DRIVE35 Scale-up: Feasibility Studies

Who can apply

Your project

Your project must:

• have total a grant funding request of between £150,000 and £750,000

• last up to nine months

• carry out all of its project work in the UK

• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

• start by 1 January 2026

• end by 31 August 2026

• aim to utilise at least 44% of the grant budget by 31 March 2026

Your project must have a maximum of 50% grant funding for a large organisation, or 60% for an SME. For example:

• if you are applying as a large organisation and asking for £300,000 in grant, your total eligible project costs need to be a minimum of £600,000

• if you are applying as an SME and asking for £300,000 in grant, your total eligible project costs need to be a minimum of £500,000

Projects must always start on the first of the month, even if this is a non-working day. You must not start your project until your Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK. Any delays within Project Setup may mean we need to delay your project start date.

You must only include eligible project costs in your application. See our overview of eligible project costs. For specific guidance, see the eligibility section in this competition.

Lead organisation

To work alone your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.

More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.

Subcontractors

Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.

Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.

You can use subcontractors from overseas but must make the case in your application as to why you cannot use subcontractors from the UK.

You must provide a detailed rationale, evidence of the potential UK contractors you approached and the reasons why they were unable to work with you. We will not accept a cheaper cost as a sufficient reason to use an overseas subcontractor.

All subcontractor costs must be justified and appropriate to the total eligible project costs.

Number of applications

There are no restrictions on the number of applications on which an eligible organisation can lead. Successful applicants will be asked to confirm they have the capacity to run multiple projects simultaneously.

Sanctions

This competition will not fund you, or provide any financial benefit to any individual or entities directly or indirectly involved with you, which would expose Innovate UK or any direct or indirect beneficiary of funding from Innovate UK to UK Sanctions. For example, through any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any entity as lead, partner or subcontractor related to these countries, administrations and terrorist groups.

Use of animals in research and innovation Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.

Applicants must ensure that all of the proposed work within projects, both that in the UK and internationally, will comply with the UKRI guidance on the use of animals in research and innovation.

Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.

Previous applications

You can use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.

If you have previously submitted an application that reached our assessment stage, you can re-apply once more with the same proposal.

If there are minor differences to the proposal, but it is judged by us to be ‘not materially different’, the same rule applies.

We will not award you funding if you have:

• failed to exploit a previously funded project

• an overdue independent accountant’s report

• failed to comply with grant terms and conditions

• have overdue industrial contribution payments to the APC

Innovate UK may withhold a grant payment at any time if you have any outstanding sums due to us in relation to other projects.

Subsidy control (and State aid where applicable)

This competition provides funding to enterprises using the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme.

The Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Scheme can be viewed on the subsidy database here: SC10780.

This is in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Further information about the Subsidy requirements can be found within the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk).

Innovate UK is unable to award organisations that are considered to be in financial difficulty. We will conduct financial viability and eligibility tests to confirm this is not the case following the application stage.

EU State aid rules now only apply in limited circumstances. Please see the Windsor Framework to check if these rules apply to your organisation.

In the ‘Project details’ section of your application you will be asked questions to indicate if State Aid or Subsidy applies to your organisation.

Further Information

If you are unsure about your obligations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 or the State aid rules, you should take independent legal advice. We are unable to advise on individual eligibility or legal obligations.

You must always make sure that the funding awarded to you is compliant with all current Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom.

This aims to regulate any advantage granted by a public sector body which threatens to, or actually distorts competition in the United Kingdom or any other country or countries.

Funding

Up to £5 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition. Funding will be in the form of a grant.

If your organisation’s work on the project is commercial or economic, your funding request must not exceed the limits below. These limits apply even if your organisation normally acts non-economically but for the purpose of this project will be undertaking commercial or economic activity.

Your total grant funding request must be between £150,000 and £750,000 and no more than 60% of your total project costs if you are an SME, or 50% for large organisations.

The balance between your total project costs and the amount of grant awarded must be funded by the organisation receiving the grant.

