News

07 November 2025

Funding the future of impact: MInDS Flexible Fund supports its first three institutions

The MInDS Management Team is delighted to announce the first three recipients of NetworkPlus funding through the MInDS Flexible Fund: Heriot-Watt University, Newcastle University, and the University of Surrey.

This milestone marks a significant step forward in supporting mathematical sciences departments across the UK to translate research excellence into real-world innovation and impact.

The University of Surrey will use its MInDS award to establish its first InRA positions, supporting its ambition to become a hub for knowledge exchange in the South of England. Dr Matthew Turner explained:

“We are thrilled to receive the support of the MInDS Flexible Fund to help us to establish two co-funded InRA positions in the School of Mathematics and Physics here at Surrey. The potential for mathematics to provide theoretical underpinning for improved grant success, consultancy income generation and impact is considerable, and having dedicated staff with an outward focus who can be agile in their response to opportunities are essential to pump-prime this activity. With funding and mentorship from MInDS, we look forward to developing our InRA group and achieving our goal of becoming a local knowledge exchange network hub.”

At Heriot-Watt University, the funding will support the continued growth of the Mathematics-Driven Innovation Centre (M-DICE), which has recently established itself as a hub for collaboration between mathematics and industry. Professor Manolis Georgoulis, Director of M-DICE, commented:

“We are delighted to have received funding from MInDS to further develop our group of researchers at M-DICE. Although less than a year old, M-DICE has already had a variety of successful projects in collaboration with partners in industry, charity, and multidisciplinary academic research consortia. We are now ready to expand, taking advantage of more external opportunities in the local and national ecosystems. The MInDS funding allows us to drive forward in our mission to become the leading Scottish centre for mathematical sciences knowledge exchange.”

At Newcastle University, the MInDS funding will help strengthen Newcastle University Solve (NU Solve) - a key initiative linking mathematical and statistical research with business and societal challenges. Professor Kevin Wilson and Dr Jere Koskela said:

“Newcastle University Solve (NU Solve) bridges the gap between business and the world of mathematics and statistics, and is a key vehicle in the support of Newcastle’s strategy to grow its engagement with addressing real-world challenges and driving socio-economic impact locally and globally.

The North-East, however, has excess demand for mathematical and statistical expertise in the digital space, with a lack of skills in traditional manufacturing industries and opportunities in the expanding service sector. We are therefore delighted to have received funding from the MInDS Flexible Fund to support the development of our team by bringing on board a third InRA, growing much-needed capacity in our geographical area and enhancing our ability to pursue more interdisciplinary partnerships. We look forward to working with the MInDS team on this exciting initiative to develop a national network of impact-facing innovation researchers.”

In keeping with MInDS’ community-focused ethos, the Flexible Fund aims to establish a growing network of Innovation Researchers across the UK, building a national ecosystem that transforms mathematical expertise into tangible benefits for society, industry, and the economy.

Professor Andreas Kyprianou, Principal Investigator of the MInDS grant, said:
“The InRA model is an exciting new development that a few universities have experimented with and demonstrated works, filling a gap in the mathematical sciences community. We are so excited at the response to the MInDS call we have had from different mathematical sciences departments around the country, with the first awards already made, and more to come as the call remains open for more applications.”

The MInDS Management Team looks forward to supporting these initiatives and to receiving further applications from institutions around the UK as we work together to create a national ecosystem that turns mathematical brainpower into transformative real-world impact.

Funding calls are now open for the next round of applications, with a deadline of noon on Monday 24 November 2025. For full details and application guidance, please visit: https://www.kehubmaths.co.uk/events-activities/minds/Link opens in a new window