Funding opportunity: research for critical minerals and materials value chains
Catalysing new UK-US research partnerships with a focus on solutions rooted in engineering biology.
This opportunity is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and delivered by the ELEMENTAL Engineering Biology Hub and the UK Science and Technology Network.
They will provide travel grants and short-term exchange funding for UK and US researchers to visit academic and industry partners across the Atlantic to catalyse new collaborations with demonstrable potential to benefit UK and US critical mineral and material (CMM) supply chains, with a focus on solutions rooted in engineering biology.
The call for proposals is now open until 15 October, with an informational webinar scheduled for 30 September.
This funding aims to overcome barriers to bilateral collaboration.
By supporting transatlantic collaboration, the programme seeks to strengthen networks and accelerate research on sustainable, cost-efficient and circular methods of CMM recovery. The amount offered is up to £5,000 for travel and subsistence costs.
- This funding is available for exchanges between the UK and the US in both directions.
- It supports short-term exchanges between researchers, as well as researcher-to-industry travel (and vice versa) working in the field of critical minerals and materials.
- It does does not cover industry-to-industry travel.
- Projects must focus on short-term exchanges resulting in engineering biology solutions to improve CMM supply chains.
Applications that demonstrate potential for bilateral collaboration, scientific advancement and future joint proposals will be prioritised.
Webinar and online networking: 5pm UK time (BST) Tuesday 30 September. Register here for the webinar and online networking session.
Deadline: 5pm BST on Wednesday 15 October 2025.
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