Category 1: Feasibility studies

Funding is available for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 60% if you are a micro, small or medium sized organisation

• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

For more information on company sizes, please refer to the company accounts guidance.

If you are applying for an award funded under State aid Regulations, the definitions are set out in the European Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003.

Innovate UK may revoke our decision to provide funding without notice if government commitment for this initiative is withdrawn.

We reserve the right to adjust funding allocations for any of our competitions under exceptional circumstances, for example, in response to changes in policy, portfolio funding considerations, or broader government funding decisions. 

Research participation

Whilst you may not apply to lead a project as an RTO, charity, not for profit organisation, public sector organisation or research organisation, you are able to work as subcontractors to businesses leading projects through this competition.

APC industry support

In securing funding from this programme, each participant receiving a grant will pay an industrial contribution to the APC operating budget. This is set at 3.5% and is payable on each grant received.

Your proposal

The aim of this competition is to support detailed feasibility studies into the deployment of UK based manufacturing facilities for zero emission vehicle technologies, such as:

• pilot scale manufacturing

• demonstration scale manufacturing

• industrial scale manufacturing

Your proposal is expected to enable an investment ready business case, advancing your readiness for manufacturing at your targeted production maturity and volume.

Your project must:

Support growth, transition and resilience of the UK’s automotive supply chain by increasing capability whilst improving productivity, efficiency and competitiveness.

Contribute to the UK’s strategic aims and priorities, for example, the Industrial Strategy, and Automotive Council’s Roadmaps and Strategic Technology areas.

Undertake a feasibility study that develops a detailed plan, business case and investment case for creation or conversion of manufacturing facilities for eligible on-vehicle technologies (including zero-emission vehicle assembly and the associated supply chain).

Support the transition to zero emission vehicles and have the potential to create and safeguard high value jobs and create a lasting economic benefit to the UK.

Deliver a detailed closeout report and present at a closeout meeting with the APC. This is to review the business case, its outcomes and next steps, prior to closure and payment of the final claim.

Your project can enable you to:

Develop a plan for the build or conversion of manufacturing facilities in the UK, including:

• your technical approach

• your objectives

• a detailed timing schedule

Create a flow sheet or layout of your manufacturing process or manufacturing facility.

Continue to develop robust commercialisation plans with a clear articulation on how the eligible technology will be commercialised or delivered to the automotive market at pace, from the UK and as a result of the project. This does not exclude spill over use in other sectors.

Produce detailed costing and financial models examining the costs of developing and operating your manufacturing facility and the incomes that it could enable.

Produce a business case for future investment which enables a decision:

• to invest in the project in the UK

or

• that clearly shows the potential barriers or challenges to doing so and the additional steps or measures to overcome these barriers

Develop the insight, plans and details required to show how you will secure investment in your manufacturing plan for the zero emission vehicle supply chain in the UK.

Technology scope

This competition aims to support feasibility studies, enabling investment into manufacturing of strategically important technologies for on board vehicle applications in one or more of the following areas:

• electrical energy storage: development of batteries, supercapacitors, their components, management, and integrated systems

• electric machines and associated driveline

• power electronics including Vehicle to Everything (V2X)

• internal combustion engine (ICE) for off road applications, we will fund project proposals that support a transition to zero emissions, utilising non fossil fuels

• lightweighting materials and manufacturing processes

• fuel cell systems and associated balance of plant

• hydrogen storage and management systems

• zero emission vehicle assembly

Within the technology scope outlined above, your project can include:

• upstream supply chain for the technologies, including, raw materials, component manufacturing and subassembly manufacturing

• circularity and design for disassembly: projects delivering manufacturing systems which enable the disassembly, remanufacturing, recovery and reuse of materials

• the deployment of technologies, to enable productivity and cost competitiveness across the relevant aspects of applicable manufacturing operations in any of the following areas: digital transformation, manufacturing process decarbonisation and lean manufacturing

Digital transformation can include: integration of digital tools within the manufacturing process, for example, the use of AI, digital twins, and Internet of Things (IoT).

