The Digit Innovation Fund supports innovative research projects that advance our understanding of how digital technologies are transforming work.
A total of £500,000 will be awarded over the life of the Digit Research Centre (2020-2024) through this fund. Funded projects will complement our core Digit research programme.
Find out more about projects funded in Round 1 here.
Applications open for Funding Round 2
We are now inviting applications for the second round of Innovation Funding.
Proposals should align with our research objectives and relate to how digital technologies are transforming work.
We aim to fund a broad range of projects. In this funding round we are particularly open to project ideas that complement, or add to, Research Theme 3: Employers’ and employees’ experiences of digital work across sectors. The four sectors we are currently focused on are:
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- Creative Industries
- Retail and Consumer Services
- Business Services
- Public Services.
Projects can be developed in partnership with Digit researchers, though Digit researchers cannot directly apply for funding.
Funding available
In this round, funding is available for projects that cost between £10,000 to £50,000 fEC and are no longer than one year in length. However, we very strongly encourage smaller applications as we are limited in the number of large applications that can be awarded.
Projects must be costed at 100% full economic cost (fEC) and will be funded at 80% fEC, according to UKRI guidelines.
The fund is open to research organisations across the UK.
Application process
Please read the Guidance documents below in full before applying.
The FAQs are likely to answer many questions and will be updated in response to any additional questions.
There will be a webinar on Friday 7 May to provide a further opportunity to ask questions about the scheme. Register here.
Key dates
| Call issued | Tuesday, 20 April 2021 |
| Webinar for prospective applicants | Friday, 7 May 2020, 12 noon BST |
| Application closing date | Wednesday, 9 June 2021 by 5pm BST |
| Judging panel meeting anticipated | Week commencing 19 July 2021 |
| Decision to applicants anticipated | Week commencing 26 July 2021 |
| Project start date | No later than 1 September 2021 |
| Project end date | By 31 August 2022 or before |
Contact
For further information, please contact Megan McMichael, Centre Manager: m.mcmichael@sussex.ac.uk or digit@sussex.ac.uk
Round 1 Innovation Fund projects
The projects funded in Round 1 are:
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- Prof Gary Bosworth (Northumbria University), The Role of Co-working Spaces in Digital Rural Futures
- Dr Ayomikun Idowu (University of Sussex), Digital Entrepreneurship on Retail Platforms: A way to formalise employment for young people in the UK and Africa
- Dr Harry Pitts (University of Bristol), Co-working spaces and the urban ecosystem: the future of co-working post-Covid-19
- Dr David Robertshaw (University of Leeds), Digitalisation of employment services: a comparative case study of the UK and Australia
- Dr Francesca Sobande (Cardiff University), How Cultural Workers Negotiate Racism in the Digital Age
These projects will conclude in August 2021.