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

If you have applied for the recently closed GBIP for Critical Minerals and Materials in Canada, you will still be eligible to apply for this opportunity. If you can demonstrate significance for and commitment to both programmes, it may be possible to take part in both.

Businesses that have been on a previous GBIP (in the same market and/or technology area) will need to demonstrate how 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.
Innovate UK is committed to improving the diversity of who we support. We welcome applications from under-represented groups.

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).

Critical materials are essential for the global transition to Net Zero and meeting the UK’s Industrial Strategy ambitions. Australia is the largest producer of lithium, the second largest of zircon, the third largest of rare earths, and the fourth largest of cobalt. During 2023, Australia was a top five global producer of 14 minerals and metals. Moreover, these minerals and materials are produced using the highest environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

The Australian government is driving towards and investing in creating more downstream value from its vast resources through supportive policies, incentives, and programmes. International collaboration in the area of R&D and innovation is one of the specific target areas of the Australian and UK governments.

Building on Innovate UK’s partnership with Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), this GBIP represents a strong opportunity for UK businesses to work together with partners in Australia to build more resilient, secure and cleaner critical materials supply chains for the benefit of both countries, as well as meeting global net zero targets.

Critical Materials value chains, in particular those listed in the 2024 Criticality Assessment, see the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre:

• Midstream processing and production of value-added materials for Net Zero transition
• Recycling/re-use
• Life Cycle Analysis
• ESG
• Recovery of critical minerals and material feedstocks from mine waste (e.g overburden and tailings)

Out of scope

• Manufacturing of components for end-user assemblies, such as battery cells and packs, solar panels, magnets, motors, etc.

• 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

• Briefing event – 30/10/25 – Register here
• Application deadline – 23/11/25 @ 17:00
• Application outcome – 08/12/25
• Get ready workshop – 14/01/26 – 15/01/26
• Market visit – 27/02/26 – 11/03/26 (including travel)
• Exploit the opportunity workshop – 12/05/2612/05/26

• Introductory briefing
• Visits to research and technology organisations and labs, including CSIRO
• Company and university visits and meetings with key contacts
• Focused B2B events and tailored one-to-one meetings
• High-quality networking opportunities tailored (as much as is possible as part of a larger delegation) to each business

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 30 October.

Register here.

If you have any questions about the scope requirements of this competition, email support@iuk.ukri.org or call 0300 321 4357.

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