Manufacturing process decarbonisation can include: processes that use renewable energy sources or innovations enabling reduced energy consumption within manufacturing processes, including capture and reuse.

Lean manufacturing can include: implementation of innovative lean principles to improve efficient use of materials used in processes, reduce their environmental impact and improve efficiency including the use of advanced automation techniques.

Scope of activities

We recognise that companies in different segments of the zero emission vehicle supply chain use different terminology to describe their manufacturing development phases. Our intention with the wording of the competition is described below.

These are not suggested as absolute definitions, but instead as general categories to enable you to communicate the intention of your project:

• pilot scale: scale up stage at which flexibility is key, utilised to develop initial production capability under real world conditions, whilst still maintaining significant flexibility for iterative improvements

• demonstration scale: scale up to intermediate production scale that reflects a production representative manufacturing workflow, focusing on repeatability with lower flexibility than pilot, and often representing final stage of manufacturing validation before industrial scale production

• industrial scale: full scale industrial production targeting high volume applications, deployed to fully realise the production volume potential for a product, utilising large scale industrial facilities, employing mass manufacturing techniques

You may use your established terminology to describe your project in your application, but you must explain this clearly with regards to your goals and stages of development.

Target market

You must develop business cases that take new technologies towards scale up, market entry and industrialisation. You must outline how your project will enable you to enter the following vehicle supply chain or markets:

• On-highway vehicles, for example, L-category, motorbike, car, bus and truck applications

• Off highway vehicles and non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), for example, construction, agriculture, mining and other off-highway applications

Where your business case enables entry into other markets, you must be clear how the project prepares your business for entry into one of these vehicle markets.

Portfolio approach

We want to fund a variety of projects across different technologies, vehicle applications, markets, technological maturities, and organisational sizes, which are aligned to policy and regulatory deadlines enabling automotive transformation.

This includes the transition to fully zero emission vehicle manufacturing. As such, a selection of funded projects may be determined by the fit of the project to the competition portfolio. We call this a portfolio approach.

Research categories

We will fund feasibility projects, as defined in the guidance on categories of research.

Projects we will not fund

We are not funding projects that:

• request grant greater than 60% of total project costs for an SME or 50% for a large business 

• are focused on technology feasibility, technical research or technical product development

• do not have a robust future plan to enter the zero emission vehicle supply chain

• are not aligned with the UK Industrial Strategy

• are focused on the development or production of low carbon fuels

• are not of future benefit to the automotive sector

• are focused on technologies or processes which are too technologically immature to scale with increasing market demand

• are focused on fossil fuelled internal combustion technology

• are focused on the production of hydrogen

• are focused on off vehicle charging infrastructure

• are focused primarily on the development of digital or data technologies

• are focused on small personal mobility applications such as e-scooters, e-bikes, or other low powered mobility devices

We cannot fund projects that are:

• dependent on export performance, for example, giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country

• dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example, giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product

14 July 2025

Pre-recorded briefing event: watch the recording

Briefing slides are available to download from Supporting Information.

18 July 2025

Live Q&A session: join at 2pm

9 October 2025

Applicants notified

1 December 2025

Project start from

1 January 2026

Project must start by

Before you start

You must read the guidance on applying for a competition on the Innovation Funding Service before you start.

Before submitting, it is the lead applicant’s responsibility to make sure:

• that all the information provided in the application is correct

• your proposal meets the eligibility and scope criteria

• that you do not exceed the permitted grant maximum for your organisational size

• all sections of the application are marked as complete

You can reopen your application once submitted, up until the competition deadline. You must resubmit the application before the competition deadline.

What we ask you

The application is split into three sections:

1. Project details.

2. Application questions.

3. Finances.

Accessibility and Inclusion

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.

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

We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’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 competition deadline.

You can contact Innovate UK by email 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).

1. Project details

This section provides background for your application and is not scored.

Do not include any website addresses (URLs) in your answers.

Application team

Decide which people from your organisation will work with you on the project and invite those people to help complete the application.

Application details

Give your project’s title, start date and duration.

