A4B Overview 

A4B is a six year programme of support funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and European Structural Funds aimed at providing a simplified, integrated package of support for knowledge transfer from academia to business.  A4B brings together a suite of already successful programmes into one, overarching programme, improving on previous capabilities.

A4B consists of the best elements of the Knowledge Exploitation Fund (KEF), Centres of Excellence for Technology and Industrial Collaboration (CETIC), Know How Wales (KHW) and Accelerate Clusters (AC).  These previously separate programmes have successfully worked with both Higher Education Institutions and, where appropriate, Further Education Institutions over the last seven years, delivering knowledge transfer to Welsh industry and businesses.

The aim of the overall programme is to promote a high value-added economy and to maximise the economic impact of academia and business through technology transfer and the creation of a stronger science, engineering and technology base with clear commercial potential.  This will be achieved by the adoption of new processes, systems and services, or by improving substantially those already produced or installed.  In turn, this will lead to the creation of high value jobs and ultimately, a value-added economy.

See and  A4B Update Issue 2 for further information.

You can also view two informative A4B seminar presentations by clicking the links below.

A4B Procedures and Project Management Seminar 11-02-09
Ali Parker's A4B presentation  

Collaborative Industrial Research Projects

The Collaborative Industrial Research Project (CIRP) programme aims to encourage and enable groups of companies and academic institutions to carry out collaborative industrial R & D projects in order  to:

• Increase the level of business investment in R & D in Wales
• Develop the research base in Wales by working on important industrial/business problems
• More fully exploit the research base in Wales by creating new or improved products, processes and services.  Ultimately, this will translate into an increase in high value employment.
• Stimulate the formation of long-term collaborative relationships between academia and industry to enable the process to become sustainable

Please see Guidance Notes for more information.

CIRP.EU.MA.APP - Application Form
CIRP.EU.MA.GFA - Guidance For Applicants
CIRP.EU.ROI.APP - Application Form
CIRP.EU.ROI.GFA - Guidance For Applicants

Patent and Proof of Concept

The PPOC aims to fill the funding gap between basic and early research and the start of the market exploitation process.  This funding will enable the testing of technology to determine its potential for commercialisation and will lead to supporting the development of intellectual property rights (IPR) including registration of patents, designs, copyrights, etc.

For the purpose of PPOC, the early commercialisation process has been simplified into a three stage process of: Evaluation, Technical Development and Early Commercialisation,   PPOC funding is to develop a Proof of Concept (POC) demonstration (stage two of the process) and only supports ideas that are patented or are patentable.

Please see Guidance Notes for more information.

PPOC.EU.MA.APP - Application Form
PPOC.EU.MA.GFA - Guidance For Applicants

Knowledge Transfer Centres

Knowledge Transfer Centres (KTCs) promote and demonstrate the benefits of new technology and specialist services to industry and business.  They provide facilities which companies could not otherwise readily access.  In this way, KTCs assist businesses to overcome the barriers of cost or lack of awareness which often preclude businesses from experimenting with key technologies or new research ideas.

Additionally, a KTC will be lead by its director who is held accountable for its structure, business approach, staff, project leadership and is ultimately responsible for the Centre.  The Director will also take ownership of the KTC's mission statement and ensure the Centre itself will become embedded within its host Institution's third mission activities.

KTCs should aim to:

• Improve the competitiveness of Welsh enterprises by facilitating the development of new or improved products, processes or services and by doing so create employment in supported entities
• Promote the use of technology and advanced knowledge services by industry
• More fully exploit the knowledge base in Welsh Higher Education Institutions and where appropriate, Further Education Institutions by Welsh enterprises
• Stimulate the formation of longer term relationships between academia and industry for the benefit of the Welsh Economy

Please see Guidance Notes for more information.

KTC - recommended business plan template
KTC Additional Information Checklist Agreed
KTC Additional Information Checklist Brief Agreed
KTC.EU.REVCAP.APP - Header
KTC.EU.REVCAP.APP - Template
KTC.EU.REVCAP.GFA - Guidance For Applicants

 
Feasibility Studies

Feasibility Study applications will look to evaluate potential projects of strategic value to Wales and enable knowledge transfer that will ultimately benefit the Welsh economy.  The proposal should therefore aim to evaluate the potential of a future knowledge transfer project to stimulate the economy by providing or creating new products, processes or services.

Please see Guidance Notes for more information.

FSP.EU.MA.APP - Feasibility Project Application form
FSP.EU.MA.GFA - Guidance For Applicants

Early Stage Development Fund (ESDF)

The Early Stage Development Fund is intended to provide initial support for the discovery and evaluation of potential Patent and Proof of Concept ideas.

ESDF.EU.MA.APP - Application Form
ESDF.EU.MA.GFA - Guidance For Applicants

Knowledge Exchange Project (KEP)

The aim of the Knowledge Exchange Project’s programme is to identify and develop effective innovative academic and business knowledge exchanges that can deliver the results and impacts necessary to effect economic change in terms of:

• developing more effective knowledge transfer mechanisms
• increasing business investment in R&D in Wales 
• developing the research base in Wales
• more fully exploiting the research base in Wales, and
• stimulating the formation and the maintenance of long-term collaborative relationships between academia and industry.

KEP.EU MA.GFA - Guidance For Applicants
KEP.EU.MA.APP - Application Form