National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP)

The Aerospace Growth Partnership developed the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) aimed at small and medium sized suppliers to help them develop their own innovative technologies to enhance their capabilities and increase their ability to win new business with higher tier companies anywhere in the world. The new 4-year, £10 million programme has now been approved with a first round of competition opening in Oct 2019 (see the timetable for applications on the APPLY tab of the website) . Three further rounds are planned - one every six months. NATEP supports the engagement and proposal development phase of the programme, as well as the technical and management mentoring throughout the project. This mentoring and support is unique to the NATEP programme and helps companies to accelerate their technology development towards market readiness. The programme draws upon industry professionals and technology managers to support the development of applications for funding through peer review and feedback, known as the Proposal Review Panel (PRP). NATEP is delivered by a consortium led by ADS and the ATI Programme partners. The ATI Programme partners are Innovate UK, the Aerospace Technology Institute and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The ATI’s mission is to help the UK economy to grow by creating a clear and ambitious portfolio of research and technology (R&T) projects in aerospace. It is responsible for developing the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, and encourages industry-led projects that fit with this strategy and can maximise the potential to the UK economy. By continuing to develop an aerospace supply chain with a high rate of innovation, rich in new technologies the UK will be better able to offer the right products and services, at the right time and ahead of competition. This will ensure that market opportunities are exploited with high value manufacturing work retained in the UK. Innovate UK is the funding agency for this competition. It will provide independent assessors and manage the programme, from contracting projects, through performance monitoring to close-out.