Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)

The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) is an internal fund which was approved by the University Council in July 2019. It aims to accelerate the pace with which strategic research and innovation projects are developed into investable proposals. It is a time-limited, one-off investment that focuses on identifying and developing high-impact, flexible and highly innovative or creative project concepts. It enhances the chances of excellent research having material and far-reaching impact, typically through attracting substantial external funding, or significantly advancing research translation and commercialisation. 

It is aligned to the following priorities in the University’s Strategic Plan 2018-23:

• 12: ‘Continue to broaden and invest in our innovation activities and foster the entrepreneurial environment for staff and students’
• 19: ‘Expansion of the innovation districts in and around Oxford, including at Begbroke Science Park and Osney Mead’ 

The fund is worth up to a maximum of £2.5 million per year, and awards from the fund are expected to be no more than £100,000 per project. The SIF is funded from annual surplus returns from research commercialisation activities, which Council has agreed will be shared with the Strategic Research Fund.

The SIF aims to increase the University's innovation activity through: 

• accelerating the development of ideas and concepts into investable, externally-funded propositions
• improving the chances of success in securing significant funding from a variety of sources (including government, industry and philanthropy)
• increasing visibility and coordination, and developing a pipeline of short and long term projects that can be aligned to the University’s own plans, as well as to regional strategic planning such as the Oxfordshire Local Industrial Strategy or the Oxford-Cambridge ARC
• promoting more coordination and University-wide collaboration, between divisions and disciplines, to effectively promote larger innovation projects
• establishing strategic actions that respond to institutional imperatives (for example the Research Excellence Framework, Knowledge Exchange Concordat and Knowledge Exchange Framework) which promote a thriving and inclusive innovation environment at Oxford

SIF investments support:

• Large Innovation Bids - the SIF can fund the technical skills (consultancy, external expertise) required to submit a proposal for large funding calls. For example, large government calls may follow the HMG Green Book methodology and assess bids using Gross Value Add (GVA), Cost Benefit Ratio (CBR), or Value For Money (VFM). The SIF may be used to solicit external expertise to respond to these technical criteria.
• Collaborative Innovation Projects - the SIF can support multi-partner programmes, where centralised coordination is required to align the interests of varied partners. Typically, multi-partner programmes and activities supported by the SIF enable knowledge exchange, innovation, commercialisation, engagement and partnership-building activities.
• Strategic Innovation Partnerships - these projects are highly attuned to the requirements of a commercial partner, private or philanthropic funders, and they are often highly confidential and sensitive. Funding can equally support the initial stages of a partnership that aligns with the University's strategic interests.
• Enabling projects - unique projects that enable the further development of innovation activities across the University, respond to an identified gap in provision in the Oxford Innovation Ecosystem, or projects that align to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Innovation)'s strategic objectives.

The SIF supports direct costs associated with project development activities such as:

• costs to bring in internal or external technical expertise required to complete a bid, contract or business case which can include for example project costings, quantification of environmental, archaeological, social or economic impact of the project 
• project management roles essential to support:
  - the delivery of pilot or preparatory activities
  - the development or strengthening of new or existing partnerships
• direct costs necessary to support:
  - the preliminary enabling, piloting or preparatory of innovation projects or other enabling works
  - events related to developing or strengthening partnerships

The SIF is a one-off and time-limited fund for developing new projects. It does not fund: 

• ongoing costs of existing projects (BaU)
• external delivery or implementation of projects
   

Each application is read and reviewed by the SIF panel, which will decide funding outcomes. The SIF Panel includes: 

• the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Innovation) 
• the associate head of innovation (or delegate) from each division 
• the director of Innovation & Engagement, Research Services

The SIF is supported by the Innovation & Engagement team, Research Services. This team is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the SIF, including pre- and post-award support and reporting requirements.

The Knowledge Exchange and Impact Sub-Committee is the overseeing structure for SIF activities.

The SIF is open to all divisions and disciplines across the University. Successful projects are expected to meet most of the following criteria:

• good alignment to the objectives of the SIF (see above)
• supportive of the University’s research and innovation priorities, including creativity (see also strategic alignment below)
• enables larger opportunities (for example the size of external investment sought, or the breadth of the impact on the innovation environment in Oxfordshire and beyond)
• a named academic and/or a professional services lead
• can demonstrate potential for significant and quantifiable economic or social benefits 
• well aligned to key societal challenges or national agendas, for example net-zero, levelling up, equality and social inclusion 
• clear on SIF outputs and the potential outcomes that could be enabled by the SIF funding
• built on strong partnerships
• evidence of departmental and divisional support
• where relevant, have developed cross-divisional awareness

Departments and divisions will need to approve applications as part of the application process in IRAMS. 

Need guidance? Please contact your divisional SIF representative:

• Humanities Division: Karen Houghton
• Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division: Martin Edmunds
• Medical Sciences Division: Leila Whitworth
• Social Sciences Division: Helena Channon-Wells

For any enquiries or an informal project discussion, please get in touch with SIF manager Dr Thandiwe Hara.

The next deadline for submitting applications through IRAMS is Friday 13th October 2023, at Midnight. The table below outlines the application process.

The panel meets termly to review SIF applications. For information about future deadlines, please contact Dr Thandiwe Hara.

Prospective applicants must engage with the following: 

1. Contact the SIF support team by emailing sif@admin.ox.ac.uk to discuss your project concept is suited to the SIF.
2. Contact your Head of Department and Divisional Representatives to notify them of your intention to apply to the SIF. This is an opportunity for you to discuss and get some feedback on your application.
3. Submit your application in IRAMS by the advertised deadline.
4. Departments and Divisional Offices are required to approve the project by the listed IRAMS deadlines.

To discuss your intention to apply to the SIF in your division, please send an email to the following: 

• Humanities Division: Michele Warren
• Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division: Martin Edmunds
• Medical Sciences Division: Leila Whitworth
• Social Sciences Division: Helena Channon-Wells

For any enquiries or an informal project discussion, please get in touch with SIF manager Dr Thandiwe Hara.

If you have a general queries about the SIF please contact:

• Dr Thandiwe Hara, sif@admin.ox.ac.uk 
• Dr Stuart Wilkinson, stuart.wilkinson@admin.ox.ac.uk