Materials Innovation Programme Digital Materials Sandpit

Ideas: Advanced and functional materials

Industry partnersInternational About collaboration flags

Industry: “…research organisation eligible for EPSRC funding (standard UKRI eligibility). Industry partners are welcome to attend and join projects as partners but can't receive EPSRC funding. International collaborators…” (eligibility note; the call text mentions industry partners)

International: “…attend and join projects as partners but can't receive EPSRC funding. International collaborators join only as project partners; no Norway-based co-lead (UKRI-RCN agreement does not apply).” (eligibility note; the call text mentions international collaboration)

Funder: UKRI – Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Deadline: 26 Nov 2026
Deadline details: Expression of interest to attend the sandpit closes 26 Nov 2026, 4:00 PM UK time (opened 29 Oct 2026, 9:00 AM UK time). In-person sandpit 1-4 Feb 2027 (Cheshire, UK); full applications by invitation, expected week of 22 Mar 2027.
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Amount: Total budget (all awards): Total fund £7,125,000 (3-8 projects, up to 33 months; EPSRC pays 80% of full economic cost); award size: see call
Checked: 05 Nov 2026 against the UKRI listing (listing facts confirmed; not every eligibility interpretation re-derived)
Region / eligibility: United Kingdom
Career stage: established / PI
Fields: materials
Reference: —
Official call: UKRI listing

Application timeline

Dates only, as published in this listing. Confirm the funder's cutoff time and time zone. Today is marked for orientation; it is not a deadline.

Deadline26 Nov 2026
Today12 Nov 2026

View as a table

Stage	Date
Deadline	26 Nov 2026
Today (not a deadline)	12 Nov 2026

Eligibility in plain language

Apply to attend a four-day residential sandpit; projects developed there can be invited to apply for funding. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for EPSRC funding (standard UKRI eligibility). Industry partners are welcome to attend and join projects as partners but can't receive EPSRC funding. International collaborators join only as project partners; no Norway-based co-lead (UKRI-RCN agreement does not apply).

At a glance

Who submits: You (the researcher) apply, usually with a host or employer that supports the application.
Your role: Lead only if your organisation type is eligible to lead; some organisation types may join as partners only (see checker).
Funding figure: Programme / total budget figure: Total budget (all awards): Total fund £7,125,000 (3-8 projects, up to 33 months; EPSRC pays 80% of full economic cost); award size: see call. Confirm per-project award size on the funder page.
Next required milestone: 26 Nov 2026 (application deadline)
Unresolved conditions: eligible host organisation

Listing facts checked: 05 Nov 2026. Eligibility interpretation sourced: 29 Oct 2026

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Who should apply

Materials scientists and engineers — best fit for PIs and research groups.

Summary from source

Apply to attend a four-day sandpit to develop high-impact projects addressing digital integration to accelerate materials research translation. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for EPSRC funding. Industry partners may participate but are not eligible for EPSRC funding through this opportunity. EPSRC

Raw eligibility text

This funding opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible . Who is eligible to apply This funding opportunity is open to applicants who meet the individual eligibility criteria . We also welcome expressions of interest from industry to attend the sandpit and develop projects as a partner at the sandpit. However, businesses are not eligible to apply for EPSRC funding through this funding opportunity. The post sandpit submissions should accurately represent projects and teams assembled at the sandpit. Where skills gaps were identified and discussed at the sandpit, researchers or other parties, including non-academic project partners, can be added to successful projects with approval from the mentors at the sandpit. International researchers The UKRI-RCN Money Follows Cooperation Agreement does not apply to this funding opportunity. As such grants submitted to this funding opportunity cannot include a Norway-based project co-lead (international). You should include all international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners. Resubmissions We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Find out more about UKRI’s resubmission policy . Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants.