Innovate UK funding: what’s available?
Innovate UK is the UK’s national innovation agency. It supports business-led innovation in all sectors, technologies and UK regions through a range of key funding competitions, including:
Challenge-led competitions
Innovate UK runs regular challenge-led competitions which focus on specific opportunity areas for UK business innovation. Known as the ‘Grand Challenges’, they include:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data
- Ageing society
- Clean growth
- Future of mobility
Open competition
As well as challenge-led competitions, Innovate UK runs Smart Grants – an open grant funding competition that accepts applications from any area of technology. Funding is available for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovation that can significantly impact the UK economy. The competition typically runs quarterly with up to £25 million available in each round.
Innovation Loans
Innovation Loans were introduced to ensure businesses can access funding at all stages of innovation, with £150 million on offer over the next 3 years. Businesses can apply for loans of between £100,000 and £2 million for late-stage research and development projects with strong commercial potential.
Small Business Research Initiatives (SBRI)
SBRI competitions provide innovative solutions to challenges faced by the public sector. The programme is best suited to small and medium-sixed businesses, as the contracts are of relatively small value and operate on short timescales.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)
KTPs connect businesses with academic expertise to deliver business-led innovation projects. Each KTP is a three-way partnership between i) a UK-based business or not-for-profit, ii) a knowledge base e.g., a university or college, and iii) a suitably qualified graduate with the capability to lead the innovation project.
International Collaboration
Innovate UK also supports international collaboration. For example, there have been recent opportunities for UK registered businesses to collaborate with organisations from countries such as Canada, Singapore and South Korea.
Innovate UK also funds the UK’s involvement in Eureka Eurostars. Through this competition, UK registered organisations can apply for a share of £2.5m for collaborative research with organisations from participating Eureka Eurostars member countries.
How can RedKnight help?
RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK funding and can help you develop a competitive application. Speak to the team today.
Women in Innovation Awards 2022/23
The Women in Innovation Awards 2022/23 will provide up to 50 women entrepreneurs with a £50,000 grant and a bespoke package of mentoring, coaching and business support. The competition aims to fund and support a diverse portfolio of Women in Innovation Award winners who:
- will be relatable role models for women from all backgrounds
- are from regions across the UK
- are solving a range of pressing societal, environmental and economic challenges
Applications can come from any area of innovation and be applied to any part of the economy.
Eligibility
Projects must start on 1st April 2023 and end on 31st March 2024. To be eligible for an award, you must fulfil the following criteria:
- be a woman founder, co-founder or senior decision maker within a UK registered micro or SME business which has been operating for at least 12 months by the competition closing date
- be resident in the UK
- carry out your project work in the UK and intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
- be legally and contractually able to use the funding
- attend an online interview panel during the weeks beginning 5 December and 12 December 2022
- attend 2 bootcamps on the week commencing 20 March 2023 and in September 2023
- commit to work as a role model for up to 5 days over the duration of the award
Background
Innovate UK launched Women in Innovation in 2016 to promote greater diversity and inclusion in business innovation. At the time, just 14% of applications to Innovate UK were led by women – despite success rates between male and female applicants being largely equal! Since then, the number of women leading applications for grants to Innovate UK has increased by 71%.
More Information
The Women in Innovation Awards 2022/23 will open on 22nd August and close on 19th October. For more information, visit the competition page and register to attend the online briefing event on 18th August. Alternatively, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Biomedical Catalyst 2022 Round 2: Industry-led R&D
The Biomedical Catalyst will reopen on 15th August. Through this competition, UK registered SMEs can apply for a share of £25 million to develop innovative solutions to health and healthcare challenges.
