Net-Zero Solutions Fund

Funding of up to £7,500 for an enterprise and researcher to collaborate (call now closed)
Mike Corran, Managing Director of Prestige Packaging, with Dr Antony Robotham (Credit: Jude Palmer/Royal Academy of Engineering)
Our Net-Zero Exchange project is working to enable enterprises and researchers to team up and take on a carbon challenge. The funding call for up to £7,500 to support solutions-focused net-zero projects has now closed.
The University of Plymouth Research & Innovation Knowledge Transfer Partnerships KTP Lorena Lizarraga at 'Made for Life'
Lorena Lizarraga collaborating with Cornish 'Made for Life Organics'
Our Net-Zero Solutions Fund supports enterprises and researchers as they team up and rise to the net-zero challenge by taking on a project together.
By collaborating on a solutions-focused project, researchers apply their specialist knowledge, yield tangible results and enable an enterprise to take evidence-based, targeted climate action.
Enterprises accelerate their journey to net zero by harnessing their industry’s low carbon possibilities, allowing researchers to maximise the real-world impact of their work.
 

Fund information (Funding Call now closed)

Funding

  • up to £7,500
  • funding can go toward a University of Plymouth researcher or a research assistant
  • up to 25% of allocated funding can go toward consumables, including purchasing small items of equipment or accessing the University's facilities and equipment

Eligibility

The Net-Zero Solutions Fund invited applications from projects involving collaboration between an enterprise and one or more researcher. Applications were open to:
  • enterprises based in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset or Dorset
  • enterprises of any size from any sector
  • a University of Plymouth researcher or technician

Key dates

About the Net-Zero Solutions Fund

December 2023
Registration to Net-Zero Exchange opens
Join our online Net-Zero Exchange community for a chance to connect with both enterprises and researchers eager to explore taking action on net zero.
You can use this platform to share inspiration and project ideas, start searching for your ideal collaborator and even to set up meetings.
31 January 2024
Net-Zero Solutions: Kickstarting your collaboration event
This networking event offered a space to meet potential collaborators and reestablish previous partnerships. Attendees heard about previous similar collaborative projects from both a researcher and an enterprise.
27 March 2024
Application Deadline
The application deadline was the 27 March 12:00. Application reviews will take place in April. 
For any queries on the status of your application, please contact sustainabilityhub@plymouth.ac.uk
May 2024 - November 2024
Carrying out your project
Successful applications will receive funding to start working on their project in May 2024.
Projects must be completed by the end of 30 November 2024.
 
 
 

Get inspired

Whether you're interested in investigating a building's energy efficiency with state-of-the-art sensor technology or eager to explore alternative fuels, vehicles or processes to reduce travel-related emissions, whether you want to put waste products to work in the circular economy or figure out how to get a team to take positive climate action, take a look at previous collaborations to find inspiration for action you could take to cut carbon.

Read about previous similar collaborations

Take a look at some of the successful projects researchers and enterprises collaborated on thanks to funding from Low Carbon Devon

SageTech Medical 

SageTech Medical case study
SageTech Medical teamed up with Dr Lee Durndell & the chemistry lab to test and optimise the adsorptive material they use to recover anaesthetic gases

Field of yellow rapeseed flowers

Bell and Loxton case study
Dr Vikram Sharma worked with Bell&Loxton to analyse waste materials, assessing their characteristics for suitability in different products

Trimplants 

Trimplants Wholesale Nursery case study
Dr Tom Murphy worked alongside the Trimplants team to develop and test their peat-free alternative Biochar product

Finding the right project partner

The Net-Zero Exchange project aims to bring researchers and enterprises from all areas together so we can explore a whole-systems approach to achieving net zero carbon.
Researchers from natural and social sciences, engineering, arts, humanities, health and business are all encouraged to get involved, and we welcome project ideas from enterprises of all sizes and sectors.
The Net-Zero Solutions Fund required a joint funding application, so to help those interested find potential project partners, we invited them to:
  • join our Net-Zero Exchange Network, a platform where you can connect with others interested in collaborating on net-zero solutions
  • use our Net-Zero Exchange Network to reach out to people you may be interested in working with, and complete your profile so anyone interested in your area can find you