Feasibility Studies

Approach: 

This Feasibility Study Call provides the opportunity to undertake speculative and potentially high-impact research to accelerate innovative solutions that promote the adoption of a digitally enabled circular economy. The DICE Network+ has an ambitious approach with a desire to create impact and meaningful change within the sector. 

Areas of focus: 

We are seeking studies that are innovative, evidence based, applied and appreciate the need for a whole system approach. The feasibility study should result in increased confidence in the proof of concept developed, which then has potential to attract further prioritisation and investment in the area. Applications should include or be led by an early career academic and should involve at least one industrial or government partner to ensure real world application and impact.​

The DICE Network+ is simultaneously addressing two interrelated challenge areas. Applications are welcomed that align to these, with areas of interest having been identified as below: 

Embed: Embedding sustainability and circularity within the design of digital and communication technologies. Example projects could include, but are not limited to:  

• How to embed circular innovation within UK semi-conductor component manufacturing, aligning to the National Semiconductor Strategy (2023). 

• Circular design and development of digital and communication technologies, incorporating sustainable materials, modular architectures, and strategies for product life extension and end-of-life recovery. 

• The application of circular approaches to digital infrastructure, such as safer energy storage systems, retrofitting for the ICT sector and the potential role of robotics and automation. 

• Circular system design to address the environmental footprint of AI, exploring the concept of data as a manufactured product. 

Enable: Realising the potential of the digital revolution, including advances in digital processes, to enable a circular economy. Example projects could include, but are not limited to: 

• Utilising digital advances to support the delivery of nature-based solutions, addressing regeneration and biodiversity challenges. 

• Applying advances in AI and Machine Learning to accelerate the adoption of circular innovation within one or more industrial sectors.  

• The application of digital technology to accelerate the widescale adoption of Product as a Service (PaaS) models, including Digital Product Passports. 

• Exploring the socio-technical aspect of new circular digital system adoption. 

• Addressing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the circular digital revolution, ensuring a socially beneficial transition to an inclusive future model.

Application of funds:  

The sum awarded can include both directly incurred and directly allocated costs, covering investigator/ researcher time, travel and subsistence appropriate to delivery of the project, and consumables.  

The duration of each individual project can be between 6 and 9 months from date of award. It is expected that all projects funded in this call will be completed by 30 October 2026 and be fully invoiced by 30 November 2026. 

As the grant holder, University of Exeter is responsible for allocating funding to successful proposals and will reimburse the lead institution at 80% fEC. The lead institution must be willing to provide the remaining 20% fEC. Applications where a portion of the project costs are met by industry funding are also welcomed. 

We intend to run a second call in early 2026, however we may allocate all funds in the first round should there be sufficient high quality applications.