NC3Rs-BBSRC Business Interaction Voucher awards

The NC3Rs and BBSRC are collaborating to offer Business Interaction Voucher (BIV) awards with the aim to develop new or enhance existing early-stage partnerships relevant to the 3Rs between academic and industry/SME partners. 

Key information about applying for this joint call is given below, and key documents can be found in the sidebar. Applicants should read the applicant guidance document which contains more detailed information about the process.

This funding call is exclusively for members of NC3Rs Networks. Proposals must fall within BBSRC’s remit whilst having the realistic possibility of replacing, reducing, or refining the use of in vivo models or animal studies in line with the NC3Rs mission.

Applications should be centered on enhancing the biological relevance of models, tools and technologies by improving their physiological accuracy and predictive validity for real-world applications. 

By fostering cross-sector collaborations between academic and industry/SME partners, BIV awards aim to:

• Strengthen engagement and interactions between academic and industry/SME partners, laying the foundations for longer-term collaborative relationships.
• Support the further development, optimisation and qualification/validation of 3Rs models that offer benefits to both partners.
• Facilitate the sharing and transfer of existing 3Rs models, tools and technologies across partner labs.
• Create opportunities for future funding ventures between academic and industry/SME partners.

The nature of applications will vary depending on the proposed collaboration and to help you develop your ideas, examples of projects within scope include:

• Generating data to demonstrate a 3Rs approach can be applied with confidence. Studies may include characterisation, performance, optimisation, comparative and/or reproducibility assessments.
• Developing or adapting 3Rs models, tools and technologies for a new application.
• Working towards solving technical problems for the broader benefit of both partner labs.

Activities associated with business development or advertising are not in scope. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the NC3Rs Office at 3Rsgrants@nc3rs.org.uk, before submission to determine whether the proposed research fits the remit of the funding call.

Awards are for up to six months in duration with the amount requested dependent on the science and limited to a maximum of £25k (100% FEC, including VAT). 

The budget for the 2025 call is £250k. In-cash or in-kind contributions from the industry/SME partner are encouraged.

Establishment eligibility 

Any UK research establishment including:

• Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
• Eligible independent research organisations (IROs).
• Research institutes.
• Public sector research establishments.
• Small and medium enterprises (SMEs)* .
• Industry*. 

* The industry/SME partner should be registered in the UK or have a UK based R&D or manufacturing site. Where a suitable company cannot be found in the UK, an overseas company may be used. However, such collaborations would be judged on a case-by-case basis, and clear justification must be provided. BBSRC-NC3Rs BIVs provide funding in line with the UK’s obligations and commitments to subsidy control. Applicants are wholly responsible for declaring and managing all potential subsidy control matters. Please refer to the Subsidy Control Act 2022 for further information and the Windsor Framework to check if these rules apply to your organisation.

Individual eligibility 

Applicants should be UK-based researchers who can demonstrate that they are: 

• A member of a relevant NC3Rs Network (including those that have previously been awarded network primer awards).
• Eligible to receive UKRI funding.
• Will direct the plans set out in the proposal and be actively engaged in the accomplishing the project’s aims.
• Hold a graduate degree – the minimum formal qualification required.

Completed application forms and supporting documents should be submitted as a single PDF file by email to 3rsgrants@nc3rs.org.uk before 4pm GMT, on the deadline date. 

Applications can be submitted by either partner but must be collaborative. Awards for successful proposals will be made to the lead applicant who is based in academia.

A letter of support signed by the industry/SME partner must be provided as part of the application. Applications submitted without a letter of support will not be considered further. 

Applicants are strongly advised to refer to the applicant guidance document, which provides comprehensive guidance on preparing and submitting an application.

Submissions will initially be assessed by the NC3Rs Office to confirm eligibility and fit to remit of the call. 

Applications that are ineligible and/or out of scope will be rejected. Applications will be considered by the Business Interaction Vouchers Assessment Panel. Applications will not be sent for external peer review and there will be no lead applicant rebuttal stage. The Panel will reach a consensus decision for each application on whether or not the application should be recommended for funding. 

Your application will be assessed against the following criteria: 

• Potential impact on the 3Rs.
• Quality of the underpinning science. Proposed partnership(s), the knowledge and skills transfer plans and likelihood of adoption.
• Potential for future investment and/or uptake by the wider scientific community.
• Team capability to deliver and likelihood of success.
• Value for money. 

Further information on assessment criteria can be found in the scoring criteria document.

Depending on the number of applications received, a shortlisting stage may be introduced. In this case, applications would be reviewed by the Panel to identify those which are not competitive. 

In order to maintain transparency and integrity of the peer review process the NC3Rs has adopted the UKRI principles of peer review. Panel assessment guidance and scoring criteria will be added shortly.

All Funding Panel members are required to declare any private, professional or commercial interests that give rise to, or could give rise to, a conflict of interest as detailed in the UKRI conflicts of interest policy.