We create diverse connections to drive positive change.
At Innovate UK Business Connect we connect innovators with new partners and new opportunities beyond their existing thinking – accelerating ambitious ideas into real-world solutions.
AgriFood
Biotechnology
Chemistry
Creative Industries
Design in Innovation
Digital
Electronics
Energy
Geospatial
Health
Learn more about Health
Digital Health & Care
MedTech
Neurotechnology
Precision Medicine
Microbiome
AI in Health
Transforming Medicines Manufacturing
Biomedical Catalyst
Healthy Lives Community of Practice
UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network
Phage Innovation Network
Medimap: End-to-end medicines supply chain map
Health Funding Map
Industrial Maths
Infrastructure
Manufacturing
Learn more about Manufacturing
Driving the Electric Revolution
Foundation Industries
Made Smarter Innovation Network
Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains
Transforming Medicines Manufacturing
Climate Change Adaptation Innovation Network
Made Smarter Innovation Network
Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains
Resource Efficiency for Materials and Manufacturing (REforMM)
Sustainable bio-based Materials and Manufacture (SusBioMM)
Materials
Photonics
Quantum
Robotics & AI
Security & Defence
Space
Transport
Water
Place
Global Alliance
Invest in Innovation
Sustainability
Business Growth
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Our Work
Explore the diverse range of UK industries supported by Innovate UK Business Connect.
Place
Global Alliance
Invest in Innovation
Sustainability
Business Growth
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Featured Sector Information
Innovate UK Announces Global Expert Missions in Engineering Biology
Innovate UK is excited to announce the launch of two Global Expert Missions (GEMs) in Engineering Biology, set to commence this autumn. These missions are part of Innovate UK’s strategy to foster international collaboration in key technology sectors with strategic partners.
Read more
Join Innovate UK as an Expert Assessor in Advanced Connectivity Technologies
Are you a professional with industry experience, applied practice or lived expertise in your field, with a passion for innovation? Do you want to contribute to the success of future innovators? If so, apply to be an Expert Assessor and help shape the UK’s innovation ecosystem.
Read more
Cohort Announcement for the Battery & Critical Materials Investment Readiness Programme 2025
Innovate UK Business Connect is delighted to announce the onboarding of 21 companies onto its Batteries and Critical Materials Investment Readiness Programme.
Read more
First of a Kind 2025 Rail Competition winners announced
The Department for Transport (DfT) and Innovate UK are pleased to announce the winners of the First of a Kind (FOAK) 2025 competition. Winners will receive funding to help develop novel technology centred around AI for Complex Processes, Platform Train Interface, Personal Safety and Bridge Strikes.
Read more
Innovate UK welcomes new government plans to supercharge UK cyber sector
The UK government has announced a significant boost to its cybersecurity sector, unveiling new plans to supercharge innovation and resilience across the country.
Read more
New round of Accelerators to support health and life science innovation
Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst continues to lead the way in supporting UK-based health and life science innovators, offering a powerful combination of access to funding, mentorship, and ecosystem support to accelerate the journey from concept to commercialisation.
Read more
Building a strong talent pipeline: Insights from the Technical Skills Shortages Focus event
The Technical Skills focus event, hosted by Innovate UK, brought together employers, educators, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore how collaboration, education, and innovation can help address the UK’s growing shortage of technical professionals.
The event part of Innovate UK’s Talent & Skills Connect series, featured expert speakers from the Science Council, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, the National Institutes of Technology Network, and the Catapult Network, each offering valuable insights into building a stronger, more sustainable talent pipeline for the UK’s innovation economy.
Read more
AgriFood
Innovate UK Business Connect helps organisations interested in AgriFood innovation access the expert information, funding and connections needed to drive change. Our experts work with businesses of all sizes; locally, nationally and globally.
Biotechnology
The Biotechnology team at Innovate UK Business Connect focuses on Industrial Biotechnology (IB), Engineering Biology (EB, commonly referred to as Synthetic Biology) and Microbiomes.
Chemistry
By 2050 our industry will have embraced a circular economy and be using different feedstocks, technologies and energy sources to produce chemicals. The Innovate UK Business Connect Chemistry team can help you navigate these changes and identify innovation that will ensure your business, research or service remains sustainable.
Creative Industries
The Innovate UK Business Connect Creative team helps organisations interested in innovation in the Creative Industries to access funding, expert knowledge and to make powerful and diverse connections.
Design in Innovation
Design turns insight into impact. Innovate UK connects innovators with funding, resources and expert networks to embed design in every stage of the innovation journey.
Digital
The Innovate UK Business Connect Digital team helps organisations interested in Digital innovation to access funding, expert knowledge and to make powerful and diverse connections.