Research category

Select the type of research you will undertake.

Project summary

Describe your project briefly and be clear about what makes it innovative. We use this section to assign the right experts to assess your application.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Public description

Describe your project in detail and in a way that you are happy to see published. Do not include any commercially sensitive information. If we award your project funding, we will publish this description. This can happen before you start your project.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Scope

Describe how your project fits the scope of the competition. If your project is not in scope, it will not be eligible for funding.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

2. Application questions

The assessors will score all your answers apart from questions 1 to 6.

The assessors will consider your answers to questions 7 to 14 carefully in their assessment of your application. Their assessment scorecard is made up of a range of criteria and requires them to assess the cohesiveness and strength of your application.

You will receive feedback for each scored question. Find out more about how our assessors assess and how we select applications for funding.

You must answer all questions.

You must not include any website addresses or links (URLs) in your answers. If you do, your application will be made ineligible.

Question 1. Applicant location (not scored)

You must state the name and full registered address of your organisation and any subcontractors working on your project.

We are collecting this information to understand more about the geographical location of all applicants.

Your answer can be up to 100 words long.

Question 2. Animal testing (not scored)

Will your project involve any trials with animals or animal testing?

You must select one option:

• Yes

• No

We will only support innovation projects conducted to the highest standards of animal welfare.

Further information for proposals involving animal testing is available at the UKRI Good Research Hub and NC3R’s animal welfare guidance.

Question 3. Permits and licences (not scored)

Will you have the correct permits and licences in place to carry out your project?

We are unable to fund projects which do not have the correct permits or licences in place by your project start date.

You must select one option:

• Yes

• No

• In the process of being applied for

• Not applicable

Question 4. International collaboration (not scored)

Does your proposed work involve any international collaboration or engagement?

You must provide details of any expected international collaboration or engagement.

You must include a list of the names and the countries, any international project co-leads, project partners, visiting researchers, or other collaborators are based in. You must also include details of any subcontractors or service providers.

If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration or engagement, your answer must confirm this.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 5. Trusted Research and Innovation (not scored)

You must explain if your proposed project work relates to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) Principles, including:

• a list of any dual-use (both military and non-military) applications to your research

• a list of the areas where your project is relevant to one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act

• whether an export control license is required for this project under the academic export control guidance and the status of any applications

• a list of any items or substances on the UK Strategic Export Control List

If your proposed work does not relate to UKRI’s TR&I Principles, your answer must confirm this.

We may ask you to provide additional TR&I information at a later date, in line with UKRI TR&I Principles and funding terms and conditions.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 6. Your business (not scored)

What is your current business and your vision of success for the future.

Describe your business to give us a good understanding of your current positioning, capacity, strategy, ambition and leadership.

Include:

• a brief history of the business making this proposal

• a description of the current scale and capacities of the business and your UK and global facilities, employees and products

• your revenue, and the key drivers of this

• a summary of your corporate strategy that is related to this proposal: the vision, ambition and positioning of the business that this proposal aims to unlock, including how this will grow your presence in the UK

• your owners and investors

Your answer can be up to 500 words long.

This question is not scored on its own, but your answer will inform assessors’ evaluation of later questions.

Question 7. This feasibility study

What is the feasibility study that you are proposing and why are you proposing it?

Describe your proposed feasibility study including why you want to undertake it, what the objectives are and how you will deliver it.

Include:

• the scope of your proposed feasibility study, the key objectives and deliverables, and what will success look like from this project

• how you will deliver the project including the plan, milestones and timing

• details of the team and any subcontractors that will work on the project, including team members and their relevant experience, capabilities and responsibilities in the project

• how the outcomes of this feasibility study will contribute to the realisation of your strategy and commercialisation plan

Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

Question 8. Your product or process

Describe what product or process are you taking to market, how it solves a customer problem and how it supports the transition to Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) manufacturing?

Explain why it is a compelling solution to the problem and its readiness for the stage of capital investment which you propose.

