Successful applicants will benefit from an intensive 9-12 month, three phase programme with bespoke support from an innovation and growth specialist throughout.

Get ready: A two-day preparation workshop to build knowledge and understanding of the market and opportunities, including cultural aspects, how to do business, protecting Intellectual Property, and support to better articulate your value proposition.

Visit the market: Explore the innovation opportunities first-hand through pre-arranged matchmaking events, meetings with key contacts, research organisations and potential collaborators and partners.

Exploit the opportunity: An exploitation workshop and one-to-one bespoke support from an innovation and growth specialist to help you follow-up and maximise the opportunities identified through the programme.

To apply for this GBIP, you must be:

• a UK-based innovation-led company with ambitions to grow and scale globally
• a company with fewer than 250 employees
• the CEO, founder, or senior decision maker in the business
• able to attend all workshops and complete all activities

This GBIP is targeted at technology providers with the capability to deliver innovative solutions for the manufacturing sector.

This is one of five GBIPs running between now and end March 2026 as part of the Made Smarter Innovation Challenge (MSI). The four other GBIPs are focused on:

• Additive Manufacturing, Germany (Visit mid-Nov 2025)
• Robotics & Automation in Manufacturing, Japan (Visit mid-Jan 2026)
• Manufacturing Digital Supply Chain Ecosystem, Singapore (Visit late-Jan 2026)
• Robotics & Automation in Manufacturing, South Korea (Visit early-Mar 2026)

A business can apply to the five MSI GBIP’s but can only, if selected, participate in a maximum of two of the five. The representative from the business for each GBIP needs to be able to complete all stages of the GBIP.

Businesses that have been on a previous GBIP (in the same market and/or technology area) will need to demonstrate they have exploited the previous opportunity to be considered and how this programme will add significant additional benefit.  Preference may be given to businesses that have not participated previously.

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, a business can only take part in two GBIPs in any rolling 12-month period (measured by the date of the Get Ready Workshop).

Innovate UK is committed to improving the diversity of who we support. We welcome applications from under-represented groups.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.

You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this GBIP’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the application deadline.

You can contact Innovate UK by email (support@iuk.ukri.org) or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

The US is the largest tech market in the world. It represents 31% of the global market, totalling approximately $1.6 trillion in 2019 (CompTIA IT Industry Outlook, 2019). Rich with early adopters, the size, affluence and sophistication of the US market provides an ideal test bed for innovative products and services.

The US market has appetite across industry, government, and university to build excellence and cross-collaboration in artificial intelligence. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) US manufacturers are increasingly adopting AI across their organisations:

• 46% of manufacturers are using AI tools such as chatbots in manufacturing operations.
• 80% of manufacturers expect to increase their AI use in the next 2 years.

The AI Technologies being adopted by US manufacturers include:

• Machine Learning – Predictive Maintenance, Quality Control, Demand Forecasting
• AI Powered Robotics – Smart Assembly, Collaborative Robots, Autonomous Material Handling
• Computer Vision & Image Recognition – Inspection and Defect Detection, Inventory Management, Safety Monitoring
• Natural Language Processing (NLP) – Voice-controlled Machinery, Document Management, Chatbots and Virtual Assistants
• Predictive Analysis – Supply Chain Optimisation, Resource Management, Production Scheduling

Digital Twins – Process Simulation, Lifecycle Management, Product Design & Customisation

We welcome applications from new or established innovative technology providers with capability to deliver digital manufacturing solutions in the following technology areas:

• Digital technologies with clear links to Artificial Intelligence (AI) within Manufacturing such as:
  • Data acquisition, presentation and pattern finding including:
    • Generative AI – including Large Language Models
    • AI Agents & Agentic AI – including Autonomous Decision Making
    • Future Artificial Intelligence trajectory
  • Other transferable learning opportunities from non-manufacturing to manufacturing environments

The scope of the above contributes to the delivery of the following aims:

• World-class production – develop digital technologies for manufacturing factories to become more efficient, sustainable, productive, flexible and resilient through the development of digital approaches to better optimise performance within production operations.
• Resilient supply chains – develop digital technologies for manufacturing supply chains to become more efficient, sustainable, productive, flexible and resilient through the development of digital approaches to better integrate and optimise performance and flow of information, materials or money across supply chain nodes.

• Build market knowledge and intelligence
• Seed new business partnerships, develop RD&I collaborations, and identify partners for bilateral funding calls
• Introductions to senior figures and influential contacts
• Raise your profile and stimulate new business opportunities and ideas
• Improve your value proposition, hone your skills, and grow in confidence to tackle global markets
• Connect with peers, expand your network, and learn from like-minded, ambitious businesses

• Applicant briefing: Thursday 16 October, 4-5pm UK time
• Application deadline – 5pm Friday 14^th November 2025
• Application outcome – Friday 5^th December 2025
• Get ready workshop – 14^th & 15^th January 2026
• Market visit – 22^nd to 28^th March 2026 (with travel)
• Exploit the opportunity workshop – Wednesday 29^th April 2026

• Introductory briefing with the British Consulate General in Boston
• Visits to research and technology organisations in Boston and Pittsburgh
• Attend Manufacturing IT & OT Summit in Boston
• Company site visits and meetings with key contacts
• High quality networking opportunities

Innovate UK will fund and organise flights, accommodation, in-market travel and conference fees for successful applicants.

Innovate UK will also pay for any reasonable adjustments throughout the initiative. Only one representative from each company will be funded and the same person is required to participate in all parts of the programme.

On acceptance to the programme, a commitment fee of £1000 will be obtained from each participant. This will be refunded on completion of the full activities (Get ready workshop, Visit, Exploit the opportunity workshop, and active engagement with an innovation and growth specialist) and agreed work plan.

Non-completion after formal acceptance may result in forfeiting some or all of the commitment fee.

To learn more about the Programme, including hearing how this has worked for previous participants we will be holding an applicant briefing on Thursday 16 October, 4-5pm UK time: register here.

If you have any questions, we are happy to help, email Ian Fletcher at Innovate UK Business Growth.

To make a complaint please follow the Innovate UK complaints procedure.