Electronics
Electronics is the enabler of all things digital. It is the hardware and embedded software that allows products and processes to communicate, have power, have intelligence and awareness, be controlled, be automated and operate safely. It’s built into many sectors, including health, aerospace, manufacturing and retail.
Energy
Innovate UK Business Connect’s Energy Team is at the centre of our work contributing to delivering the UK’s ambitious Net Zero targets. With specialists in Nuclear, Offshore Wind, Thermal Energy Systems, Batteries, Water, Hydrogen, Sustainable Energy, Grid and Distributed Systems, Electrical Energy Systems and Solar, the team has deep expertise, powerful connections and a track record of successful projects delivering environmental and societal impact.
Geospatial
The world is powered by data; turning data into information helps us make decisions across all sectors of the economy. Innovate UK Business Connect hosts an innovation network that focuses on connecting the data holders and data processors with the people that can benefit from the insight geospatial data can provide.
Health
Health is critical to our wellbeing as individuals, plays a key role in societal and economic advances, and presents many opportunities for environmental impact. Innovations in health & care allow us to alleviate suffering, increase quality of life and life expectancy, and manage the needs of a changing and ageing population.
Digital Health & Care
MedTech
Neurotechnology
Precision Medicine
Microbiome
AI in Health
Transforming Medicines Manufacturing
Biomedical Catalyst
Healthy Lives Community of Practice
UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network
Phage Innovation Network
Medimap: End-to-end medicines supply chain map
Health Funding Map
Industrial Maths
Innovate UK Business Connect’s Industrial Maths team harnesses the power of mathematics to meet the needs of business, government and not-for-profit organisations, helping a wide range of sectors express problems and challenges in an accessible way. We also facilitate new partnerships with an extensive network of mathematical science practitioners and diverse institutions across the UK.
Infrastructure
Against an overarching low carbon agenda, our mission is to support the development of UK innovation to deliver clean, accessible and secure energy & water systems through a digitally enabled construction sector and so provide smart, resilient and successful cities and communities.
Manufacturing
The UK is one of the largest global manufacturing countries; this sector is vital for our economic productivity and growth. Innovate UK helps manufacturers to innovate and innovators to manufacture. We work across technologies connecting you to partners, experts, facilities and funding, working with businesses at all stages from start-up to scale up.
Driving the Electric Revolution
Foundation Industries
Made Smarter Innovation Network
Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains
Transforming Medicines Manufacturing
Climate Change Adaptation Innovation Network
Made Smarter Innovation Network
Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains
Resource Efficiency for Materials and Manufacturing (REforMM)
Sustainable bio-based Materials and Manufacture (SusBioMM)
Materials
The Materials Team at Innovate UK Business Connect covers a broad scope of the materials life cycle, from feedstock, processing techniques, design and manufacture, testing, standardisation, resource efficiency and circularity.
Photonics
Photonics is the science and technology of light. This includes lasers, optical systems and components, as well as fibre optics. Photonics is a £13.5 billion industry in the UK, with the technology used across various UK industries and in society, from optical communications and data storage to laser sensors for autonomous vehicles.
Quantum
Quantum-enabled devices present a huge market opportunity for the UK. These technologies could transform a range of sectors including transport, healthcare, infrastructure, ICT, telecommunications and defence.
Robotics & AI
From Healthcare to Legaltech, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence are significant globalised technologies that can be applied in many sectors. The extensive industrial and academic research base in the UK can support both the national and global markets in addressing key challenges impacting societies today.
Security & Defence
The UK is committed to an historic uplift in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, with a commitment to hit 3% in the next Parliament, and it would be expected that at least 20% of that spending to continue to be on equipment. This commitment represents spending some £186bn on defence equipment and support in the 10 years from 2018/19. The UK is also a significant defence exporter, winning defence orders worth £14bn in 2018.
Sensors
Sensor technologies create measurements and convert them into digital data. This data can then be analysed to inform decision making. What’s being measured could be chemical, biological, physical, mechanical or any other quantities such as chemicals, proteins, weight, dimensions and more.
Space
The UK has a rapidly growing and rich heritage of commercial space innovation, building more small satellites than any other country in Europe, and a thriving space data analytics community building products in areas including climate, transport and financial services.
Transport
Innovation in transport has the potential to benefit our economy, society and environment. The transport system of the future will be more efficient, cleaner and smarter, through utilising enhanced digital, communication and automated technologies.
Water
The water sector impacts every person, business and industry type in the UK. We turn on the tap and expect clean water. We rely on the water infrastructure, the pipes, the sewerage treatment, the rapid fixing of leaks. And we expect environmental issues to be a cornerstone of the industry and its operations.
Place
Partnering with regions across the UK to foster innovation ecosystems that drive local impact and national capability.
