Engineering Biology
Engineering Biology (EngBio) provides us with the opportunity to step away from traditional methods and provide innovative solutions for challenges brought by climate change and the associated impact areas, like food availability and the need for sustainable feedstocks.
Engineering Biology
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EngBio applies engineering principles to biology and enables us to build and manufacture novel biological systems and products. Together with Industrial Biotechnology, the two sectors are the driving force behind achieving UK’s ambitious goal of doubling the BioEconomy by 2030. We are also working closely with the Engineering Biology Leadership Council and UKRI to ensure the UK is a world leader in Engineering Biology.
Innovate UK Business Connect works across the EngBio innovation pipeline, enabling the translation of engineering biology into commercial outputs. We highlight industry contacts, researchers and relevant stakeholders that can help you explore novel bio-based solutions. In 2025 we launched the Engineering Biology Innovation Network, aiming to progress innovations, create a commercially focused community, and foster new consortia to advance innovations towards commercial applications.
Read about the role Industrial Biotechnology and Engineering Biology can play in helping us move towards producing our chemicals and materials from alternative, sustainable feedstocks.
Related Opportunities
Growth Catalyst for Early-Stage Startups, July 2025
Opens: 07/07/2025 Closes: 06/08/2025
Innovate UK’s Growth Catalyst for Early-Stage startups pilot supports innovators in 5 of the government’s frontier technologies.
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Engineering Biology SPARK Awards
Opens: 02/06/2025 Closes: 09/07/2025
Grants of up to £15,000 to fund UK-registered academic institutions or RTOs to deliver an engineering biology project to address a challenge held by a UK-registered SME or to enhance the SME’s progress towards developing new products, processes, or services.
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Horizon Europe 2025 work programme Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Opens: 03/05/2025 Closes: 24/09/2025
Topics available under Horizon Europe’s Cluster 6 programme for 2025/26, with up to €130m available for the largest single projects
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Related Events and Recordings
Related News
22/08/2024
Biomedical Catalyst funding to boost healthcare innovation
Thirty projects are to receive a share of £17.8 million funding from Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst. This will bring them a step closer to translating their ideas into products and therapies for patients, and commercialisation.
Read more
22/08/2024
Accelerator drives AgriFood innovators forward
The Innovate UK AgriFood Accelerator provided training and mentorship to increase the diversity of Innovate UK grant funding applications within the AgriFood sector and support participants in developing their businesses.
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Related programme
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 variety of industries.