IDCORE - EPSRC Industrial CDT for Offshore Renewable Energy

Name

IDCORE - EPSRC Industrial CDT for Offshore Renewable Energy

Legal name

EPSRC Industrial Centre for Doctoral Training for Offshore Renewable Energy

Website

https://idcore.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IDCORE is an EPSRC-funded Industrial Centre for Doctoral Training delivering a four-year Engineering Doctorate in offshore renewable energy through a consortium of five UK universities and industrial sponsors across the offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Doctoral Research Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Incentives, Grants & Program Administration (Auctions, Tenders, IRA/ITC/PTC Advisory) (EUAMAAAJ), Advanced Project-Based Learning & Portfolio Mentoring (STEM/arts portfolios, maker projects) (EDANAKAI)

Keywords

• Engineering doctorate
• Offshore renewable energy
• Doctoral training program
• Marine energy research
• Work-based doctoral learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. EPSRC and NERC Grant Funding: IDCORE is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) as a Centre for Doctoral Training. Previous funding rounds include EP/S023933/1 (2018) and EP/J500847/1 (2012). A full scholarship (stipend and tuition fees) is provided to successful applicants.
2. Industrial Sponsorship: Companies sponsor research projects and provide industrial supervisors for EngD students. Research projects are driven by sponsoring company needs and reflect real-time ORE sector research priorities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IDCORE is an Engineering Doctorate (EngD) training centre that delivers a four-year, work-based doctoral programme in offshore renewable energy, combining taught academic modules with industry-led research projects. It is funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and is operated as a partnership of five UK universities (Edinburgh, Exeter, Strathclyde, Swansea and the Scottish Association for Marine Science).

Product overview

IDCORE is an Industry-based Doctoral Training Centre offering a single unified EngD (Engineering Doctorate) programme in Offshore Renewable Energy. The programme combines taught academic modules (delivered at partner universities in Semesters 1-2 based in Edinburgh) with industry-driven applied research projects conducted over three years with sponsoring companies. The portfolio consists of the core EngD qualification, the associated Research Engineer training programme with its taught components, and scholarship offerings. IDCORE has trained over 100 engineers since 2012 and is currently recruiting its fifth cohort of 50 EngD students from 2024-2028.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Offshore Renewable Energy A four-year Engineering Doctorate programme that combines work-based research projects with taught postgraduate modules, designed for engineers who want to apply doctoral-level research to industry challenges in offshore renewable energy.
• Industrial Sponsorship of Doctoral Research A package allowing offshore renewable energy companies and related organisations to co-supervise doctoral researchers on real industry problems, gaining access to trained research talent and academic expertise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 Offshore Renewable Engineers trained since 2012
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swansea UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024New partner joining from 2024 iteration of IDCORE. Extends the collaborative partnership to 5 institutions and brings additional expertise in offshore renewable energy research.
• University of EdinburghcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Administering university for IDCORE programme. Hosts programme headquarters and initial academic training (Semesters 1 and 2) for all EngD students. Provides world-class research facilities and academic supervisors.
• University of ExetercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Programme partner providing academic supervisors and research engineering placements across Exeter campus. Contributes expertise in electrical engineering, naval architecture, and risk & reliability.
• University of StrathclydecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Programme partner providing academic supervisors and research engineering placements. Contributes expertise in naval architecture, hydrodynamics, and civil/structural engineering.
• Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Research partner providing academic supervisors and research facilities. Contributes environmental and marine biology expertise to the programme.
• PartracminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial partner sponsoring EngD research project for Cohort 2025 student.
• Frazer-NashminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial partner sponsoring multiple EngD research projects across different cohorts.
• The Crown EstateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial partner sponsoring EngD research projects including Cohort 2023 and 2024 students.
• EDFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor energy company industrial partner sponsoring multiple EngD research projects for Cohort 2024 students.
• Proteus Marine RenewablesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial partner sponsoring multiple EngD research projects across different cohorts.
• Offshore Renewable Energy CatapultminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and innovation center industrial partner hosting EngD students for research projects in Cohort 2023.
• SSEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor energy company sponsoring multiple EngD research projects for Cohort 2023 students.
• Wood GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering and advisory firm industrial partner sponsoring EngD research project for Cohort 2024 student.
• Mocean EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWave energy technology company industrial partner hosting EngD student for Cohort 2023.
• Trios RenewablesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenewable energy company industrial partner sponsoring EngD research project for Cohort 2023 student.
• CGEN EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering firm industrial partner sponsoring EngD research project for Cohort 2024 student.
• SSE HVDC CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist HVDC technology center industrial partner hosting EngD student for Cohort 2024.
• QED and TocardominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint industrial partner sponsoring EngD research project for Cohort 2023 student.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems (IWES): German applied research institute specialising in wind energy and offshore wind testing. Comparable mission in driving offshore wind R&D and training through industry partnerships, though geographically focused on Germany.
• DTU Wind and Energy Systems: Department at the Technical University of Denmark focused on wind energy research and education. Comparable as a leading European ORE research and training institution serving the offshore wind sector, though based in Denmark rather than the UK.
• NTNU Department of Marine Technology: Norwegian University of Science and Technology department focused on marine and offshore engineering research and doctoral training. Comparable as a leading European doctoral training hub in offshore engineering with strong industry ties (especially Equinor and other Norwegian operators).

Direct peers

• Plymouth University - School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics: UK university hosting the Supergen ORE Hub with significant ORE research and doctoral training. Comparable as a UK institution combining offshore renewable energy research with industry-engaged doctoral programmes.
• Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult): UK's leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. Directly comparable mission to IDCORE in driving ORE technology deployment and workforce development; ORE Catapult is also a current IDCORE industrial sponsor hosting EngD students.
• Supergen ORE Hub: EPSRC-funded research hub focused on UK offshore renewable energy research, hosted by University of Plymouth. Closely comparable as an EPSRC-funded ORE research consortium driving academic-industry collaboration in the same UK sector.
• Cranfield University Energy and Power Research: UK university with applied research and doctoral training programmes in energy, including offshore renewables. Comparable as a UK-based applied energy research and doctoral training institution serving industry.

Broad incumbents

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): US Department of Energy national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research. Comparable in mission to drive ORE technology development and workforce capability, but operates at much broader national-lab scale and serves different geographies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/idcore-epsrc-industrial-cdt-for-offshore-renewable-energy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IDCORE - EPSRC Industrial CDT for Offshore Renewable Energy