Chemistry

By 2050 our industry will have embraced a circular economy and be using different feedstocks, technologies and energy sources to produce chemicals. The Innovate UK Business Connect Chemistry team can help you navigate these changes and identify innovation that will ensure your business, research or service remains sustainable.

Innovate UK Business Connect works with all sectors that use chemicals or chemistry in their business. These include:

  • UK Chemical Manufacturers
  • “Chemistry-using” Sectors – where chemistry is critical to the business, e.g. Pharmaceuticals, Home & Personal Care, Agrochemicals, Fuels and Energy
  • Innovative companies (particularly SMEs and start-ups) and leading academics developing technologies and solutions for a Net Zero future

Innovate UK Business Connect uses sector knowledge to help businesses innovate through providing access to connections and collaborations as well as expertise and funding.

We can also help with innovation related to:

Our current focus in this area

Collaboration is essential to building the UK’s SAF supply chain. Our expert team at Innovate UK Business Connect can help you find the right connections and resources to help you develop and commercialise your Sustainable Aviation Fuel project.

The sustainable bio-based materials and manufacture (SusBioMM) programme seeks to address the challenge of developing innovations in sustainable and scalable biomanufacturing processes.

The programme aims for the UK to be a leader in resource efficiency with organisations understanding the environmental, social and economic impact of the full lifecycle and thriving from adoption of resource efficient solutions which are fundamental to UK and global Net Zero ambitions.

This £15 million programme will support the development of resilient UK based supply chains for rare earth elements, with a focus on primary (mine to magnet) and secondary (End of Life to magnet) supply chains.

Related Opportunities

Horizon Europe 2025 work programme Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space

Opens: 03/05/2025   Closes: 02/10/2025

Topics available under Horizon Europe’s Cluster 4 programme for 2025/26, with up to €75m available for the largest single projects

More Information

Innovation Exchange challenge: Efficient Grease Removal for Safer Offshore Wind Operations

Opens: 17/03/2025   Closes: 12/05/2025

Seeking solutions for the wind energy industry’s operational challenge to remove used grease effectively from mechanical components.

More Information

Innovation Exchange challenge: Detecting Nitrous Oxide levels in maternity wards

Opens: 28/04/2025   Closes: 06/06/2025

Hull University Teaching Hospitals seek innovators who can provide a solution to allow them to monitor and display levels of nitrous gases in their clinical suites in real time.

More Information

Related Events and Recordings

Thu
12
Jun
2025

Reimagining Carbon and Defossilising the UK Chemicals Industry

10.00 - 16.30 | Teesside

Register for this event
Mon
22
Jan
2024

Mission Innovation: Integrated Biorefineries programme

12.00 - 14.00 GMT | Online

Watch now
See all events

Our Experts

Sustainable carbon ambition for the UK chemicals industry
Posted on: 30/08/2024

Sustainable carbon ambition for the UK chemicals industry

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Related News

SusChem: the network driving innovation in sustainable chemistry

18/10/2024

SusChem: the network driving innovation in sustainable chemistry

How the UK’s SusChem National Technology Platform (SusChem UK) is supporting the UK chemical industry by fostering innovation and promoting sustainable practices.

Read more
Women Innovators in Foundation Industries Awards 2025 Shortlist

16/01/2025

Women Innovators in Foundation Industries Awards 2025 Shortlist

Discover the shortlisted nominees for the first ever awards from UKRI’s Transforming Foundation Industries Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK, EPSRC and ESRC, recognising Women Innovators in Foundation Industries. These awards are taking place at Innovate UK’s Materials and Manufacturing Showcase in London on 19 February.

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More News

For general enquiries regarding our Chemistry sector contact us now

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