Scope
Projects can focus on any health or healthcare sector or discipline, including digital health. They can include a range of activities, such as:
- experimental evaluation (at laboratory scale)
- use of in vitro and in vivo models to evaluate proof of concept or safety
- exploring potential production mechanisms
- prototyping
- product development planning
- intellectual property protection
- a demonstration of clinical utility and effectiveness
- a demonstration of safety and efficacy (including phase 1 and 2 clinical trials)
- regulatory planning
Applicants must demonstrate existing evidence of commercial and technical feasibility in this stream of the Biomedical Catalyst programme.
Eligibility
All projects must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- have total project costs between £150,000 and £4 million, not exceeding a grant request of £2 million
- have at least 50% of the total project costs shared by the SMEs, if collaborative
- start before 1 May 2023 and end before 30 April 2026
- last between 6 months and 36 months
- carry out all project work in the UK and intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
To lead a project or work alone, your organisation must be a UK registered SME. You can work in collaboration with other organisations, including businesses of any size, academic institutions, charities, not-for-profits, public sector organisations, or research and technology organisations. They must also be registered in the UK.
More Information
Round 2 of the Biomedical Catalyst is open from 15th August until 12th October. For more information, please visit the competition page or join the online briefing event on 23rd August.
RedKnight has a strong track record of securing funding for life science companies. If you would like to discuss working together, please contact us to arrange a free consultation.
Innovate UK Smart Grants: July 2022
A new round of Innovate UK Smart Grants will open on 28th July. Through this competition, up to £25m is available for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovation that can significantly impact the UK economy.
Scope
Applications can come from any area of technology and be applied to any part of the economy. To be in scope, proposals must demonstrate:
- a game-changing, innovative, and disruptive idea that will lead to new products, processes or services
- an idea that is significantly ahead of others in the field, set for rapid commercialisation
- clear potential to positively impact the UK’s position, productivity and competitiveness within the global economy
- a clear, evidence-based business plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment (ROI) and growth through commercialisation, as soon as possible after project completion
- why Smart funding is the right potential funding for your project, and the journey you have already been on to reach the point of application
- a team with the necessary skills and expertise to deliver the project successfully and on time, and to achieve rapid commercialisation
- awareness of all the main risks the project will face with realistic management, mitigation and impact minimisation plans for each risk
- sound, practical financial plans and timelines that represent good value for money, including the funding of post-project activities
Eligibility
Applications must include at least one SME; they can be the lead or a collaborative grant claiming partner. The project must start by 1st May 2023 and end by 30th April 2026. It should also follow specific rules based on its duration:
- Projects with durations between 6 and 18 months must have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £500,000. They can be single or collaborative projects.
- Projects with durations between 19 months and 36 months must have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £2 million. In contrast to shorter projects, they must be collaborative.
More Information
This competition is open from 28th July until 26th October. For more information, please visit the competition page or attend the online briefing event on 4th August.
RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK Smart Grants and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like help putting together a competitive proposal, please contact us today.
Innovation Loans Round 5 open for applications
The Innovate UK Innovation Loans programme is open for applications. UK SMEs can apply for a share of £25 million for innovative, late-stage projects with strong commercial potential.
Scope
All projects must lead to new products, processes or services that are significantly ahead of current state-of-the-art solutions. It can also involve a new or innovative business model. Projects should focus on one or more of the following themes and sub-themes:
Net Zero
- energy
- impact of industrial processes and use of materials
- agriculture and food and other sources of emissions
- capital intensity
Health and Wellbeing
- tackling ill health
- enhancing wellbeing
- diet and food
Next generation digital technologies
Technology families
- advanced materials and manufacturing
- artificial intelligence
- digital and advanced computing
- bioinformatics and genomics
- engineering biology
- electronics, photonics and quantum technologies
- energy and environment technologies
- robotics and smart machines
Innovate UK is looking to fund a portfolio of projects and businesses, across a variety of technologies and markets. However, they are particularly interested in projects that focus on the future economy areas included in the Innovate UK plan for action.
