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.
Filter By
Sectors:
UKAEA ICURe Engage - November 2026
Closing Soon
Opens: 02/10/2026
Closes: 30/10/2026
UKAEA ICURe Engage is a 4-week, online, part-time programme designed to support researchers and technicians in exploring the potential market for their research.
More information
FLF ICURe Engage - November 2026
Opens: 05/10/2026
Closes: 09/11/2026
Future Leaders Fellows (FLF) ICURe Engage is a 4-week, online, part-time programme designed to support Future Leaders Fellows in exploring the potential market for their research.
More information
EIT Culture & Creativity: Innovation Projects 2026
Closing Soon
Opens: 25/09/2026
Closes: 30/10/2026
EIT Culture & Creativity invites proposals for high-impact, close-to-market innovations, to receive support in accelerating progression from TRL 7 to full market deployment across the architecture, audio-visual media and fashion sectors.
More information
ARIA: Forecasting Tipping Points Phase 2 – Concept papers
Concept papers encouraged by 9 Oct: full proposals deadline 2 Dec, 2pm.
ARIA are inviting proposals related to ocean observing, forecasting, and decision-useful climate-evidence translation, with multi-million budgets for several areas.
More information
UK-Germany Bilateral Collaborative R&D: Round 5
Opens: 28/09/2026
Closes: 01/12/2026
UK registered SME’s can apply for a share of up to £2.4 million for the purpose of developing innovative proposals with Germany. You must collaborate with at least one German SME applying under the equivalent German ZIM programme.
More information
Contracts for Innovation: Battery innovation for dual use & defence Phase 1
Opens: 28/09/2026
Closes: 04/11/2026
The Battery Innovation Programme is investing up to £2m to accelerate innovative battery technologies that solve defence challenges.
More information
Efficient, Structured and Controllable AI Systems
Opens: 12/10/2026
Closes: 18/11/2026
UK registered SME businesses can apply for a share of up to £1.66 million to deliver experimental validation of prototype AI systems for novel reusable components of efficient, structured and controllable learning systems.
More information
HMGCC Co-Creation Challenge: AI-enhanced x-ray imaging for bomb disposal
Closing Soon
Opens: 28/09/2026. Closes: 29/10/2026.
Can you develop a machine learning-enabled solution that helps engineers identify, characterise, and understand electronic components using only x-ray images?
More information
Frontier AI: SME Champions, Phase 1
Opens: 01/10/2026
Closes: 11/11/2026
UK registered SME’s can apply for a share of up to £3.1 million to deliver feasibility studies for frontier artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) technologies with a clear route to defensible scale-up.
More information
Contracts for Innovation: Counter UAS Demonstrations in Prison Environments
Closing Soon
Opens: 05/10/2026
Closes: 28/10/2026
Organisations can apply for a share of £900,000, inclusive of VAT, to demonstrate and test low-cost counter uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) technologies that are able to detect and track drones within UK prison estates.
More information
MRC ICURe Discover - December 2026
Closing Soon
Opens: 28/09/2026
Closes: 30/10/2026
MRC ICURe Discover is a part-time, online, market exploration programme for researchers and technicians, with up to £2,500 support for market discovery activities.
More information
European Space Agency: Smart and Resilient Energy Systems
Opens: 29/09/2026
Closes: 27/11/2026
Aiming to develop operational solutions using space-enabled technologies to improve the anticipatory, operational, and strategic resilience of electricity grids.
More information
Digital Catapult: Digital Twin Industry Challenge Led Accelerator 2026
Closing Soon
Opens: 15/09/2026
Closes: 27/10/2026
Turn your technology into a digital twin solution for a real-world industry challenge, with up to £75,000 in Innovate UK grant funding to support its development.
More information
NERC ICURe Discover - January 2027
Opens: 15/10/2026
Closes: 12/11/2026
NERC ICURe Discover is a part-time, online, market exploration programme for researchers and technicians, with up to £2,500 support for market discovery activities.
More information
EPSRC Clean Energy ICURe Discover - January 2027
Opens: 09/11/2026
Closes: 14/12/2026
EPSRC Clean Energy ICURe Discover is an 8-week, part-time online market discovery programme for researchers and technicians, with up to £2,500 support for market discovery activities.
More information
Women’s ICURe Explore - January 2027
Closing Soon
Opens: 06/10/2026
Closes: 02/11/2026
Women’s ICURe Explore is a 13-week, full-time market exploration programme designed to train, fund and support research teams.
More information
European Space Agency: Space For Sustainable Industry and Digital Business Transformation
Closing Soon
Opens: 17/09/2026
Closes: 30/10/2026
The call focuses on specific operational and innovation needs identified by Coca-Cola, P&G, Galp and Tomorrowland/Love Tomorrow across water resilience, security and enterprise risk, renewable energy, sustainable manufacturing, consumer insight, temporary-city operations, mobility, logistics and immersive experiences.
More information
European Space Agency: Call For Proposals - Wildfire Preparedness
Opens: 01/09/2026
Closes: 01/12/2026
ESA are inviting proposals for innovative services that advance wildfire management using space technology and data.
More information
Contracts for Innovation: Innovation in play to improve child outcomes
Closing Soon
Opens: 15/09/2026
Closes: 28/10/2026
Organisations can apply for a share of £3 million, inclusive of VAT, to develop practical solutions that reignite the importance of play and increase access to high quality, real world play experiences, improving outcomes for children and young people.
More information
iX Challenge: Alternative leak repair materials and methods for canal leakage and seepage repairs
Opens: 15/09/2026
Closes: 10/11/2026
The iX programme is supporting Canal & River Trust to identify innovators with solutions for leakage and seepage repairs in operational canals.
More information
iX Challenge: Identifying leaks and seepage in canal infrastructure
Closing Soon
Opens: 15/09/2026
Closes: 27/10/2026
Innovate UK Business Connect is supporting Canal & River Trust to identify innovative, low-cost methods for detecting canal leaks and seepage, particularly hidden leaks not visible at the ground surface.