Irresistible Materials
Irresistible Materials Ltd (IM), created as a spin out company from the University of Birmingham (UK), works to develop novel materials for applications in next generation lithography.
IM develops novel materials that address the semiconductor industry’s need for ever-decreasing microchip feature sizes, including two advanced materials platforms for next generation lithography applications, which are:
- Extreme Ultra-Violet (EUV) Photo-Resist materials
- Spin-on-Carbon Hardmask materials
Irresistible’s relationship with Ayming
As part of its grant scouting remit, Ayming’s partnerships team spoke to the portfolio team of one of their partner funds to bring their attention to the grant opportunity for Irresistible Materials, one of their portfolio companies.
In early January 2024, Ayming had identified the “Improving and Scaling-up Semiconductor Manufacturing” grant, an Innovate UK initiative aimed at fostering technological advancements and scalability in the semiconductor industry. Despite previous successful grant applications, Irresistible Materials was unaware of this particular opportunity until talking to Ayming on 10 January.
Ayming’s engagement
Given the tight grant application deadline of 31 January 2024, and Irresistible Materials’ constraints in dedicating time for an in-depth application process, the Irresistible team decided to engage Ayming, a grants specialist, to deliver the application.
The project kicked off on 15 January and Ayming’s grants team launched into action, meticulously compiling a comprehensive grant application which was submitted to Innovate UK on 30 January, a day before the competition deadline.
Grant application and results
On 8 March IM received notification of its successful grant application, a substantial £1.75 million from Innovate UK. The award is a testament to the effective partnership between IM and Ayming which meant a timely execution of the grant application process.
The successful grant exemplifies the significant benefits of strategic partnerships and the importance of specialist knowledge in navigating the competitive grants’ landscape. Through Ayming’s expertise and proactive approach to value creation alongside our partner investment funds, Irresistible Materials was able to unlock a vital funding opportunity, further supporting the business.
David Ure, Director, Irresistible Materials
