CommercialiSE Proof of Concept Fund

This fund is now closed (May 2009)

The CommercialiSE Proof of Concept Fund has provided funds for early stage business ideas, specifically for 'proof of concept' development.

The fund has been used to:

Technically validate technology
Develop prototypes
Fund consultancy from experts or specialists
Use Higher Education Institution (HEI) facilities or equipment
Undertake market analysis.

A total of £1m has funded awards and grants of between £6,000 and £50,000 to 33 different opportunities across eleven partner universities, involving the following sectors:-

Healthcare
Environmental Technology
Automotive
Manufacturing
Software
Security
Electronics
Bioscience
Computer Sciene
Sport and Leisure
Engineering

The Proof of Concept award process has been overseen by FSE and co-financed by the Office of Science and Innovation, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA), and the European Social Fund (ESF).

For an indication of some of the types of awards made to date, see Award Examples.