£1mln funding for metamaterials
Funding aims to speed up research scale-up through The Henry Royce Institute Industrial Collaboration Programme.
The programme aims to ensure cutting-edge technologies and scientific advancements in the field are delivering benefit to society, by enabling collaboration between universities, research and technology organisations (RTOs), and industry.
The funding builds on recent investments from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) into fundamental research and community development for metamaterials, including the £19.6mln MetaHUB – a national research centre hosted at the University of Exeter, and the UKRI UK Metamaterials Network.
Metamaterials present opportunities to advance each of the five Critical Technologies identified in the UK’s Science and Technology Framework.
Metamaterials-enabled technologies can address challenges across a wide range of sectors, including:
- Aerospace
- ICT
- Energy
- Healthcare
- Defence & security
The Metamaterials Industrial Collaboration Programme is now open for expressions of interest.
The two-stage application process includes:
- Expression of Interest (EOI) deadline: 26 August 2025
- Full proposal invitation for selected EOIs opens: 15 September 2025
No costings are required for the Expression of Interest stage, and applicants do not need to have collaborators in place to submit an EOI.
At the Full Proposal Invitation Stage, applicants will be required to include detail on all collaborating partners alongside full costings for their projects.
Applications must meet the definition of a metamaterial as developed by the metamaterials community:
‘A metamaterial is a 3D structure with a response or function due to the collective effect of meta-atom elements that is not possible to achieve conventionally with any individual constituent material. A metasurface is a 2D version of a metamaterial where the structural elements are confined to a 2D plane.’
The Royce Research and Business Engagement team is available to discuss potential project ideas, particularly from businesses unfamiliar with expertise and capabilities across Royce. And can be contacted via email.
Professor David Knowles, CEO of the Henry Royce Institute, says, ‘This programme will enable UK researchers and businesses to move beyond early-stage discovery and into the real-world deployment of technologies with the potential to reshape multiple industries – from energy and healthcare to defence and telecommunications.’
