National Materials Innovation Programme
The National Materials Innovation Programme (NMIP) brings together the people, expertise and investment needed to help world-leading materials innovation become real-world impact.
Connecting materials capability to opportunity
Advanced materials permeate nearly every technological aspect of modern society, impacting diverse growth-driving sectors from healthcare, aerospace and automotive, to defence, emerging technologies and energy. The UK has world-class research, internationally recognised expertise, outstanding facilities and ambitious businesses. But materials innovation can be slowed by fragmentation, making it harder for organisations to find the right expertise.
The National Materials Innovation Programme (NMIP), delivered by Innovate UK and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and part of UKRI IS-8 Advanced Manufacturing Programme, helps address this challenge by connecting the people, expertise, infrastructure and investment needed to move materials innovation from discovery towards deployment. By strengthening connections between research, industry, government and investors, NMIP helps accelerate commercialisation and adoption, strengthen collaboration and increase the economic, industrial, societal and environmental impact of UK materials innovation.
Network Pluses
Electrochemical Entrepreneurship (EENet+)
Theme: Materials for Energy Solutions
Lead: University of Surrey
Responsible and Resilient Electronic and Electromagnetic (RaRE) Materials
Theme: Materials for Next Gen Electronics, Telecommunications and Sensors
Lead: University of Glasgow
Go to RaRE Materials Network+
Surfaces for a Sustainable Future (S4SF)
Theme: Materials for Advanced Surface Technologies
Lead: Newcastle University
Healthcare Interfaces (HCI+)
Theme: Materials for Healthcare Technologies
Lead: University of Birmingham
Bring your materials breakthrough to market faster
Innovate UK Business Connect will work in partnership with the Network Pluses to help connect researchers, businesses, investors and innovation support organisations across the materials sector.
Together they will help:
- clear pathways to collaboration
- streamline access to world-class UK capabilities
- accelerate the translation, adoption and commercialisation of materials innovation
- allow faster access to specialist expertise, research, facilities and potential partners
- educe development time
- unlock new commercial opportunities
- turn promising innovations into successful products, processes and services
Our Experts
A coordinated approach to advanced materials
The announcement of the National Materials Innovation Programme (NMIP) was made at the Materials Research Exchange 2026 (MRE) – the UK’s flagship event in materials science and innovation. Now in its 12th year, MRE brings together a community of innovators, investors, researchers and policymakers.
Read more
Related opportunities
Sector
Materials
At Innovate UK Business Connect we work with the materials industry to cover a broad scope of the material lifecycle from feedstock, processing techniques and design to manufacturing, testing and standardisation.