Eligibility
Innovation loans can be for between £100,000 and £2 million. Projects must start by 30th January 2023 and can last up to 5 years, including both the R&D and commercialisation phases. Loan recipients must also:
- Be a UK-registered SME
- Carry out their project from or in the UK and intend to exploit the project’s results from or in the UK
- Give evidence that their business is suitable to take on a loan
More Information
Innovation Loans Round 5 is open from 20th July until 14th September. RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Innovate UK funding and can help you develop a competitive application! Please contact us in order to arrange a free consultation.
If you’re looking for grant funding, you may also be interested in Innovate UK Smart Grants.
Grant funding available for UK-Israel collaborative R&D
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of £2 million to fund collaborative research and development projects with Israel. This is a joint funding competition under the Eureka framework.
Scope
Funding is available for industrial research projects from any technological or market area. All proposals must demonstrate the following:
- a clear game-changing or disruptive innovative idea leading to new products, processes or services
- a strong and deliverable business plan
- sound, practical financial plans and timelines
- good value for money
- a clear, evidence-based plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment and growth through commercialisation
- clear, considerable potential to significantly benefit the UK economy or national productivity
- the benefit of participants from the countries working together and how this adds value
- a clear definition of where intellectual property (IP) can be used and shared between the participants and countries
- a clear route to market within 2 to 3 years of project completion
Eligibility
UK applicants can apply for up to £250k. In addition, projects must be collaborative and last between 12-24 months.
Project Team
The UK lead applicant must collaborate with at least one organisation from Israel. They can also collaborate with other UK registered businesses of any size.
Subcontractors are allowed in this competition but they must not account for more than 20% of the UK partners’ total eligible costs.
More Information
More information is available on the competition page. To apply, UK applicants must complete a Eureka application by 19th September and submit an Innovate UK application before 28th September.
RedKnight has a strong track record of securing Eureka funding and can help you develop a competitive application! Please contact us in order to arrange a free consultation.
Innovate UK launches £30m Fast Start: Innovation competition
This week, Innovate UK announced a brand new series of grants worth £30 million to fund innovation in net zero and healthcare. Grants of up to £50,000 will be available for UK start-ups developing highly innovative products, processes and services across seven technology areas:
- advanced materials and manufacturing
- AI, digital and advanced computing
- bioinformatics and genomics
- engineering biology
- electronics, photonics and quantum
- energy and environment technologies
- robotics and smart machines
Scope
Projects must focus on how one of the seven technology areas can enable affordable, adoptable, and investible solutions for achieving net zero or self-driven healthcare. You can find more information on both challenge themes here. Innovate UK is particularly interested in proposals that help:
- develop both the idea and the business
- create a new revenue stream
- evidence and enable market, funding and commercialisation plans
- show what’s feasible, helping the business decide whether to pursue the idea further
- catalyse further innovation on the path to commercial success
- respond to changing market conditions
Eligibility
To lead a project, your organisation must be a UK-registered micro or small business. You must not have exceeded your £315,000 limit of de minimis or minimal financial assistance funding during the current and previous 2 fiscal years.
All projects must have total project costs between £25,000 and £50,000. They should last between 3 and 6 months, starting by 1st November 2022 and ending by 30th April 2023.
Fast Start: Innovation grants are only available for businesses that have not previously received Innovate UK funding. Successful applicants will also receive tailored business support through Innovate UK EDGE.
More Information
This competition is open from 11th July until 26th July. For more information, please see the competition document and watch the pre-recorded applicant briefing. Innovate UK is also holding online Q&A events on 12th and 18th July if you have any questions.
£12 million available for innovative clean maritime projects
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of £12 million for innovative clean maritime projects. This funding is from the Department for Transport. The Clean Maritime Demonstration Round 2 competition has two strands:
1) Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 2 - Feasibility
Firstly, funding is available for feasibility studies associated with the development and real-world demonstration of one or more of the specific themes listed in the competition scope. The real-world demonstration you are developing should be operational before March 2025.
