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Innovation

We are driving positive economic, societal, and environmental change through innovation.

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Innovation is complex. The journey from idea to market is not straightforward and requires a diverse range of know-how, investment, market knowledge and research.

Innovate UK Business Connect exists to connect innovators with new partners and new opportunities beyond their existing thinking – accelerating ambitious ideas into real-world solutions. Our diverse connections and deep expertise enable us to be a trusted guide through a global landscape of research, development and innovation.

Connect with us to find out how we can become a part of your innovation journey and drive positive change.

Our current cross sector innovation programmes

Innovation Canvas

Innovate UK Business Connect’s Innovation Canvas is designed to help you create value from innovation and identify the changes needed to make your idea succeed. It provides a framework for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a specific project, identifying the most urgent challenges to overcome, and prioritising what action to take.

Innovation Exchange

Innovate UK Innovation Exchange is a cross-sector programme supporting innovation transfer by matching industry challenges to innovative companies from other sectors. It does this by putting large businesses with technical needs in contact with companies who have the right innovative solutions, for faster development of novel solutions.

Product Innovation

Turning an idea into a scalable, commercial product is a challenge that faces many entrepreneurs, innovators and SMEs. Developing a new product, new functionality or new customer experience can be difficult and success may not always happen. 97% of hardware startups fail (compared with 70% of tech start-ups).

Related Opportunities

Knowledge transfer partnership (KTP): 2024 to 2025 Round 4

Opens: 30/09/2024   Closes: 04/12/2024

Up to £9m to fund innovation projects, with businesses or not-for-profits working alongside academic institutions, RTOs or Catapults.

More Information

Innovate UK innovation loans future economy: Round 18

Opens: 31/10/2024   Closes: 08/01/2025

UK registered businesses can apply for loans for innovative projects with strong commercial potential to significantly improve the UK economy.

More Information

Innovate UK Smart grants: November 2024

Opens: 14/11/2024   Closes: 22/01/2025

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £15m for game changing, commercially viable R&D that can significantly impact the UK economy.

More Information
View All Funding Opportunities

Related Events and Recordings

Wed
18
Oct
2023

Rail Innovation Exhibition 2023

09.00 - 17.00 | Birmingham

Watch now
Tue
24
Oct
2023

Fairness Innovation Challenge Competition Briefing

10.00 - 12.00 | Online

Watch now
See all events
John Bound

Our Expert

John Bound

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Related News

Cohort announcement for the Faraday Battery Challenge Investment Readiness Programme 2024

03/09/2024

Cohort announcement for the Faraday Battery Challenge Investment Readiness Programme 2024

Running for the fourth consecutive year, the Faraday Battery Challenge Investment Readiness Programme is going stronger than ever.

Read more
Innovate UK and Make UK join forces

29/08/2024

Innovate UK and Make UK join forces

Innovate UK has teamed up with Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, to help accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies in the manufacturing sector.

Read more
More News

Related programmes

View all our programmes
Women in Innovation

Women in Innovation

Enabling brilliant women across the UK to fully achieve their vision for their businesses and change the world, while championing and celebrating gender diversity throughout UK innovation.

Learn more
Young Innovators

Young Innovators

The Young Innovators Awards are an annual competition from Innovate UK that finds, supports and celebrates young people with great business ideas.

Learn more
Inclusive Innovation

Inclusive Innovation

Diversity in all its many forms matters, and great ideas can come from anyone.

Learn more

For general enquiries regarding our Innovation sector contact us now

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