Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £25 million from the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst programme, in innovation projects. This is subject to a sufficient number of high quality applications being received.
The aim of this industry led R&D competition is to support micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop innovative solutions to address health, and healthcare, challenges. This competition is open to single applicants and collaborations.
Your proposal can focus on:
- disease prevention and proactive management of health and chronic conditions
- earlier and better detection and diagnosis of disease, leading to better patient outcomes
- tailored treatments that either change the underlying disease or offer potential cures
- transforming the delivery of healthcare
- the development of digital health technologies
- consumer focused self care
This list is not intended to be exhaustive.
The industry led research and development (R&D) stream of the Biomedical Catalyst programme supports pre-market R&D projects. You must be able to demonstrate existing evidence of commercial and technical feasibility.
Your proposal must show how your project will improve the competitiveness and productivity of at least one UK SME partner involved in the project.
This competition is split into two strands:
- Biomedical Catalyst 2025: Industry led R&D small projects: up to £500,000 grant funding, 6-24 months
- Biomedical Catalyst 2025: Industry led R&D large projects: £500,000 to £2m grant funding, 6-36 months (this strand)
It is your responsibility to ensure you submit your application to the correct strand for your project. You will not be able to transfer your application and it will not be sent for assessment if it is out of scope.
Our experience from similar competitions suggests that you could have a 10% chance of success.
-
To work alone or lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME) claiming grant funding in this application.
To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:
- business of any size
- academic institution
- charity
- not for profit
- public sector organisation
- research and technology organisation (RTO)
The lead applicant must not account for more than 70% of the total eligible costs.
An SME can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in two further applications.
If an SME or other organisation is not leading on any application, it can collaborate in any number of applications.
-
Your project must:
- have total project costs up to £4 million
- have a grant funding request of between £500,000 and £2 million
- have at least 50% of the total project costs shared by the micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), if collaborative
- last between 6 months and 36 months
- start by 1 July 2026
- end by 30 June 2029
-
The aim of this industry led R&D competition is to support micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop innovative solutions to address health, and healthcare, challenges.
Your project can include:
- experimental evaluation (at laboratory scale)
- use of in vitro and in vivo models to evaluate proof of concept or safety
- exploring potential production mechanisms
- prototyping
- product development planning
- intellectual property protection
- a demonstration of clinical utility and effectiveness
- a demonstration of safety and efficacy, including phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials
- regulatory planning
This list is not intended to be exhaustive.
The industry led research and development (R&D) stream of the Biomedical Catalyst programme supports pre-market R&D projects. You must be able to demonstrate existing evidence of commercial and technical feasibility.
Your proposal must show how your project will improve the competitiveness and productivity of at least one UK SME partner involved in the project.
-
Your project can focus on any health, or healthcare, sector or discipline including but not limited to:
- advanced therapies (cell, gene, RNA, regenerative)
- biosciences and platform technologies
- preclinical tools, target discovery and validation
- therapeutics and medicine development, including Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and infectious disease
- diagnostics and biomarkers, including AMR and infectious disease
- medical technologies, devices and robotics
- precision and personalised medicine
- digital and data driven health
- healthy ageing and independent living
We are not funding projects that are:
- fundamental research or feasibility studies
- unrelated to human life sciences
- focused on products already on the market
- concerned with laboratory accreditation
- lacking the highest standards of animal welfare
- routine business activities without R&D
- lacking clear innovation
- lacking patient or commercial impact
-
Innovate UK will hold an online briefing event via Zoom at 10am on Wednesday 12 November: click here for the joining link. A briefing recording and slides will be available to download after the briefing event. This will cover both strands of funding.
If you want help to find a project partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s Health team.
Innovate UK's application and funding process
If you need more information about how to apply, please read our funding support pages. For additional support, reach out to our team of innovation experts who are ready to help you navigate the application process and maximise your chances of success.
For more information
Accessibility and Inclusion
Innovate UK 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.