Make sure you include:

• a description of your product or process innovation and how it functions

• the customer problem solved by your product or process, this can be a customer that is external or internal to your organisation

• the value proposition offered by your product or process, and how this enables your customers to solve the problem identified, ensure you quantify this where possible

• the unit economics of your product or process, including target production costs

• how your product or process supports the transition to ZEV manufacturing in the UK and enables environmental benefits

• the maturity of development of your product or process, including automotive TRL and MRL with a justification of these, and a clear description of why the undertaking a feasibility study into a future capital investment is an appropriate next step

Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

You can submit one appendix, to support your answer. If appropriate, include evidence to justify your assessment of your automotive TRL and MRL, and supporting evidence for your product or process economics. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 9. The target market

What is the market for this product or process? What is the competition in the market? Why is now the right market timing to study the feasibility of scaling up?

Describe the market for your product or process and how you propose to compete and win a share of the market.

Ensure you include:

• a description of the supply chain into which this product will fit, and your place within it

• a clear identification of the size of the market for your product over the next 10 years, including the size of your obtainable market

• a description of your customer segments, clearly identifying the segments you intend to enter, for example, beachhead market, early adopters as well as later market opportunities; you can include non-vehicle market segments within this, but you should be clear how and when you will enter the vehicle market

• a description of the level of engagement and traction you have with your market, including visibility of sales opportunities which would be supported by the realisation of the outputs of this feasibility study as well as any Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Joint Development Agreements (JDAs)

• the competition in the market, outlining why you can be successful in your segments and achieve your market potential

• why now is the right time for this feasibility study and the outcomes of this study

Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

You can submit one appendix, to support your answer. If appropriate, include letters of intent, details of any MOUs or JDAs from potential suppliers or customers. You can include detailed of market and computer analysis. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to three A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 10. Your commercialisation plan

How will you commercialise your product or process?

Describe your broader commercialisation roadmap or plan associated with this product or service. What are the risks associated with this?

Ensure you include:

• your proposed business model

• the timeline of steps you will use to take this product or process to market following your feasibility study

• the impact this will have on your organisation, including the scale of any organisational growth

• the scale of investment in your business operations that you will require to execute this plan, and specify where it will be in the UK and overseas

• the risks or unknowns that could stop you delivering this plan in the UK, and how this feasibility study will enable you to understand and mitigate these

Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

You can submit one appendix, to support your answer. If appropriate, include a commercialisation roadmap for this product or process and a commercialisation risk register. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 11. Your commercialisation team

Do you have the right team to take the results of this project to commercial success?

Describe the team that will lead the outputs of this project towards commercial success including the key roles, responsibilities, experience and capabilities of the team members. We recognise that your team capabilities will depend on your stage of maturity.

Ensure you include:

• a description of the leadership team members that will take the results of this feasibility study to commercial success, their relevant experience, achievements, capabilities and responsibilities in the commercialisation of this product or process

• for pilot scale projects: your strategy, commercial and technical leadership

• for larger scale projects: your strategy, finance, commercial, technical and operational leadership

• any capability gaps that you will need to fill to be able to execute your commercialisation plan, and how the feasibility study will enable you to identify and create a plan to resolve these

Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

Question 12. Your finance plan

How will you finance the build or conversion of the manufacturing facility that you propose to study through this project?

Describe how you will finance the outcomes of this feasibility study.

Ensure you include:

• your current understanding of the financial package that you expect to be required to deliver the outcomes of this feasibility study, including corporate investment, debt, equity and any possible government support

• the possible sources of this finance, for example, the budget holder, fund manager, bank, government fund or another financier

• how advanced your business is in readiness for successfully gaining this finance, including feedback that you have had about the financing of the outcomes of this feasibility study

• the essential questions, data or validation you must provide to enable you to achieve this investment, and how this feasibility study will enable you to find answers to these

Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

Question 13. The impact of this feasibility study

What will be the impact of this project?

Provide a summary of the impacts that will be delivered by this feasibility study. Include the benefits to your business, your UK customers and suppliers, and the wider UK industry.

