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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EIT: Transformative Healthcare Instrument 2026
Opens: 24/06/2026
Closes: 16/09/2026
EIT Health is offering €300,000 and €500,000 in funding per project to support high-potential European startups developing innovative solutions in biotech, medtech, digital health, AI, and biomarkers or diagnostics.
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Deep Tech Co-Creation Accelerator 2026-2027
Opens: 02/07/2026
Closes: 08/09/2026
The Co-Creation Accelerator pairs early-stage ventures with industry partners to validate technology, with grants of up to €250,000.
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IHI (Innovative Health Initiative) 13th Call for Proposals
Short proposal submission deadline: 8 Oct 2026
Topics on accelerating healthcare innovation through networks, reducing animal use in drug safety studies, and decoding the immuno-science of diseases affected by ageing and the immune system.
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European Space Agency: The Arctic Region: Safety, Navigation and Operations
Opens: 05/09/2026
Closes: 05/11/2026
Applications are invited on space-enabled solutions targeting safe maritime navigation and operations in the Arctic where the melting ice is not only resulting in increased traffic but also posing significant hazards to vessels.
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European Space Agency: Road and Traffic Safety
Opens: 15/07/2026
Closes: 27/11/2026
This opportunity offers funding for teams who would like to develop sustainable space-based services and applications that address challenges related to the Road and Traffic Safety sector.
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BBSRC Institutes ICURe Discover - October 2026
Opens: 01/07/2026
Closes: 18/09/2026
BBSRC Institutes ICURe Discover is a part-time online market discovery programme exclusively for research teams at BBSRC's eight strategically supported institutes, with up to £2,500 support for market discovery activities.
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Women TechEU 2026-27
Weekly stage 1 submissions: four stage 2 deadlines throughout 2026-27
Women TechEU 2 EIC is an EU-funded project designed to support women-led early-stage deep tech startups from Europe. Each startup can receive €75,000 in funding.
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Scaling performance of quantum computing hardware: CR&D
Opens: 27/06/2026
Closes: 18/09/2026
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £33 million to develop device level hardware and associated software to meet the scale, programmability, and runtime performance needs of universal fault tolerant quantum computers.
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DRIVE35 Innovation Fund: Collaborate 3
Opens: 26/06/2026
Closes: 16/09/2026
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £20 million for late stage collaborative research and development projects. Projects will support the UK’s transition to zero emission vehicles and a pathway to a net zero automotive industry.
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DRIVE35: Scale Up Fund
There is no submission deadline
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £150 million, to create scale up manufacturing facilities for zero emission vehicle technologies.
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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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Horizon Europe 2026-27: Horizontal actions - Transformative change towards a nature-positive economy and society
Opens: 06/10/2026
Closes: 16/09/2027
Supporting R&I activities dedicated to biodiversity across pillar II of Horizon Europe, with up to €50m for the largest projects.
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Horizon Europe Chips Joint Undertaking 2026
Various closing dates to 31 March 2027
Topics under the CHIPS-JU work programme, with up to €70m available for the largest projects
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3rd UK-Switzerland Bilateral Call for Joint Innovation Projects
Closing Soon
Opens: 01/07/2026
Closes: 03/09/2026
Bilateral call to strengthen Swiss-UK innovation collaboration in Semiconductors, Life Sciences, or Engineering Biology.
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NHS Cancer Programme - Innovation Open Call 4
Opening Sep 2026; closing date tbc
Applications are invited for innovations that focus on productivity and supporting the NHS to meet Cancer Waiting Times, as well as innovations that support the earlier detection and diagnosis of cancer.
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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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Circular Bio-Based Europe: 2026 call for project proposals
Opens: 23/04/2026
Closes: 22/09/2026
CBE-JU is funding projects developing innovative and sustainable bio-based solutions, with up to €20m for the largest projects.
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European Space Agency - The Arctic Region: Environmental and Economic Resilience
Closing Soon
Apply by 4 Sep 2026
Supporting the development of space‑enabled services addressing environmental protection and climate resilience in the Arctic region.
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NAPIC ICURe Discover – September 2026
Closing Soon
Opens: 01/06/2026
Closes: 03/09/2026
NAPIC (National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre) ICURe Discover is a part-time hybrid market exploration programme for researchers, technicians and research students, with up to £2,500 support for market discovery activities.
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New standard for construction SMEs: PAS 1958
Open indefinitely
A new standard to aid navigation of existing data and information standards relevant to the built environment and construction sectors.