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Ideas4Innovation

UK Sport is charged with leading sport in the UK to world class success. To achieve this, UK Sport works in partnership to deliver medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Innovation is a key part of UK Sport’s work. The Research and Innovation team, led by Dr Scott Drawer, facilitate research into novel ways in which to squeeze out that extra drop of performance that can make a difference between a place on the podium and coming home empty handed.

At the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, there was less than half a second in time difference between winning and losing the gold medal in Kelly Homes’ 800m race, the men’s coxless fours win, Chris Hoy’s victory in the 1km time trial and the men’s 4x100m final put together. With gold medals won and lost within such tiny margins, innovation really can make a difference to the success of British athletes.

UK Sport wants to harness ideas that could benefit British athletes in competition and training and to reward you for your creativity.
The aim of the UK Sport's Ideas4Innovation programme is to acknowledge outstanding concepts generated by the UK's research community, which will support the mission to 2014, Rio 2016 and beyond. Up to £25,000 is on offer to further develop an idea that has potential.

By developing and encouraging an active and applied UK research community in sports science, medicine, technology and engineering we hope to impact on knowledge and ideas, and ultimately performance, in elite Olympic and Paralympic sport.

The competition is aimed at:

New Researchers
New researchers should be Undergraduate students that are studying engineering, science, technology or medicine with a project that has a relevance to elite sports performance which could benefit from further investigation. Post graduate researchers who have undertaken their first year of research are also welcome to apply. To apply, you must get sign off from the project supervisor, as further research will need to be undertaken with your current institution.

Garage Innovators
Any sports enthusiasts with creative ideas that may have the potential to enhance the performance of British athletes may apply for the award. The award provides an avenue for individuals to submit their ideas for innovation which, if explored, have the potential to improve the performance of British Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The award is primarily aimed at those with a passion to see the Great Britain team succeed, as the prize will enable the inventor to realise their idea, whilst enabling UK Sport to utilise any outcomes prior to 2016 during a period of exclusivity. If the inventor is unable to resource the idea development within their everyday business then UK Sport will find appropriate resources from the established Innovation Partner network and retain the inventor as an advisor. The Inventor will retain the Intellectual Property Rights of the invention.

Judging Panel
The initial judging phase will be undertaken by the UK Sport  Research and Innovation Team, who will assess each application individually and decide upon eight finalists. On Thursday 4 August each finalist will be asked to present their idea to a panel of judges made up of members of the UK Sport Innovation Partnership Network and other leading experts in the field of elite sport performance. Members of the judging panel will be confirmed on selection of the finalists to ensure it comprises the right expertise.

Prizes
The eight finalists chosen by the UK Sport Research and Innovation Team to present on Thursday  4 August will receive £500. The judging panel will then decide which idea(s) of the eight selected has greatest potential to improve Olympic and Paralympic performance, and will award up to £25,000 of research funding to ensure the idea (s) comes to fruition. The judging panel reserves the right not to award the £25,000 research funding if it feels there are no projects that warrant further investigation.

Application procedure
We have devised a simple application form below. We are asking for an overview of your idea, an explanation of the benefits to Olympic and Paralympic sports and how you would use up to £25,000 to further your research or concept.

If you are applying as a student, please click here for the New Researchers application form, terms and conditions and FAQ.

For all other applications, please download the Garage Innovators application form, terms and conditions and FAQ.

Please return the application form and signed terms and conditions by email to ideas4innovation@uksport.gov.uk or by post to Jayne Kavanagh, UK Sport, 40 Bernard Street, London, WC1N 1ST.

We will email all applicants on receipt of their applications.

Important dates
The closing date for entries is Friday 8 July 2011. Successful applicants will be notified by Monday 25 July 2011 and will be required to present their idea to the panel on Thursday 4 August 2011.

Enquiries
To register your interest in the Ideas4Innovation Awards, receive regular updates and reminders or for any general enquiries please email ideas4innovation@uksport.gov.uk.

Terms and Conditions
The judging panel reserves the right not to award the £25,000 research funding if it feels there are no projects that warrant further investigation. For full terms and conditions, please click on the links above.

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