Ensure you include:

• the environmental benefits that will be realised as you take your product or process to market

• the UK investment that you aim to unlock with this study

• the UK growth and annual commercial revenue you aim to achieve when the result of this feasibility study is taken into deployment

• the safeguarding or growth in UK jobs that will be realised when the result of this feasibility study is taken into deployment

• the UK economic benefits to your UK customers and suppliers, and the wider UK industry, including positive impacts on UK supply of critical materials

• impact on UK competitiveness

• how does public funding enable your project to deliver outcomes that wouldn’t otherwise be achievable, and what specific advantages would it bring; can you list these benefits and quantify them if possible

Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

You can submit one appendix, to support your answer. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 14. Project costs

How much will the feasibility study cost?

Describe how much this feasibility study will cost to deliver and the support you require to execute it.

In terms of your project goals, explain:

• your total eligible project costs of this feasibility study

• the grant you are requesting and why this amount is required to deliver this project

• any subcontractor costs and why they are critical to your project

• how you will finance your unfunded contribution to your feasibility study

• what your project might look like without public funding

• how it compares to what you would spend your money on otherwise

Your answer can be up to 600 words long.

3. Finances

You must complete your own project costs, organisation details and funding details in the application.

For an overview on what costs you can claim, see our project costs guidance. Note this is general guidance, for specific guidance please see the eligibility section in this competition.

Assessment

Your application will be reviewed by five independent assessors based on the content of your application and their skills or expertise relevant to your project. All of the scores awarded will count towards the total score used to make the funding decision unless you are notified otherwise.

You can find out more about our assessment process in the General Guidance.

Background and further information

DRIVE35 (Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification) is a Department for Business and Trade (DBT) led programme aimed at transforming the UK's automotive industry. This will be achieved by supporting R&D and the commercial scale up of innovative zero emission vehicle technologies, and unlocking capital investment in zero emission vehicles, batteries and their wider supply chain.

DRIVE35 Scale-Up: Feasibility Studies is funded by the Department for Business and Trade and delivered in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Innovate UK.

DBT will:

• fund all DRIVE35: scale-up projects, subject to ministerial agreement

• make a recommendation to ministers to support funding that meets the required assessment criteria

• formally monitor delivery of economic benefits including, but not limited to, post-project delivery 

• assess the delivery mechanism of the DRIVE35 Scale-Up: Feasibility Studies competition to ensure it remains aligned with HMG processes and ministerial steers, including the Industrial Strategy

• lead the delivery, design and monitoring of the programme implementation approach

Formed in 2013 the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) accelerates the industrialisation of technologies which help to realise zero emission vehicles. It is at the heart of the UK Government’s commitment to end the country’s contribution to global warming by 2050.

APC will:

• work with applicants to support bid development

• support the competition process

• provide recommendations to improve future competitions

• support participants once contracts are awarded and act as a source of guidance during the start-up and project delivery phases

• monitor and report the impact of the funding

Innovate UK will:

• deliver the competition process and technical assessment framework

• support and manage applicant queries about the competition process

• issue and manage grant contracts

• provide formal assurance that projects are meeting their commitments once they are running (known as project monitoring)

• approve financial claims and issue funds

Where a project is linked to overseas investment in the UK, or export of goods from the UK, the Department for Business and Trade will also:

• provide a way for overseas businesses to contact the Department for Business and Trade staff in their own country, via knowledgeable staff at UK embassies and consulates

• support potential investors with sector-specific information and facts about the UK economy

• provide support for investors looking for a UK location and data benchmarking to demonstrate the competitive position of the UK

• provide introductions to other government departments and partner organisations for businesses setting up in the UK for the first time or expanding their existing UK investments

• support business wishing to export through trade missions and customer connections, supported by UK embassies and consulates

• offer export finance support to businesses wishing to trade overseas, through the Department for Business and Trade’s UK export finance (UKEF) organisation

• provide ongoing after care customer support through a dedicated relationship manager

APC can help by:

• providing general guidance regarding interpretation of competition rules and guidelines on an informal basis

• helping your business to structure the bid development process

• explaining common pitfalls

• answering questions about whether or not your project is within scope

Any information received by Innovate UK for this competition may be shared with APC and DBT. Innovate UK has a data sharing agreement in place with these bodies which safeguards both personal and commercial data in accordance with data protection legislation. 

