MATcelerate ZERO Funding
Round 8

The Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials is offering grant funding for research, development, and innovation sprint projects through Round 8 of its MATcelerate ZERO funding programme.

PLEASE NOTE: Applications to this call are restricted to researchers from the MATcelerate ZERO partner Universities who are working with their University Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs).

MATcelerate ZERO is a translational funding programme designed to bridge the gap between academic materials innovation and commercial application in the pursuit of net-zero and decarbonisation. It offers a pathway for university researchers to translate their net-zero materials innovations into market-ready solutions.

The programme provides up to £50,000 in funding for selected 6‑month proof‑of‑concept (PoC) projects to develop a Minimum Viable Demonstrator (MVD). The MVD de‑risks the innovation and makes it more attractive for commercial investment.

MATcelerate ZERO connects researchers with industry partners who offer expertise, guidance, and market knowledge. These partners help refine the MVD project, ensuring it aligns with industry needs and addresses potential commercialisation challenges. In exchange, industry partners benefit from facilitated access to innovative materials opportunities aggregated across twelve leading materials research universities.

The programme is aimed at university researchers who have developed transformational materials innovations with the potential to contribute to net‑zero goals. This includes innovations in areas such as energy generation and storage, carbon capture, sustainable construction materials, and bio‑based materials. It is particularly beneficial for researchers needing support to bridge the gap between laboratory‑scale innovation and commercial viability.

The programme provides innovators with a new route to garner industry input, while also giving industry partners early awareness of key materials innovations relevant to them and opportunities to support their commercial and technical development.

Start Your Application

Projects with a TRL range of 2 to 4 detailing net‑zero and sustainability‑focused materials innovation are within scope. These may include:

• Carbon Capture Technologies – chemical looping, biomass fuels, metal‑organic frameworks
• Energy Generation and Storage Materials – nanocomposites, lithium–sulphur, niobium tungsten oxide, perovskites
• Materials for Ammonia and Hydrogen Production – catalysts, fuel cells, membranes, solid‑state electrolytes
• 2D Materials for Next‑Generation Electronic Devices – hexagonal boron nitride, molybdenum disulphide, graphene
• Low‑embodied Carbon Construction Materials – green cement, biomimetic materials
• Bio‑based Materials – lignin, cellulose, engineered proteins

Round 8 Spotlights

Round 8 particularly welcomes projects in the following areas (these guide project identification but are not additional eligibility restrictions):

• Critical materials recovery, separation and circular processing
• New uses for platinum group metals, including recovery and catalytic applications
• Energy storage materials, thermal storage and efficient cooling
• Low‑energy semiconductors and electronic materials

This programme funds projects with total eligible project costs up to £50,000.

Applications are currently only accepted from the following HEIs:

• Imperial College London
• Oxford Brookes University
• The University of Manchester
• The University of Sheffield
• University College London
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• University of Leeds
• University of Liverpool
• University of Oxford
• University of Salford
• University of Warwick

To be eligible, your project must:

• Start on 01 May 2027 and finish by 31 October 2027 (6‑month projects)
• Be a collaboration between an HEI and its TTO (fully supported and only include unencumbered IP)
• Incur all Royce‑funded costs within the project duration
• Be a new project or activity that has not already started
• Be within the scope of MATcelerate ZERO
• Be led by a permanent academic or eligible early‑career fellow

Projects must be based on unencumbered IP with clear ownership. Any challenges with accessing core IP or freedom‑to‑operate must be declared.

Full eligibility information, funding models and eligible costs can be found in the guidance document.

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

Applications must be made by using the Flexigrant Portal. The application form has four parts.

Part 1: Applicant Details & Project Overview 

Include details on the applicant HEI (Lead organisation) and the TTO (Collaborator).

Part 2: Project Specification 

Include details on the applicant HEI (Lead organisation) and the TTO (Collaborator).

You are also required to complete a budget table with proposed project costs. Use of third-party services are encouraged, and projects are requested to have already established the scope, costs, dependencies and feasibility of any work prior to application submission.

Part 3: Unmet Need, Commercial Considerations, IP and Market Dynamics 

Outline unmet need, market landscape, commercial pathway, and how the MVD addresses a specific technical or commercial uncertainty.

Part 4: Next Steps for Development After Funding 

Describe further work required to prepare the technology for licensing, industrial adoption or spinout formation. Declare eligibility and upload required documentation.

DEADLINE

Royce must receive applications by  5pm on 18 December 2026. You will not be able to apply after this time.

HOW WE WILL ASSESS YOUR APPLICATION

Applications are assessed for eligibility and quality.

Eligible proposals are reviewed by industry partners against:

• Idea/concept
• Clarity of workplan
• Project resources and capabilities
• Impact and added value

Up to four projects will be shortlisted and invited to work with an industry partner to refine their PoC project and prepare a slide deck for the Investment Committee (IC).

Project leads will have 10 minutes to pitch, followed by 10 minutes of Q&A.

The IC recommends funding to the Henry Royce Institute.

Royce will provide feedback to all eligible applicants. Detailed scoring/ranking will not be provided.