overall impact and sustainability of funded initiatives. Match funding is a requirement under the Subsidy Control Scheme that the call is being awarded under. Failure to provide the level of match funding will make any proposal ineligible under this call. 

16. Does the maximum grant award offered include the match funding contribution?  

The maximum grant offered is the total amount that will be awarded to the project. Annex D (USB Finance Sheet) sets out the match funding intervention rates for different sizes of organisations.  

17. Will you pay invoices after the 24th of March 2025 for pilot wind down?  

Yes, we will process invoices after projects have finished, for work completed prior to the end of projects on 24 March 2025.  

18. What if we can’t get formal agreements in place with partners within 60 days?  

This is a requirement of the project and will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. 

19. Can we make changes to the GFA (Grant Funding Agreement)?  

No material changes to the terms will be considered. Minor changes may be considered if an applicant can demonstrate that agreeing to the provision within the Grant Funding Agreement would result in the applicant breaching its statutory or regulatory obligations. Grant applicants wishing to propose changes should not make changes directly to templates but engage with the call lead and advice will be provided. Any proposed amendments must be submitted prior to or with your submission. 

20. Should the GFA be signed at the time of the application?  

No. GFAs will be signed following an award notice has been issued

The following questions were asked during the Grant Call Webinar held on 10th April 2024:

21. Is there an opportunity to collaborate with others on this call. Perhaps a networking event for those wishing to collaborate would be very useful. 

The Unlocking Space for Business programme has run networking events, bringing together end-user businesses in the Financial Services and Transport & Logistics sectors, space suppliers and integrator organisations. Our upcoming Transport & Logistics networking event, ‘Unlocking Satellite-driven Insights for Transport and Logistics’, will take place on Monday 29 April 2024. Find out more and register your attendance here. 

22. As evidence of future success, it may help to show letters of support.  Is there any scope for adding them beyond the 2 page “supporting materials”?  Or another way to convey such support? 

Up to a maximum of two additional sides of A4 may be included with your application form (e.g. text, diagrams, or photographs) to support your application, which could include any further information that you feel has not been captured within the questions. Any other material submitted will not be included in the grant assessment.  

23. Does previous ESA grant funding in the last 3 years count towards the subsidy calculation under the current rules? 

No, ESA Grant funding does not count towards the cumulation rules, under the streamlined route. 

24. As a satellite data services provider, we had intended to lead a proposal ourselves, but you have stated the expectation is that the proposal will be led by an End-User. Will there be any consortium event or opportunity. 

Please refer to our previous response about networking events.  

25. Who can you recommend to give advice/support in filling out the application? 

Please refer to the recording of the Grant Call Webinar for information about completing the application form. If you have any further questions about completing the application form, please email commercial@ukspaceagency.gov.uk 

26. Could we have clarification on how the funding contributes to MFA and how this relates to match contributions?  The guidance states that intervention rates apply unless “the bidder seeks to claim exemption from having to make a contribution under MFA”. Does this mean that funding only contributes to a company’s MFA if no match contribution is made? 

This funding will be awarded in line with the streamlined scheme for Research Development & innovation, which identifies clear intervention rates (match funding requirements) for applicants. The option to apply under an exemption via Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA) is possible for those enterprises that meet the eligibility criteria identified within the scheme (i.e. will not have exceeded their MFA allocation within the relevant window).  Applicants are free to apply under MFA if they can demonstrate they meet the eligibility criteria. Only funding applied for under MFA, and awarded, would count towards MFA total. 

27. Can Local Authorities apply as the lead applicant? 

The lead applicant must be an end-user business within either the Financial Services or Transport & Logistics sectors. 

28. What are Technology Readiness Levels? What do you mean by medium-high TRL?  

Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) are a type of measurement system used to assess the maturity level of a particular technology. There are 9 technology readiness levels. TRL 1 is the lowest and TRL 9 is the highest. We expect Unlocking Space for Business grant pilot project applications to be mid-TRL (i.e. TRL 5 or above), with an ambition to increase the project’s TRL as it progresses.