Research & Innovation Services

The total funding available is £2.85 million, split into two distinct tiers based on project maturity:

• Tier 1 (£50,000 – £124,999): For projects undertaking early technical and/or commercial validation of an idea.

• Tier 2 (£125,000 – £250,000): For projects that can already demonstrate a clear commercial opportunity and are refining technical requirements to meet specific market needs.

Projects will be funded at 100% full economic cost (FEC).

For more detailed information on eligibility and funding criteria, please refer to the Scottish Proof of Concept Fund Guidance.

To be eligible for support, projects must:

• Focus on early to mid-stage commercialisation (discovery research is not eligible)
• Be prepared to start on 1 August 2026 and complete all activities by 31 March 2027 (8-month duration)
• Secure approval from the University’s IP & Commercialisation Team prior to submission.

Prior POC funding

• Projects that applied for funding from the 2025/26 proof of concept fund but were unsuccessful are eligible to reapply in this round
• Projects that successfully received Tier 1 funding in 2025/26 are eligible to apply for Tier 2 funding this round providing they can evidence how the project has progressed and justify the need for further funding.
• Projects that successfully received Tier 2 funding in 2025/26 are not eligible to apply for further funding in this round.

Exclusions

• Projects that are successful in receiving funding from the UKRI Proof-of-Concept fund in 2026 will not be eligible for funding from this fund to prevent duplication of funding.
• Projects will not be eligible for Tier 1 funding if they have previously had ICURe explore/exploit and/or HGSP Opportunity Qualification funding and support.

Applicants can request up to 100% of the Full Economic Cost (FEC) for projects worth up to £250k.

The fund will support activities to:

• Further develop research toward user/market readiness
• Develop commercialisation plans to reach users/markets

Example activities

Example activities which the fund will cover include:

• Development of prototypes
• Product, process and service design
• Market exploration
• User testing and feedback
• Developing routes to markets, users or audiences
• Development of the business model including future financial sustainability
• Developing product, process or service value chains including scale up requirements
• Developing understanding of market, user or audience segmentation and positioning
• Developing intellectual property strategy
• Establishing or demonstrating freedom to operate
• Developing regulatory or standards requirement needed to reach users and audiences
• Validation studies
• Prototype demonstration
• ‘Technical’ and real-world concept optimisation

Resources to access specialised expertise or to subcontract elements of the project are an eligible cost. Examples include legal requirements, expert business advice and investor input, support with regulatory requirements or standards. These costs will need to be justified in your application.

If external support is required, the contractual obligations around IP must be agreed and made clear in the application process.

What the fund will not support

This fund cannot to be used to support the following activities:

• Fundamental or curiosity-driven research
• Discovery research
• Public engagement activities
• The filing of intellectual property (for example, patent, trademark, registered design)
• Generic conference attendance
• Publication costs

Successful applications will clearly demonstrate:

• Innovation: A unique technology or service that solves a documented problem

• Commercial Potential: A clear understanding of the target market, potential users, and the path to investment or spin-out

• Deliverability: A realistic 8-month work plan that moves the project significantly closer to market readiness

For further information on writing a high-quality application, please see The Scottish Government's Guidance.

Interested parties should complete the Scottish POC Fund - Expression of Interest Form and return it to innovation@glasgow.ac.uk by Friday 17 April 23.45.

Expressions of interest will be assessed and prioritised by an internal selection panel, and EOI applicants will be informed of the outcome of this process by Friday 24 April.

Final applications must be submitted directly by the IP & Commercialisation Team.

Applications from researchers already engaged with the IP & Commercialisation team by 1 January 2026 are welcomed. Early engagement with your IP & Commercialisation Manager is advised, and all expressions of interest should be submitted by Friday 17 April 23.45.

The institutional selection panel will be comprised of internal commercialisation experts, external industry advisors, and senior leadership at the University, chaired by Vice Principal Uzma Khan. The panel will select up to five EOIs per tier to progress to full application stage to maximise the University's allocated entries to the Fund.

Please note that based on experience with this fund and reviewing previous successful applications, scoring will be weighted towards a commercial outcome for projects.

All applicants will be informed of the result, and feedback will be provided.

To submit an expression of interest or for further advice, please contact innovation@glasgow.ac.uk