This Programme is aimed at companies that have:

• A novel / innovative solution with some commercial traction and customer adoption.
• A strong leadership team ready to dedicate time in New York at Urban Future Lab to build relationships with advisors, investors, potential customers and decision makers.
• A willingness to adapt and openness to incorporate the feedback and guidance provided by experts in our network.
• An initial US value proposition and a hypothesis about how to enter the US market.

To apply, you must:

• Be a UK-based innovation-led company with ambitions to grow and internationalise
• Be a company with fewer than 250 employees
• Have a focus on clean energy industries

Innovate UK is committed to improving the diversity of who we support. We welcome applications from under-represented groups in the clean energy industries sector.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.

We are looking for businesses with the ambition and commitment to scale globally. The programme is best suited for growth stage companies with validated products or technologies seeking international commercial expansion opportunities. A senior person from the company needs to commit to being involved in all stages of the programme.

We are looking for businesses with the ambition and commitment to scale globally. The programme is best suited for growth stage companies with validated products or technologies seeking international commercial expansion opportunities. A senior person from the company needs to commit to being involved in all stages of the programme. The Global Incubator Programme operates on a competitive basis and businesses selected against the criteria listed in the application form are required to actively participate in all three stages.

The three stages of the Programme are as follows:

Prepare

A preparation workshop delivered to the entire cohort in the UK. You will be allocated an Innovate UK Innovation and Growth Specialist or Scaleup Director to work with in the UK who will work with you on your strategic action plan for the programme. You will receive an overview of the innovation and sector landscape of the country’s market, a full briefing on the programme and working with Urban Future Lab, and support to better present your business and the value proposition.

Pursue

During the 6-month programme, UFL will support companies as they undertake intensive Customer Discovery work. A typical programme will see a visit to the market at the beginning of the 6 months, providing the opportunity to explore hypotheses around technology and market fit, preliminary customer validation and an introduction to ecosystem players. This will be followed by regular virtual sessions with the incubator team, in-market mentors, and industry experts, to do a deep dive into understanding what it takes to be successful in accessing the market. At the end of the 6 months, companies will undertake a second sponsored visit to the market, culminating in a demo day to showcase the achievements of the cohort, and to continue to raise the profile and make connections for the businesses involved.

Exploit

Work with your Innovation and Growth Specialist or Scaleup Director to continue to exploit the programme, building on all the connections, knowledge, and expertise gained. You will be in a much better position with the necessary understanding and networks to accelerate your global growth and scaling journey.

New York remains one of the most ambitious and supportive environments for energy and sustainability innovation in the United States. As a global hub for finance, policy leadership, and startup activity, New York offers unparalleled access to demonstration sites, public-private partnerships, and commercialization pathways. Both the City and State continue to deploy clean technologies at scale; from electrified transportation and building decarbonization pilots to major investments in offshore wind, energy storage and grid modernization.

New York City and State are actively building a robust ecosystem where international climate-focused companies can pilot, scale, and thrive. This momentum reflects a broader national trend: across the country, more than 20 states remain committed to energy innovation and climate action and are driving forward incentives, policy, and infrastructure investments. These regional leaders are defining the next chapter of climate progress in the U.S.

For global innovators, New York is more than an entry point. It is a launchpad full of opportunities to grow, pilot, and scale your company. New York State opportunities include:

• 10th largest economy in the world
• Global centre of financial services
• USA’s third-busiest port
• Large manufacturing and agriculture sectors
• Close proximity to demand centre on the US East Coast, including 20 million New York residents
• Most aggressive zero-emissions electricity target in the USA (100% by 2040)

The Urban Future Lab (UFL) at New York University (NYU) Tandon School of Engineering is a nonprofit innovation hub for best-in-class climatetech startups with a focus on clean energy and sustainable urban infrastructure solutions. UFL has supported 200+ startups who have raised $4.2B in venture capital, project finance, and grants, has a 92% company survival rate, and created 5,700+ jobs. It houses ACRE, New York’s longest-running climatetech incubator, Clean Start; the Carbon to Value Initiative and the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub, which bring innovative technologies and solutions to industry leaders; and the Innovate UK Global Incubator Programme, which supports market entry in the U.S. for U.K.-based climatetech startups that can effectively scale and support the clean growth goals of New York State. It also offers an advanced certificate from NYU for people seeking a transition into the climatetech sector. As an integral part of Tandon’s Sustainable Engineering Initiative and NYU Tandon Future Labs network, the UFL is home to programs focused on policy, education, and market solutions for the green economy.

This Programme is focused on the Clean Energy Industries sector, supporting companies developing innovative products, services and technologies in the following areas:

Energy Systems

• Next-gen energy storage including LDES
• Low-cost renewable energy generation and solar technologies including off grid power supply and back-up power
• Grid modernization & transmission technologies & grid reliability solutions
• Resilience-as-a-service platforms (e.g., critical facility backup, microgrid resilience)
• Modulation of energy demand including energy flex, demand shift, demand reduction, or digital technologies
• Energy technologies supporting the EV transition
• AI and Digital Technologies for Energy Systems

Industrial Decarbonisation & Alternative Fuels

• Hydrogen, Ammonia and Low-Carbon Fuels
• Energy efficiency solutions including digital solutions (e.g. for real estate/buildings)
• Low-cost low emission heat technologies (e.g. industry, buildings)
• Novel production of industrial products including chemicals, cement, and steel
• Port decarbonisation
• Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)

We would welcome applications from innovative companies who are developing technologies in these areas. Applicants should demonstrate how their proposition aligns with the Programmes Clean Energy Industries focus and contributes to the global transition to net zero.

• Getting ready for the market: Work with an Innovate UK Innovation & Growth Specialist or Scaleup Director to develop a Strategic Action Plan for the Programme.
• Market analysis & validation: Guided support for a 6-month intensive US customer discovery process to test technology and market fit, conduct preliminary customer validation, and gain a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in the USA.
• Workspace: Flexible workspace that can scale with company needs.
• Masterclasses, workshops and panel speakers: Online group learning insight sessions to assist in all aspects of US business formation and scaleup.
• Access to Urban Future Lab ecosystem: Gain access key connections within Montreal and beyond via the Urban Future Lab team.
• Mentoring: Receive country-specific mentoring from trusted industry experts.
• Innovation community: Participate in a vibrant community of creative entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
• Pitching opportunities: Access to investor, corporate and strategic partner networks in during the Programme and at a Final Showcase event in New York during March 2027.
• Market visits: Two intensive market visits to New York are planned as part of this initiative in November 2026 and March 2027.

• Applicant briefing: Wednesday 12^th August 2026 at 4pm (GMT)
• Closing date for applications: Friday 4^th September 2026 at 5pm (GMT)
• Shortlist Interviews: 23^rd to 30^th September 2026
• Successful Applicants notified: Friday 6^th October 2026
• Incubation Programme (Virtual): 19^th October 2026 to 31^st March 2027
• Market Visit: Immersion Week: 8^th to 13^th November 2026
• Market Visit: Showcase Week: 7^th to 12^th March 2027

Applicant briefing

To learn more about the Programme, including hearing how this has worked for previous participants we will be holding an Applicant Briefing on Wednesday 12^th August at 4pm. Register here.

Guidance

You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.

We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this GIP’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place.  The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the application deadline.

You can contact Innovate UK by email (support@iuk.ukri.org) or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).