Innovation funding opportunities
Looking for funding and support to develop your idea? At Innovate UK Business Connect, we connect businesses, researchers and innovators with the right opportunities they need to grow.
Explore opportunities for funding and expert guidance, to help turn your innovation into a commercial success.
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Digital Catapult: Digital Twin Adoption Accelerator 2026
Opens: 08/07/2026
Closes: 06/09/2026
The Digital Twin Adoption Accelerator Programme 2026 is a nine-month programme that supports partnerships between UK technology SMEs and industry adopters to accelerate the adoption of digital twin technologies.
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Next Wave: Global Business Innovation Programme: Createch SLUSH 2026 - Finland
Opens: 06/07/2026
Closes: 30/07/2026
Innovate UK is inviting ambitious innovative companies to participate in its Global Business Innovation Programme (GBIP), with a visit to the SLUSH gathering in Helsinki included.
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ARIA: Trust Everything, Everywhere - opportunity seeds
Opens: 22/06/2026
Closes: 27/07/2026
ARIA (the UK's Advanced Research & Innovation Agency) are seeking high-potential proposals to build a new cyber-physical trust infrastructure, with funding available up to £500,000 each.
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Global Incubator Programme - Video Gaming, Canada (Montreal)
Opens: 01/07/2026
Closes: 14/08/2026
Seeking up to 8 high potential video gaming companies to join a Global Incubator Programme in partnership with La Piscine, a global innovation centre for the creative industries sector located in Montreal, Quebec.
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Next Wave: Breakthrough Wave 1
Opens: 23/06/2026
Closes: 11/08/2026
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £10m for industrial research projects to explore industrial strategy aligned Createch innovation.
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Horizon Europe 2026-27: Horizontal Actions - Bridging Actions
Various closing dates between January and June 2027
A series of topics aiming to facilitate a smooth transition between Horizon Europe 2021–2027 and the next EU R&I Framework Programme, Horizon Europe 2028–2034.
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Innovation Loans Expression of Interest
There is no submission deadline
UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprises can submit an Expression of Interest for loans for close to market innovative projects with strong commercial potential. They must significantly improve the UK economy and drive societal benefit.
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Future Leaders Fellowships: Round 11, business and non-academic
Opens: 22/06/2026
Closes: 04/11/2026
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £110 million to deliver ambitious research and innovation and develop future leaders. This funding is from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
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Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Partnerships 6 (AKT 6)
Closing Soon
Opens: 26/05/2026
Closes: 15/07/2026
UK registered academic institutions, RTOs or Catapults can apply for a share of up to £2.5 million to fund innovation projects with businesses.
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Horizon Europe 2026-27: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society (Cluster 2)
Various closing dates from Sep 2026 to Sep 2027
Topics available under cluster 2, with €3m-€5m available for most calls.
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British Business Bank Start-up Loans
Apply anytime
Unsecured loans of up to £25,000 for UK businesses which have been operating for 5 years or less, repayable over 1-5 years.
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Horizon Europe 2026-27: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Various closing dates from Apr 2026 to Nov 2027
Research and innovation projects to boost top researchers’ careers through mobility and innovative doctoral and postdoctoral training, including academia-business collaborations.
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From design to deployment: Accelerating responsible AI adoption with MLOps and design thinking
Digital Catapult’s new paper will help you navigate the complexities of responsible AI.
Explore Digital Catapult’s new paper developed for the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme that addresses the implementation of responsible AI (RAI) by integrating ethical principles into MLOps workflows using a design-thinking approach.
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British Business Bank Investment Fund for Scotland
Apply anytime
The Investment Fund for Scotland will deliver a £150 million commitment of new funding to the country.
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British Business Bank South West Investment Fund
Apply anytime
The South West Investment Fund will deliver a £200 million commitment of new funding to smaller businesses.
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British Business Bank Midlands Engine Investment Fund II
Apply anytime
The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II will deliver £400 million of new funding to small and medium-sized businesses across the Midlands.
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British Business Bank Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II
Apply anytime
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will deliver a £660 million commitment of new funding to smaller businesses.
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British Business Bank Investment Fund for Wales
Applications open year-round
Offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans £25k-£100k, debt finance £100k-£2m, and equity investment up to £5m.
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British Business Bank Investment Fund for Northern Ireland
Applications open year-round
The Fund offers two different commercial finance options: loans ranging from £25,000 to £2 million, and equity investments up to £5 million.
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British Business Bank Growth Guarantee Scheme
Applications open year-round
The Growth Guarantee Scheme can generally support loan sizes of up to £2m and provides the lender with a 70% government-backed guarantee.
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SMART: SCOTLAND grants for feasibility studies for SMEs
Applications accepted year-round
The SMART: SCOTLAND grant, for SMEs in Scotland, supports feasibility studies for high-risk, highly ambitious R&D projects.