Technology Developer Accelerator Programme (TDAP) Wave 8
The Technology Developer Accelerator Programme (TDAP) is a structured early-stage accelerator programme that supports ambitious micro, small and medium-size enterprises, start-ups or university spinouts, that have a net-zero emission technology concept that requires additional investment and support to achieve market-readiness.
Open for applications
We ask all applicants to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) prior to submitting a full application to ensure that the business falls within the programme scope.
Applicants will be asked a few short questions about their business and innovation. EOIs will be reviewed by the team and those that fall within scope will be invited to submit a full application.
Closing date for full applications: Tuesday 27 February 2024 at 12 noon GMT.
Helping businesses be investment and market-ready
This 18 month programme helps companies develop a robust strategy and business model to identify commercial pathways to market and accelerate progress through a combination of grant funding, business mentoring and industry networking opportunities.
What can you expect?
- Business strategy guidance and technology development, delivered over two phases – ‘Market Focus and Technology Validation’
- Six focus areas supported and delivered by a series of flexible workstream activities and workshops including:
o Commercialisation strategy and financial planning
o Intellectual property management
o Investor readiness
o New product development
o Leadership and new venture growth
o Dissemination, networking and marketing - Business and investor mentoring from independent, industry experts
- Automotive industry networking
- Peer-to-peer support via a community of like-minded, ambitious businesses
- Up to £170,000 grant funding split across the two phases. (Any award is subject to Ministerial and His Majesty’s Treasury approval.)
How has TDAP supported SMEs?
Over the last seven years, TDAP has:
- Supported 100+ companies with over £12.6 million in funding support
- Helped to average a 50% increase in headcount with a predicted forecast of over 1000 new FTE within five years
- Accelerated route to market by an average of 19 months
- Supported businesses to raise over £250 million in private investment and secured commercial agreements
- Advanced technology readiness level to 4/5
Eligibility – We’re looking for:
- Ambitious UK-based micro, small and medium-sized businesses
- You must have demonstrated the feasibility of the technology concept through modelling or initial prototyping
- You should be open to exploring routes to market for your technology and be able to evidence that you’ll benefit from programme activities and APC engagement to support this
Eligible technologies
- Innovative automotive technology, products and services, that accelerate the transition to net-zero automotive
- Projects that align with one or more of the following strategic UK automotive technologies (see below); or if outside of these you should be able to demonstrate a strong market potential
- Technology areas can include:
- Batteries, their components, management and integration systems
- Energy storage and energy management
- Thermal propulsion systems
- Fuel cell and associated balance of plant (BoP)
- Electric machines and power electronics
- Hydrogen storage and management systems
- Lightweight vehicle and powertrain structures
- Manufacturing processes associated with industrialising relevant net-zero technologies
- Direct recycling methods resulting in the recovery of critical materials
- Significant reduction in vehicle development timescales
- Digitalisation leveraged during the design, development, testing, production or in-service phases
- Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) where it supports the transition to net-zero
- On or off-vehicle technology:
- Software or hardware technologies
- Full vehicles (including e-bikes, e-mopeds, etc.), however the technology deployed within the vehicle must be innovative and the application would need to show how the vehicle supports or accelerates the move to zero-emission transport
Application process
1 – Applicants must complete an Expression of Interest.
2 – Eligible applicants will be asked to complete a full competition application.
3 – Shortlisted organisations will be asked to attend an interview. Successful applicants will then be invited to join the Technology Developer Accelerator Programme (TDAP).
Key dates for Wave 8
- Expressions of Interest and full applications open: 29 November 2023
- Full application closes: 27 February 2024 at 12 noon GMT
- Interviews: 12 April – 18 April 2024
- Applicants notified: 25 April 2024
- Programme begins: 4 June 2024
Here’s what some of the companies we’ve supported have to say…
TDAP enabled us to go from purely academic research, to a commercially meaningful and functioning entity.
TDAP gave us access to specialised automotive consultants which helped us define our value proposition, find our target market, our position in the value chain, what our business model was, how to be profitable and to write a business plan to enable us to raise further investment and grants.
TDAP has been absolutely fundamental for our company. It’s been the seed funding that has enabled us to develop an awful lot of subsystems that go into our battery modules. Every single battery module we make will be using those subsystems that we’ve developed on TDAP.
It’s really the seed from which our entire company will grow.
TDAP gives you the financial support, which is quite a small part of the overall benefit of being on TDAP. It gives you the tools and the resource to be able to execute and see the opportunity there is for a proper profitable business which can grow, develop and expand into the future.
This process lays the foundations to be able to do that.
Want to chat to the team?
If the Technology Developer Accelerator Programme (TDAP) sounds like the support your business needs, we’d love to talk to you. Use the form below to get in touch with us or contact our Business Development Lead, Chris Harris.
Chris Harris
Business Development Lead
Chris Harris
Business Development Lead
Chris Harris
Contact us
To get in touch with a member of the team…
General enquiries
[email protected]Media enquiries
[email protected]Career opportunities
[email protected]Advanced Propulsion Centre
IIPSI Building
University Road
Coventry
CV4 7AL