The UK Government has announced plans to invest £50 million for research into graphene. The investment will establish a national institute that will provide the UK with a graphene research and technology hub. The University of Manchester is the single supplier invited to submit a proposal for funding the £45 million national institute, £38 million of which will be provided by the UK Government. The rest of the funding will come from the University of Manchester, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB).

The funding will be directed into four investment strands:

• Technology innovation — in particular, commercialization and exploitation of innovation
• £12 million will be available from the UK Government to invest in research equipment related to graphene. EPSRC will seek to fund equipment that can be used across a variety of disciplines and research groups and which will be accessible to business.
• £10 million will be available from EPSRC’s research budget to support graphene engineering research and accelerate the generation of novel devices, technologies, and systems. It will also strengthen the UK’s position in relation to European initiatives with potential for further financial leverage.
• An innovation center to focus on the market development and exploitation of emerging graphene technologies will be established, with around £10 million of investment from the EPSRC and the Technology Strategy Board. Separate from the institute of graphene research and supported by business, the center will help to accelerate the development, application and exploitation of new graphene technologies, in order for them to realize their full commercial and economic potential.

• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Swindon, UK