UK Research and Innovation: Investment Boost for Three Industrial Strategy Challenge Funds

SWINDON, England, Sept. 11 (TNSPPX) -- The UK Research and Innovation issued the following news release on Sept. 10:

The government is extending funding through its Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, managed by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), to three challenge areas that are developing solutions for key global challenges, including climate change, disease and ageing societies.

The UK will be further cemented as a global home for future technologies across battery development, advanced medical treatments and robotic solutions thanks to a pound sterling65 million cash boost, Science Minister Amanda Solloway announced today.

The government is extending funding through its Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, managed by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), to three challenge areas that are developing solutions for key global challenges, including climate change, disease and ageing societies.

The pound sterling65 million investment includes:

* Almost pound sterling44 million will be allocated to the government's Faraday Battery Challenge to develop the next generation of high performance batteries for electric vehicles and wind turbines, which could also be used for new technologies such as electric aeroplanes. The funding will also be used to complete a first-of-its-kind UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, in Coventry, West Midlands, creating 100 high-skilled jobs. It will also enable the Faraday Institution to continue funding quality research and advances in battery technology.

* pound sterling15 million additional funding for Robots for a Safer World challenge to develop robotic solutions for hazardous industries, such as a nuclear power plants, as well as areas including agriculture, logistics and healthcare. The robotic solutions will be able to address new problems resulting from the pandemic like contact-free deliveries and provide solutions ranging from delivery drones and driverless vehicles to robots that move hospital beds.

* The government is allocating pound sterling6.5 million to the Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre (ATTC) network to fund an additional 12 months of the programme. The funding will support additional initiatives through to March 2022 and continuation of certain centre and network projects which were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic These centres are funded through the Medicines Manufacturing challenge and co-ordinated by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult.

Tony Harper, Challenge Director for The Faraday Battery Challenge said:

"In order for batteries to play their full environmental and economic role in achieving Net Zero, we need to deploy at scale and build supply chains for today's technology, shift from strong potential to commercial dominance in a new generation of batteries and continue to build world-class scientific capability to sustain us into the future.

"The announcement today confirms our commitment and determination to build on the hard-won progress the UK has made in the last 3 years on all these fronts and to accelerate progress post Covid-19."

Robots for a Safer World Challenge Director Andrew Tyrer said:

"I am delighted that Government has provided an extra pound sterling15m funding to help academics and businesses bridge the gap to complete on-going delivery of the challenge, and also utilise knowledge gained to the benefit of new sectors, such as agriculture, construction, logistics and healthcare."

Andy Jones, medicines manufacturing challenge director, said:

"When we set up Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres we expected them to play a key role in not only bringing advanced medicines to people suffering from life limiting illnesses, but in establishing the UK as a foremost centre for life sciences. 1 in 8 worldwide clinical trials in advanced therapies now take place in the UK and nearly 60 specialist companies are headquartered here.

"The centres are developing the systems to support advanced therapies, so that the NHS can treat a wide range of conditions, including cancer, blindness and rare diseases in children. I welcome the extra funding which will allow the UK's cell and gene therapy industry to continue to grow at pace and volume."