Get Funded
The DICE Network+ has an ambitious approach with a desire to create impact and meaningful change within the sector. One of the key opportunities within the network is access to flexible funding to accelerate wider research into specific challenge areas at the interface of digital technologies and circular economy.
We are pleased to announce that the majority of our Flexible Fund allocation totalling a value of £450,000 (available at 80% fEC) has been awarded.
We have 10 Knowledge Exchange Placements, 6 Feasibility Studies and 2 Demonstrators either in progress or due to start in Autumn 2026. As these placements and research projects progress, we will be sharing further updates – Read more about our funded projects here.
We currently welcome applications for our ECR Access Fund and intend to release funds for a final round of Knowledge Exchange Placements later in Autumn-Winter 2026.
ECR Access Fund
The DICE Network+ has an ambitious approach with a desire to create impact and meaningful change within the sector.
As part of our focus on engaging Early Careers Researchers, we have launched an Access Fund which provides small, fast-turnaround awards to help members of our ECR Community participate in and / or organise activities that directly support the DICE Network+ objectives.
The fund is designed to remove barriers to engagement, build capacity, and enhance visibility of ECR-led work across the wider community.
ECR Access FundDICE N+ Flexible Funding
Read more >Knowledge Exchange Placements
As part of our focus on engaging Early Careers Researchers, the Knowledge Exchange Placements are designed to support interdisciplinary collaboration of academic, industry and network partners across the UK, promoting the adoption of a digitally enabled circular economy.
Read more >Feasibility Studies
The Feasibility Study Call provided the opportunity to undertake speculative and potentially high-impact research to accelerate innovative solutions that promote the adoption of a digitally enabled circular economy.
Read more >Demonstrators
Through demonstrators, research teams have opportunity to further develop their feasibility knowledge into a minimum viable product or service by developing a demonstrator model. This can help make outcomes of research attractive to the market, accelerating the adoption of a digitally enabled circular economy.
Launched in January 2025, the Digital Innovation and Circular Economy (DICE) Network+ is an EPSRC-funded, three-year programme that seeks to leverage the digitalisation of industry to foster a circular economy across sectors and value chains for digital and communication technologies. Our Network+ comprises eleven investigators from nine UK universities, along with a breadth of academic, industry and policy partners.