Global Alliance
We want the very best of the world connected to the very best of the UK. That’s why we built this programme; to form international collaborations with governments, societies, enterprises, institutions and people from every corner of the globe. It is innovation diplomacy at its best.
Invest in Innovation
We work with public innovation funding and private finance providers where investment can create a positive change.
Sustainability
The world is changing at an ever greater pace. Industry and innovators are responding, working together to create the products, services and businesses of the future. Innovate UK Business Connect is here to help.
Business Growth
Innovate UK Business Growth is a key part of the UK innovation agency’s investment in the innovative businesses that drive economic growth.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
For over 45 years Knowledge Transfer Partnerships have been helping businesses innovate for growth by accessing the UK’s world-leading knowledge base.
Featured Sector Information
Innovate UK Announces Global Expert Missions in Engineering Biology
Innovate UK is excited to announce the launch of two Global Expert Missions (GEMs) in Engineering Biology, set to commence this autumn. These missions are part of Innovate UK’s strategy to foster international collaboration in key technology sectors with strategic partners.
Read more
Join Innovate UK as an Expert Assessor in Advanced Connectivity Technologies
Are you a professional with industry experience, applied practice or lived expertise in your field, with a passion for innovation? Do you want to contribute to the success of future innovators? If so, apply to be an Expert Assessor and help shape the UK’s innovation ecosystem.
Read more
Cohort Announcement for the Battery & Critical Materials Investment Readiness Programme 2025
Innovate UK Business Connect is delighted to announce the onboarding of 21 companies onto its Batteries and Critical Materials Investment Readiness Programme.
Read more
First of a Kind 2025 Rail Competition winners announced
The Department for Transport (DfT) and Innovate UK are pleased to announce the winners of the First of a Kind (FOAK) 2025 competition. Winners will receive funding to help develop novel technology centred around AI for Complex Processes, Platform Train Interface, Personal Safety and Bridge Strikes.
Read more
Innovate UK welcomes new government plans to supercharge UK cyber sector
The UK government has announced a significant boost to its cybersecurity sector, unveiling new plans to supercharge innovation and resilience across the country.
Read more
New round of Accelerators to support health and life science innovation
Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst continues to lead the way in supporting UK-based health and life science innovators, offering a powerful combination of access to funding, mentorship, and ecosystem support to accelerate the journey from concept to commercialisation.
Read more
Building a strong talent pipeline: Insights from the Technical Skills Shortages Focus event
The Technical Skills focus event, hosted by Innovate UK, brought together employers, educators, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore how collaboration, education, and innovation can help address the UK’s growing shortage of technical professionals.
The event part of Innovate UK’s Talent & Skills Connect series, featured expert speakers from the Science Council, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, the National Institutes of Technology Network, and the Catapult Network, each offering valuable insights into building a stronger, more sustainable talent pipeline for the UK’s innovation economy.
Read more
Meet the Future Leaders Fellowship trailblazers of 2025
Innovate UK is celebrating the next generation of research and innovation leaders. Thirteen new business fellows are joining the Future Leaders Fellowships programme to develop breakthrough solutions.
Read More
Become an Expert Assessor in Advanced Connectivity Technologies
Are you a professional with industry experience, applied practice or lived expertise in your field, with a passion for innovation? Join Innovate UK as an Expert Assessor in Advanced Connectivity Technologies.
Read More
Introduction to Horizon Europe - monthly webinars
Join any of our webinars to learn more about Horizon Europe: ideal for those interested in participating in cutting-edge research and innovation projects. Next webinar Wed 15 Oct, 10-11am.
Read More
Meet the Future Leaders Fellowship trailblazers of 2025
Innovate UK is celebrating the next generation of research and innovation leaders. Thirteen new business fellows are joining the Future Leaders Fellowships programme to develop breakthrough solutions.
Read More
Become an Expert Assessor in Advanced Connectivity Technologies
Are you a professional with industry experience, applied practice or lived expertise in your field, with a passion for innovation? Join Innovate UK as an Expert Assessor in Advanced Connectivity Technologies.
Read More
Introduction to Horizon Europe - monthly webinars
Join any of our webinars to learn more about Horizon Europe: ideal for those interested in participating in cutting-edge research and innovation projects. Next webinar Wed 15 Oct, 10-11am.
Read More
Explore innovation opportunities
Looking for funding, collaboration, support to grow, or resources to bring your idea to life? Our curated opportunities span the UK’s innovation ecosystem, helping you connect with the support you need. Discover what’s available in your sector.
View all opportunities
Net Zero
Place
Global
Business Growth
Innovate UK system
The Innovate UK system is an ecosystem of expertise, funding, and powerful connections. Learn about how we can each uniquely help you achieve your innovation goals.
