Home of the UK’s innovation networks

Innovate UK Business Connect brings together businesses, researchers, investors and partners to support innovation across the UK. As a strategic delivery partner to Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), we connect organisations to funding opportunities, partnerships and expert support to help ideas move from concept to scale.

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Learn more about our areas in Foundation Industries

Chemistry Composites Infrastructure Materials

Foundation Industries opportunities

Testing and validating underground hydrogen storage components

Opens: 23/10/2026

Closes: 13/01/2027

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £5 million for a collaborative programme to accelerate the development and validation of critical technologies…

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Underground hydrogen storage demonstrator DEVEX support

Opens: 23/10/2026

Closes: 13/01/2027

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £1.5 million for project development studies supporting underground hydrogen storage demonstrator facilities in the UK.…

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iX Challenge: Systemic capture and analysis of structural condition data

Opens: 23/10/2026

Closes: 04/12/2026

The iX programme is supporting the Department for Education to find methods to capture data on school building structures, just before they are demolished, and to…

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UK Space Agency: Unlocking Space for Business - Environmental Intelligence and Emissions

Opens: 20/10/2026

Closes: 11/12/2026

Up to £400,000 each for projects seeking to accelerate the adoption of space-enabled data and services to address environmental intelligence and emissions challenges across the UK…

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EIT Urban Mobility: SME Market Expansion Open Call 2027

Opens: 09/10/2026

Closes: 01/12/2026

The Call is designed to promote business growth and market expansion, encouraging the replication and scaling of successful solutions in new regions or sectors. It offers…

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Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): 2026 - 2027 Round 4

Opens: 19/10/2026

Closes: 27/01/2027

A share of up to £12.5 million is available to fund innovation projects with UK businesses working together with UK registered academic institutions, RTOs or Catapults.…

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iX Challenge: Smart control solutions for domestic hybrid heating systems

Opens: 20/10/2026

Closes: 01/12/2026

Cadent and Innovate UK are seeking smart control solutions that help domestic hybrid heating systems identify the most efficient and cost-effective heating source at any given…

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iX Challenge: Developing cost-effective polyols from UK waste-carbon for digital mass manufacturing

Opens: 20/10/2026

Closes: 11/12/2026

This challenge is supporting Photocentric in seeking a scalable, cost effective solution to develop clean polyols from suitable waste-carbon sources.

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Are you looking for a specific opportunity?

Search for funding, collaboration, support to grow or resources to bring your idea to life.

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Could our Foundation Industries programmes support you?

We offer innovation programmes that help businesses and researchers develop and commercialise new products, processes and services.

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National Materials Innovation Programme
National Materials Innovation Programme

The National Materials Innovation Programme (NMIP) brings together the people, expertise and investment needed to help world-leading materials innovation become real-world impact.

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Critical Materials Supply Chain Innovation Network
Critical Materials Supply Chain Innovation Network

Connect with partners and access funding, collaboration and commercial opportunities that strengthen the UK’s critical materials supply chains.

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Sustainable Environments
Sustainable Environments

The Sustainable Environments Programme brings together cross-sector expertise and strategic intelligence to build long-term national climate resilience across urban and natural environments.

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Emergent Sustainable Built Environment Materials Innovation Network
Emergent Sustainable Built Environment Materials Innovation Network

Driving rapid adoption of UK sustainable construction materials to reduce environmental impact.

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Engineering Biology Innovation Network
Engineering Biology Innovation Network

Driving the development of a joined-up UK innovation ecosystem to ensure synthetic biology tools, technologies and processes can be more easily developed and adopted by a…

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Zero emission heavy goods vehicles and infrastructure
Zero emission heavy goods vehicles and infrastructure

Supporting the development, uptake and demonstration of commercially available zero emission HGVs, and providing the crucial infrastructure to help the haulage sector decarbonise and transition to…

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ICURe
ICURe

The Innovate UK ICURe Programme gives researchers the chance to turn ground-breaking research into investment-ready spin-out companies and license agreements. We provide funding and personalised support…

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Next-generation low-carbon concrete Advance Market Commitment
Next-generation low-carbon concrete Advance Market Commitment

Harnessing the power of collective demand to accelerate concrete decarbonisation.