The lead organisation must be a UK-registered business and work with other UK-registered organisations. In addition, Strand 1 projects must:
- have total costs between £100,000 and £1 million
- end before 31 August 2023
- carry out all of its project work in the UK
- carry out the majority of the work in the UK for green corridor projects
- intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
2) Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 2 – Collaborative R&D
Secondly, Strand 2 will support agile development and pre-deployment testing of clean maritime technologies. Projects must design, develop and test novel clean maritime technologies focused for on-vessel technologies or shoreside infrastructure.
Again, the lead organisation must be a UK-registered business and collaborate with other UK-registered organisations. Strand 2 projects must also:
- have total costs between £100,000 and £3 million
- end before 31 August 2023
- carry out all of its project work in the UK
- intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
More Information
This competition is open from 25th May until 13th July. You can find more information on both strands via the Innovation Funding Service.
RedKnight has a strong track record of securing innovation funding and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like to explore an application, please contact us in order to arrange a free consultation.
Faraday Battery Challenge Round 5 open for applications
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of £25 million for innovation in propulsion battery technologies for electric vehicles. This funding is from the Faraday Battery Challenge.
The aims of the competition are to:
- support business-led research and development of sustainable propulsion batteries
- support technologies with the potential to enter the automotive market within the next 10 years and, where appropriate, allow for early or cooperative entry into other sectors
- move UK battery innovations from technological potential towards commercial capability
- develop and secure material and manufacturing supply chains for battery technologies in the UK
The competition has two strands:
1. Collaborative Research and Development
The CR&D strand will support the research and development of innovative and sustainable battery technologies for the propulsion of electric vehicles in the automotive sector. All projects need to meet the following eligibility criteria. Firstly, they must have total costs between £500,000 and £12 million. They can last up to 24 months and should take place between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2024. Projects must be collaborative, led by a UK registered business, and involve at least one SME.
2. Feasibility Studies
In this strand, projects should focus on exciting early-stage research where a feasibility study could catalyse the route to commercialisation. To be eligible for funding, projects must have total costs between £100,000 and £750,000. They can last up to 12 months and should take place between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023. Projects must be collaborative, led by a UK registered business, and involve at least one SME.
More Information
Faraday Battery Challenge Round 5 is open from 23rd May until 17th August 2022. You can find more information on both strands via the Innovation Funding Service.
RedKnight has a strong track record of securing innovation funding and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like to explore an application, please contact us in order to arrange a free consultation.
£20 million available through Energy Catalyst Round 9
Energy Catalyst Round 9 is open for applications! Organisations can apply for a share of £20 million to create new or improved clean energy access in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia or the Indo-Pacific regions.
Scope
To be in scope for Energy Catalyst Round 9, your project must:
- Focus on improving energy access in official development assistance (ODA) eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Indo-Pacific regions.
- Have a technology or business model which is affordable, reliable and low carbon.
- Consider the role of gender equality and social inclusion.
Eligibility
This competition is split into three strands:
- Early-stage – Projects must last between 3 and 12 months and have total costs between £50k and £300k.
- Mid-stage – Projects must last between 6 and 24 months and have total costs between £50k and £1.5m.
- Late-stage – Projects must last between 6 and 36 months and have total costs between £50k and £5m.
To be eligible for funding for mid and late stage projects, at least some of the research and development, testing or demonstration activities must be conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Indo-Pacific regions. In addition, all projects must:
- Start by 1st April 2023 and end by 31st March 2026.
- Intend to use the results to help deliver clean energy access in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or the Indo-Pacific.
- Include a UK-registered administrative lead. If you are an international organisation, you must partner with a UK administrative lead.
- Involve at least one SME from anywhere in the world.
More information
This competition is open from 18th May until 10th August. For more information, visit the competition page or register to attend the online briefing event on 25th May.
RedKnight has a strong track record of securing innovation funding and can help you develop a competitive application! If you would like to explore an application, please contact us in order to arrange a free consultation.