Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund
This fund supportswill support innovative engineering biology sandboxes which aim to accelerate pro-innovation regulatory reform and encourage business innovation and investment.
Documents
Details
Update: 2910 AprilMarch 20252025: Round 2
Round 2 of the Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund iswill nowopen open.
Applyin byApril 2:00pm2025. onAn 18updated July 2025.
Round 1 of the competition closedbrief onwill 19be Aprilpublished 2024when –round see2 theis successful projects.launched.
UK regulators can apply to the Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund (EBSF) with sandbox projects that accelerate regulatory reforms for engineering biology-derived products and improve the quality of decision-making when assessing these products.
EachThe applicationfirst mustround haveof anthe individualcompetition leadclosed applicanton that19 meetsApril 2024 at 12pm GMT. The second round of the eligibilitycompetition criteriais expected to open in theApril 2025. An updated competition brief. will be published when the second round opens.
All activities associated with the EBSF will need to be completed by 31 March 2027.
Eligibility
This is a summary of the minimum requirements for ‘in scope’ sandboxes (read the scheme guidance for full details).
To be eligible for funding you (the lead applicant) must be a body which meets the following criteria:
exercisesa‘regulatoryfunction’,asdefinedinsection32(2)-(4)oftheLegislativeandRegulatoryReformAct2006;performsthatregulatoryfunctioninScotland,Wales,NorthernIreland,EnglandoracrosstheUK;issubjectto andfollowstheguidanceinHMTreasury’sManagingPublicMoney handbook,or,ifnotsubjecttothatguidance,isabletodemonstratecompliancewithManagingPublicMoneyprincipleswithrespecttoanyfundingreceivedfromDepartmentforScience,InnovationandTechnology(DSIT);andiscompliantwithduediligencechecks.
We encourage regulators to involve other organisations where such participation is relevant to the purpose of the project and would be expected to improve or enhance the outcomes sought.
However, each application must have individual lead applicant (who meets the minimum eligibility criteria above).
Funding
All sandboxes should aim to ensure timely delivery of regulatory reforms to support the growth of the UK’s engineering biology sectors.
Sandboxes must be a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 24 months. All activities associated with the EBSF will need to be completed by 31 OctoberMarch 2027.
The cap for any single applicationbid is £1.6 million. There is no minimum spend requirement.
How to apply
PleaseIf noteyou thatmeet fundingthe isminimum noteligibility guaranteedcriteria andabove itplease maydownload bethe thatapplication fundingform for the EBSF competition, which is notavailable provided.
Howon this page. Please send your completed application form, along with supporting documents, to apply
The application is split into 3three sections:
-
application details
details; -
application questions
questions;and -
project financial information
Only applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be sent for assessment. You will be notified if your application is out of scope with feedback.
Following an assessment of proposals with respect to the criteria set out in the competition brief, an awarding panel will make the final decision on funding. We aim to notify applicants in the secondfirst round about the awarding panel’s decision by end of AugustMay 2025.2024.
Successful projects will be required to work with DSIT’s independent evaluation partner to participate in the evaluation of the programme.
You will be expected to report on your progress and financial spend to DSIT monthly. Payments will be made quarterly.
ToThe apply,model downloadgrant thefunding applicationagreement formdocument andwill sendbe yourpublished completedin form,due alongcourse. withIf supportingyou documents,have toany engineeringbiology@dsit.gov.uk.questions Deadlineabout 2pm,this 18document, Julyplease 2025email engineeringbiology@dsit.gov.uk.
Sandboxes explainer
The concept of a ‘sandbox’ is defined by regulators in different ways, but all sandboxes facilitate extensive dialogue between industry and a regulator to inform regulatory actions that strike the right balance between facilitating innovation and mitigating risk.
A sandbox does not necessarily require legislative change or ‘relaxing’ regulations. Additionally, the outcome of a sandbox project should be uncertain as it is a research and development project.
If you require further information, please email engineeringbiology@dsit.gov.uk.
Updates to this page
Last updated 29
-
Round 2 of the Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund is open for applications.
Update history
2025-04-29 16:30
Round 2 of the Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund is open for applications.
2025-03-10 16:15
Round 2 of the Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund will open in April 2025.
2024-10-07 09:30
Round 1 successful project announced.
2024-04-15 11:44
Draft statement of main terms published.
2024-03-15 11:29
Reference to the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement has been corrected to the Subsidy Control Act 2022 in the subsidy control section of the competition brief.
2024-03-06 15:15
Clarification questions published.
2024-02-01 11:49
First published.