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Semiconductors
Semiconductors

Ensuring that the UK has a secure and relevant position and capability within the global semiconductor landscape.

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Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network
Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network

The Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network, funded by Innovate UK, is a cross-sectoral and collaborative community of technology developers and end-users.

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Robotics Proving Ground
Robotics Proving Ground

Pioneering robotics evolution through powering a network of hubs to fast-track robotics from concept to market.

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BridgeAI
BridgeAI

Empowering UK organisations to harness the power of AI through support and funding, bridging the AI divide for a more productive UK.

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Women in Innovation
Women in Innovation

Enabling brilliant women across the UK to fully achieve their vision for their businesses and change the world, while championing and celebrating gender diversity throughout UK…

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Sustainable Aviation Fuel Innovation Programme
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Innovation Programme

Accelerating the development of UK’s SAF industry and enabling UK Government to achieve 10% SAF in the UK jet fuel mix by 2030. By fostering innovation…

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Innovation Exchange
Innovation Exchange

Innovate UK Innovation Exchange is a cross-sector programme supporting innovation transfer by matching industry challenges to innovative companies from other sectors. It does this by putting…

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Analysis for Innovators
Analysis for Innovators

Innovate UK Analysis for Innovators can help boost productivity and competitiveness in your business through solving existing problems.

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Foundation Industries events

Series Understanding the Innovation Journey: The Power of Mentorship and Collaboration Next webinar: 8 Dec
Online
Understanding the Innovation Journey: The Power of Mentorship and Collaboration
Event details
Series The UK Metamaterials Commercialisation Roadmap First Webinar on 10 November
Online
The UK Metamaterials Commercialisation Roadmap
Event details
Opening the door to Horizon Europe funding - Stowmarket 10/11/2026
Stowmarket Innovation Gateway 9:30am to 1:30pm
Opening the door to Horizon Europe funding - Stowmarket
Event details
Series Growth Cohorts - Next generation low carbon concrete cohort entry round 2 Drop in sessions: 6 & 19 November. Briefing recording coming soon.
Growth Cohorts - Next generation low carbon concrete cohort entry round 2
Event details
Series Explore human futures: People, technology and society Events in Edinburgh, Manchester and London
Edinburgh, Manchester, London
Explore human futures: People, technology and society
Event details
Battery innovation for dual-use and defence phase 1 01/10/2026
Online 10:00am to 12:00pm
Battery innovation for dual-use and defence phase 1
Event details
Exploring engineering biology for critical materials challenges 22/10/2026
Online 10:00am to 11:30am
Exploring engineering biology for critical materials challenges
Event details
Scaling Interoperable V2X 17/09/2026
Online 11:00am to 12:00pm
Scaling Interoperable V2X
Event details

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Want to join us and help advance the UK’s innovation networks?

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Innovate UK Business Connect highlights

Energy Efficient Computing - from innovation to impact Perspective
Energy Efficient Computing - from innovation to impact
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How place-based citizen engagement can shape a positive, decarbonised future for the UK Perspective
How place-based citizen engagement can shape a positive, decarbonised future for the UK
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Defence innovation:</br>Turning strategic ambition into economic growth News
Defence innovation:
Turning strategic ambition into economic growth
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Unlocking UK economic growth through AI: A practical guide for employers Perspective
Unlocking UK economic growth through AI: A practical guide for employers
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Innovative drug development models awarded funding to drive adoption and growth News
Innovative drug development models awarded funding to drive adoption and growth
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Acceptance of novel low environmental impact construction products Perspective
Acceptance of novel low environmental impact construction products
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