About the event

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is delivering the Battery Innovation Programme on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade. The programme will invest up to £25 million in innovation projects.

Competition strands

• Concept development (£500,000 to £4 million each for projects lasting 1-3 years)
• Feasibility studies (£70,000 to £500,000 each for projects lasting 6-18 months)

The Concept Development strand is focussed on: Material Extraction, Material Processing and Circularity – Building UK Manufacturing Capability.

It aims to:

• Support collaborative R&D in strategically critical areas of the UK battery value chain.
• Strengthen UK capability in battery material extraction, including mining, refining, and recovery of critical materials.
• Strengthen UK supply chain security and build resilient, multi-sector manufacturing capability
• Support supply chain localisation to align with rules of origin requirements and UK’s strategic priorities

The Feasibility Studies strand will cover the entire battery value chain.

It aims to:

• Accelerate the development and commercialisation of state-of-the-art battery technologies in the UK
• Support the growth of the UK battery supply chain and related companies
• Enhance the UK’s competitiveness in the global battery market
• Demonstrate how battery technologies can meet specific application requirements and drive electrification across diverse sectors

Eligibility

• This competition is open to collaborations only.
• To lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.
• The consortium must contain at least one UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME) claiming grant funding on this application

Key dates

• Competition opens: 1 April 2026
• Briefing event: 21 April 2026 (10am – 12:00, online)
• Competition closes: 27 May 2026 (11am)