Note that the APC role is to provide indicative guidance rather than formal advice. To contact APC email info@apcuk.co.uk.

Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Scheme Information

This award is being offered under the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme in accordance with section 10(4) of the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

Projects funded must meet the following definition:

Category 1: Feasibility study

The evaluation and analysis of the potential of a project, which aims at supporting the process of decision-making. This is done by objectively and rationally uncovering its strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as identifying the resources required to carry it through and ultimately its prospects for success.​

Briefing recording and slides

Pre-recorded briefing event: watch the recording

Briefing slides are available to download:

DRIVE35 Scale-up Feasibility Studies - Applicant Briefing Slides - 4th July EDIT.pdf (opens in a new window)

What happens if you receive a grant offer

If you have passed your initial assessment and have received an email with a grant offer, you will be asked to complete the project set up process on the Innovation Funding Service (IFS).

We will ask for information that will allow us to undertake mandatory checks on your organisation and the eligibility of your costs, as well as review the documentation for your project.

You must follow the unique link embedded in your email notification. This takes you to your project's dedicated IFS Set Up portal, where we gather the information required to set up your project.

Watch our video on what steps there are before a project starts or read more about Project Setup in our general guidance.

If your application is unsuccessful

If you are unsuccessful with your application this time, you can view feedback from the assessors. This will be available to you on your IFS portal following notification.

Sometimes your application will have scored well, and you will receive positive comments from the assessors. You may be unsuccessful as your average score was not above the funding threshold or your project has not been selected under the portfolio approach if this is applied for this competition.

We would like to remind you that eligible non-funded business can still benefit from fully funded and bespoke support from the Innovate UK Business Growth service.

Support for SMEs from Innovate UK Business Growth service

Innovate UK Business Growth helps innovation focused businesses make the best strategic choices and access the right resources, in order to grow and ultimately achieve scale.

Our innovation and growth specialists provide our fully funded and bespoke support to clients nationwide. Visit the service’s website to discover whether you could benefit from this advisory support, which is available to Innovate UK funded and non-funded businesses alike.

Protecting your innovation

A Secure Innovation campaign has been developed to help founders and leaders of innovative startups protect their technology, competitive advantage, and reputation.

This was developed by UK’s National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Data sharing

This competition is jointly operated by Innovate UK, Advanced Propulsion Centre UK Limited (APC) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) (each an ‘agency’).

Any relevant information submitted and produced during the application process concerning your application can be shared by one agency with the other, for its individual storage, processing and use.

This means that any information given to or generated by Innovate UK in respect of your application may be passed on to APC and DBT and vice versa. This would include, but is not restricted to:

• the information stated on the application, including the personal details of all applicants

• scoring and feedback on the application

• information received during the management and administration of the grant, such as Monitoring Service Provider reports and Independent Accountant Reports

Innovate UK may also share any relevant information submitted and produced during the application process concerning your application with Innovate UK’s national and regional UK third parties and partners who may contact you. For more information see how we handle grant applicant and grant holder data.

Innovate UK. APC and DBT are directly accountable to you for their holding and processing of your information, including any personal data and confidential information. Data is held in accordance with their own policies. Accordingly, Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect, APC and DBT will be data controllers for personal data submitted during the application.

Innovate UK’s Privacy Policy

Innovate UK Business Connect Privacy Policy

Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Privacy Policy

Advanced Propulsion Centre UK’s (APC) Privacy Policy

Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.

The Information Commissioner’s Office also has a useful guide for organisations, which outlines the data protection principles.

Contact us

If you need more information about how to apply or you want to submit your application in Welsh, 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).

Innovate UK or any of our partners will not tolerate abusive language in any written or verbal correspondence, applications, social media or any other form that might affect staff.