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Innovation in Water Challenge Round 1 Frequently Asked Questions Innovation in Water Challenge – Frequently Asked Questions Version 2, 18 December 2020

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Innovation in Water Challenge Round 1 Frequently Asked Questions Innovation in Water Challenge – Frequently Asked Questions Version 2, 18 December 2020 December 2020 Innovation in Water Challenge Round 1 Frequently Asked Questions Innovation in Water Challenge – Frequently Asked Questions Version 2, 18 December 2020 Innovation in Water Challenge Round 1 Frequently Asked Questions Version 2, 18 December 2020 Contents 1. The Innovation Fund ...................................................................................................... 6 1.1 How were the five strategic innovation themes developed? ...................................... 6 1.2 Who is funding the innovation fund? ........................................................................ 6 1.3 How do the competitions align with the sector’s initiatives, such as the proposed Water Centre of Excellence? .............................................................................................. 6 1.4 How does the fund link to existing research funding routes, for example, through UKWIR? ............................................................................................................................. 6 1.5 Why have you limited the Fund to the 5 themes? ...................................................... 7 1.6 Is there guidance on what you might perceive as transformative? Thinking about scale or impact, you’re looking for? .................................................................................... 7 1.7 How would you define business-as-usual innovation approaches?............................ 7 1.8 Will the 5 innovation themes be the same for the main competition too? .................. 8 2. The Innovation in Water Challenge (IWC) ........................................................................ 9 2.1 What is the IWC? ..................................................................................................... 9 2.2 What are the aims of the Innovation Fund and IWC? ................................................. 9 2.3 Who is running the IWC? Who are the partners involved? ........................................ 10 2.4 When will the application form be available? How can I have conversations with potential partners without this? ...................................................................................... 10 2.5 How will the brokerage sessions work?................................................................... 10 3. IWC timelines ............................................................................................................... 11 1 Innovation in Water Challenge – Frequently Asked Questions Version 2, 18 December 2020 3.1 What are the important dates for the first round of the IWC? ................................... 11 3.2 When are the different rounds of the IWC? .............................................................. 11 3.3 For how long will the IWC run? ................................................................................ 11 3.4 How does the IWC work? ......................................................................................... 12 4. Who can enter .............................................................................................................. 13 4.1 Who can enter the IWC?.......................................................................................... 13 4.2 Who can enter the IWC as a partner? ...................................................................... 13 4.3 Is the IWC only open to water companies in England and Wales? ............................. 13 4.4 Can I enter on my own? .......................................................................................... 13 4.5 Why can only water companies and NAVs apply as a lead applicant to the IWC? ....... 13 4.6 I’m a water retailer. Will I be able to access the funds directly in future rounds? ...... 14 4.7 For how long should partnerships be in place? ........................................................ 14 4.8 Do you have any advice for organisations from outside the water industry to find partners? ......................................................................................................................... 14 4.9 Can partners who have already worked together enter? .......................................... 15 4.10 Is a large consortium of organisations more likely to win funding than a group of 2 or 3 organisations? ............................................................................................................... 15 4.11 Is there a limit on the number of entries from the same lead applicant that will be funded? ........................................................................................................................... 15 4.12 As a non-UK water startup, should we be “casting a wide net” in terms of pitching our idea to several UK water companies, or taking a more targeted approach? .................. 15 4.13 Is there a specified size of the SME that can be included as a partner?.................... 16 4.14 Can water companies outside England and Wales enter as a partner? ...................... 16 4.15 Are non-England and Wales water companies able to enter? ................................... 16 4.16 What is the preferred partnership or consortium set up? ......................................... 16 2 Innovation in Water Challenge – Frequently Asked Questions Version 2, 18 December 2020 4.17 Will the process favour the larger companies with large innovation teams who will have the capacity to run a number of projects? ................................................................. 17 4.18 Are Scottish Water and Northern Ireland eligible for inclusion in entries? ................ 17 4.19 Who will be responsible for the legal agreements between participating companies? 17 4.20 Can academia participate as a partner? Is a university partner required? ................ 17 4.21 Are there identified leads within water companies? ................................................ 18 5. Your project or initiative for entry .................................................................................. 19 5.1 Can you enter with a pre-existing initiative or project? ............................................ 19 5.2 Can I submit the same entry to different competitions? .......................................... 19 5.3 What stage of development do you expect entries to be at? ..................................... 19 5.4 Will you welcome ‘stage-gated’ applications? - e.g. taking an initiative from pilot or prototype to demonstration or rollout? ............................................................................. 20 5.5 Are there rules for any intellectual property rights (IPR) created using competition funds? ............................................................................................................................ 20 5.6 Are there any reporting requirements? .................................................................. 20 5.7 Is there a timeframe for delivery of the initiative? ................................................... 21 5.8 Is there a particular technology readiness level that we should start at or will the competition fund level 1 and 2 activities? .......................................................................... 21 5.9 Can you submit the same entry under multiple water companies and NAVs? ........... 21 5.10 Can the project be carried out between the sites of the partners & not solely the lead applicant? ........................................................................................................................ 21 5.11 Can the proposal be something that is at a research stage only? ............................. 21 5.12 Is there an expectation to share background IP if a project involves the development of an existing system? ......................................................................................................22 5.13 What information have you published on IPR to date? .............................................22 5.14 Is there any guidance on the preferred duration of projects? ...................................22 3 Innovation in Water Challenge – Frequently Asked Questions Version 2, 18 December 2020 5.15 Can our submissions in January be a component or “Phase 1” of our submission for the main competition .......................................................................................................22 6. Entering the IWC.......................................................................................................... 23 6.1 What will I need to submit to enter the IWC? .......................................................... 23 6.2 How long will it take to enter? ................................................................................ 23 6.3 How many entries can I submit? ............................................................................ 23 6.4 Will there be anything put in place to facilitate networking, collaboration and introductions between companies? ................................................................................. 23 6.5 Can you accommodate reasonable adjustments to support me to enter? ................ 23 6.6 Is the entry to the competition confidential? ...........................................................24 6.7 Who should submit the application: a water company or another partner? ..............24 6.8 Are brokerage events in January a mandatory stage for a proposal to be considered? 24 6.9 There has been mention of a dragons’ den style part of the selection process. When would this happen, and what would this involve? ..............................................................24
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