This funding programme is designed to enable companies to work collaboratively with a Scottish University or further education college.

The purpose of an Advanced Innovation Voucher is to help build sustained relationships between small and medium sized companies (SMEs) and universities or Further Education colleges in Scotland who may have previously collaborated together or for those companies who are beginning their collaborative journey.

The value of an Advanced Innovation Voucher is up to £20,000 of grant funding. The company match is a mix of in-kind and cash contributions.

Applications can be made from all industry sectors and the proposed collaborative project should lead to new products, services and processes that will benefit the company, the university or college and the Scottish economy.

Interface provides support with finding a suitable academic partner who has the right specialist expertise to progress your Research and Development project.

Yes, if you:

• are a registered business operating in Scotland
• are a small to medium-sized enterprise (less than 250 employees, turnover less then €50m or a balance sheet less than €43m, as defined by the European Commission) or a social enterprise
• have a novel or pioneering idea which will lead to new products, services or processes or develop the workforce that will benefit the company, the academic institution and the Scottish economy
• have a project which cannot be delivered commercially and require the technical expertise of an academic partner

There is no cost to apply for the Advanced Innovation Voucher. 

The company must provide a mix of in-kind (such as staff time, materials or equipment) and cash contributions.

Companies can only be awarded one Advanced Innovation voucher with a single Scottish university or college.

Any organisation (SME, social enterprise and third sector) with a business presence in Scotland wishing to collaborate with a Scottish University or Further Education College to continue to build a sustained relationship.

Applications must be submitted by the relevant academic institution and may take up to 3 weeks from submission to be approved by Scottish Funding Council.

Projects should generally start within 4 weeks of the grant being approved and should be completed within 6-12 months depending on your project.

If you are collaborating with a university or College for the first time you may wish to consider applying for the Standard Innovation Voucher as a first step. 

Sole traders and businesses not registered in Scotland will need to submit a pre-submission form to establish eligibility.

Please submit an enquiry and an adviser will be in touch to discuss your needs.