New Ways to Find Research and Knowledge Exchange Funding and Collaborators

Reviewing Our Funding Discovery Tools

Over the past few months, we have evaluated the platforms and services that help colleagues identify funding opportunities. With subscription costs continuing to rise, new providers entering the market, and advances in artificial intelligence creating exciting new possibilities, it was important to reassess how we support colleagues in navigating an increasingly complex funding environment.

As a result of this review, we have decided not to renew our subscription to Research Professional for the 2026/27 academic year. While the platform has supported many colleagues over the years, increasing costs coupled with the reduction of some key services meant it no longer represented the best value for the university.

Although our subscription has officially ended, some daily updates and personalised funding alerts are still being delivered. These remaining services will cease over the coming weeks.

Exploring the Potential of AI

Alongside changes to our existing funding support tools, we are also exploring how artificial intelligence can help researchers identify funding opportunities more effectively.

We are currently trialling a range of AI-powered agents, including both internally developed solutions and externally supported tools. Using researchers' ORCID iDs, these systems can analyse expertise, interests and career stage to identify potentially relevant funding opportunities. The trials are helping us understand which approaches work best across different disciplines, funders and researcher profiles.

Introducing Crowdhelix

We are delighted to announce the university-wide rollout of Crowdhelix, an international open innovation and collaboration platform that helps researchers discover funding opportunities, build strategic partnerships and develop strong collaborative proposals.

Crowdhelix connects researchers, universities, research organisations, businesses and innovators from around the world. Through its network, colleagues can engage with potential collaborators, explore new opportunities and become part of global research and innovation communities.

Even more excitingly, Crowdhelix plans to launch additional services from November that will extend funding coverage to approximately 75% of global funding schemes, including both public and private funding providers.

Why Use Crowdhelix?

Whether you're developing a new research idea, looking for international collaborators or seeking the next funding opportunity, Crowdhelix offers a range of benefits.

Through the platform, researchers can:

• Identify collaborators with complementary expertise.
• Connect with international research and innovation communities.
• Access information about major funding programmes, including Horizon Europe and other international schemes.
• Respond to and advertise collaboration opportunities.
• Participate in networking events, webinars and training sessions.
• Raise the visibility of their research expertise and interests.

A key feature of Crowdhelix is its network of specialist thematic communities, known as Helixes. These communities bring together researchers working on similar challenges and technologies, making it easier to find relevant partners and opportunities. The platform also uses intelligent matching tools to suggest collaborations and funding opportunities based on individual profiles, expertise and research interests.

Getting Started

To get the greatest benefit from Crowdhelix, we encourage all colleagues to take a few simple steps:

1. Register for an account

Sign up using your institutional email address.

2. Complete your profile

The more information you provide, the more effective the platform becomes. Add details of your expertise, research interests, experience and areas of specialism. We also recommend linking your ORCID iD.

3. Set up notifications

Tailor your preferences to receive alerts about funding opportunities, partnership requests and collaborations that match your interests.

4. Explore relevant Helixes

Join the thematic communities most aligned to your research areas and start connecting with researchers working on similar challenges around the world.

Need Help?

A range of support materials is available to help you make the most of the platform:

• Crowdhelix User Guide
• How to Use Crowdhelix (training resources and guidance)
• Video Walkthrough: A step-by-step demonstration of the platform

Looking Ahead

As funding landscapes continue to evolve, building strong collaborations and identifying opportunities early has never been more important. Crowdhelix offers an exciting new way to expand research networks, discover project partners and engage with collaborative funding opportunities on a global scale.

We encourage all colleagues to create their profiles and start exploring the platform. The more complete and active your profile, the greater the opportunities you'll uncover.