We have an exciting research funding opportunity for innovative early-stage research ideas for carbon dioxide removal that have the potential to be commercialised in the near future.
We will select one proposal from a sandpit event which will be worked up for £100,000 in research acceleration funding.
The Grantham Double Hundred Challenge is a collaboration between Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures and the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, seeking to advance our ability to store carbon dioxide in new places.
We are inviting expressions of interest from academic staff to receive £100,000 to accelerate research ideas with the potential to remove 100 million tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere at US$100 or less per tonne (the “Double Hundred”).
The Grantham Foundation pro-actively supports early stage ideas across important yet currently underfunded climate opportunities. To date $100m has been invested in over 45 projects across five key areas identified as neglected climate opportunities: Harnessing Photosynthesis, Biogenic Carbon Sequestration, Industrial CO2 Removal, Ocean CO2 Removal and Geological CO2 Removal. It invests in very early stage concepts and we are encouraging applications for ideas at all stages from across the University from any technical area that may result in CO2 removal from the atmosphere, irrespective of discipline. Researchers developing technology components as well as complete systems are invited to apply. If you are a post graduate researcher with a great idea then please talk to your academic supervisor.
While the project lead needs to be based at University of Sheffield, we do allow for external collaborators to be a part of the team.
Following an expression of interest review, we will give shortlisted applicants the opportunity to introduce their proposal to the group at a Sandpit, which will work together to shape their ideas. After that stage we will develop a work programme, supported by a full activity costing.
We will give one award in July 2024 for activity running through to August 2025. The successful project will have an “Entrepreneurial Lead” who will take part in the Commercialisation Journey and will be provided with tailored support from the Commercialisation Journey to map the commercial landscape and progress their work.
Register your expression of interest here!
→ Ideas are invited from across the university at all stages of development. This provides the opportunity to validate your research ideas and explore their market potential to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and contribute to the net zero mission.
→ You will have free access to internationally leading commercialisation mentor as part of the commercialisation journey.
→ The successful idea will join the Grantham family of other prestigious investments and will open access to future funding from multiple directions.
→ The successful team will receive support from commercialisation managers, research growth officers and potentially investment from IPDaC.
• Opportunity – £100,000 research acceleration funding plus commercialisation support for carbon reduction. • Ideas invited at all stages of development from academics across the university. • Two stage application process consisting of an initial expression of interest, followed by a presentation to the Grantham Foundation supported by full costings. • Successful applicant notified in July, with activity to run from August 2024 to August 2025. • External collaborators allowed – as long as project lead is based at University of Sheffield.
Eligible costs:
• Directly incurred staff time (e.g. research assistant, technician, administrator time) • Travel and subsistence costs • Market analysis • Prototyping • Access to facilities • Equipment and consumables (can include specialist software / hardware, excludes laptops)
Ineligible costs:
• Estates and indirect costs • Directly allocated staff costs
Timing:
• Challenge launched Tuesday 5th March • Stage 1 – Expression of Interest Deadline – 17:00, Tuesday 2nd April 2024 • Stage 2 – Sandpit Event – 9.00 – 13.00, Tuesday 9th April 2024 • Opportunities to meet with KE teams commercialisation mentors in May • Fully Developed & costed proposal in June • Start-up presentation to Grantham Foundation July 2024
If you have any questions about the process or are thinking about applying but are not sure if your idea would be eligible, we are holding a short webinar on Thursday 21st March 2024, 11:30am-12pm. You can join using this link.
You can also contact us at j.green@sheffield.ac.uk.
Find out more about our 2022 winner here.