Advancing Innovations in Engineering Biology
Engineering biology is a rapidly growing field with potential for innovation and applications across industry sectors and technology areas. It encompasses the wider capabilities and ecosystem that supports the exploitation of synthetic biology – the design, engineering and re-engineering of biologically based parts, devices and systems – to address major economic and societal challenges.
The Engineering Biology Innovation Network, led by Innovate UK Business Connect in collaboration with Innovate UK and UKRI’s Technology Mission Fund, aims to drive 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 variety of industries. The Innovation Network launch event took place in June 2025, where the goal of the network was shared, which is to progress innovations, create a commercially focused community and foster new consortia to advance innovations towards commercial applications.
The UK Government has identified engineering biology as one of five critical technologies with the potential to significantly influence the UK’s future prosperity, security, and global leadership.
The Engineering Biology Innovation Network will support UK innovators in the field of engineering biology by connecting them with new partners and opportunities. It will provide a forum for discussion and development in this field, supporting new innovations to become real-world products and services across various sectors.
Core focus areas of the programme
Agriculture and food
Contributing to food security and minimising greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy and low carbon fuels
Creating a sustainable and green transport and energy sector.
Health
Enabling the development of precision medicine, cell therapies and innovative solutions to fight diseases.
Materials and chemicals
Reducing reliance on petrochemicals in manufacturing and addressing challenges associated with end-of-life.
Waste recycling
Contributing to the circular economy by transforming waste into valuable products.
Tools
Developing synthetic biology tools and methodologies that support application of engineering biology.
EXPLORE PROJECTS
Engineering Biology SPARK Award winners
The Innovate UK Engineering Biology Innovation Network has funded 15 SPARK Awards to address real-world challenges faced by UK SMEs and accelerate their journey towards developing new products, processes, or services. These collaborative projects focus on engineering biology solutions in at least one of our thematic areas: agriculture and food production, health, materials and chemicals, energy and low carbon fuels, and waste recycling.
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Related Opportunities
Farmed animals and aquaculture SPARK Awards
Opens: 20/10/2025 Closes: 26/11/2025
UK-registered academic institutions or Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) can apply for up to £20,000 to collaborate with a UK-registered SME to accelerate the development of innovative products, processes or services to drive sustainable production within the UK farmed animal or aquacult
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European Space Agency: Bioengineering In The Space Environment
Opens: 29/09/2025 Closes: 29/10/2025
€200k per project for enabling studies to support industry in assessing the potential of bioengineering in microgravity environments.
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PACE (Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy): 2025 Antibacterial Therapeutics
Opens: 01/10/2025 Closes: 05/11/2025
Up to £1 million per project for early-stage, novel, antibacterial therapeutics seeking to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections associated with the highest burden of AMR.
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Related Events and Recordings
Join the Engineering Biology Innovation Network
Join the Innovation Network to access information on upcoming funding opportunities, webinars and in person events and make new connections.