Research Funding Prize for Zinc Mission 2 Businesses
Zinc’s Mission 2 programme focused on unlocking new opportunities for people in places that have been hard-hit by globalisation and automation, creating 16 businesses focused on a variety of new, innovative solutions to meet this challenge.
To showcase the impact of social sciences research on a new businesses, and to increase and improve engagement between one of the businesses and academic researchers, Aspect funded a £10k research prize, awarded to Tandem, whose aim is to end transport poverty in small towns and cities. Using the prize, Tandem built a collaborative programme of work with academics from the universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen. Outputs from the award and subsequent engagement included an open access report on the research that was done surveying and modelling user preferences, and an event to share the learning – which was promoted via the Aspect network. One outcome from this work was that Tandem realised the importance of understanding and communicating the policy implications of their business, and the ways in which they – as a business – can better engage with policymakers.
Resources
6 June 2023
Programme to support mid-career researchers with venture engagement for professional development
This is a report about the Zinc Mid-Career Researcher Innovation Safari 2022. It explains how mid-career researchers have fewer opportunities than ECRs to explore developmental routes outside academia, which leads to limitations of opportunities for professional and personal development.
30 May 2023
Zinc offers an Innovation Internships scheme for PhD students to learn about early-stage innovation within placements in start-ups
This is a detailed report available to Aspect members about Zinc’s offerings of the Aspect-funded Innovation Internships scheme that supports students from both disciplines, SHAPE and STEM, for three-month placements outside academia, with mission-focused start-ups to gain commercial experience.
30 September 2021
Social Science Commercialisation Case Studies
Sharing insights and examples that inspire social science commercialisation.
27 September 2021
Zinc Case Studies
Case studies demonstrating some of the partnerships between Zinc ventures and universities.
26 January 2021
Tackling taboos through research in ventures
Supporting start-ups working on taboo topics, in ageing and wider aspects of health.
21 January 2021
Catalysing Innovation Funding for Healthy Ageing
An event report from Tim Shakespeare, Research and Innovation Design Manager at Zinc.
17 December 2020
Invitation for social scientists to apply ideas for later life innovation
Q&A with UKRI’s Huw Vasey on the Healthy Ageing Catalyst Awards, run in partnership with Zinc
11 December 2020
Bringing startups and social science together for later life innovation
Tim Shakespeare highlights the key points from Zinc’s new report on innovation and healthy ageing
22 October 2020
Webinar recording: The case for working in start-ups
Early career social scientists: The case for working in start-ups