Innovate UK Growth Catalyst – Investor Partnerships Round 2

Who can apply

Your project

The eligibility criteria will depend on your research category.

For feasibility studies projects:

• your total project costs must be between £50,000 and £300,000

• the project duration must be between 6 and 12 months

For industrial research projects:

• your total project costs must be between £100,000 and £1 million

• the project duration must be between 6 and 24 months

For experimental development projects:

• your total project costs must be between £250,000 and £2 million

• the project duration must be between 12 and 24 months

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.

Your organisation

This competition is open to single applicants only. To apply your organisation must:

• be a UK registered micro, small or medium sized business (SME)

• carry out its project work in the UK

• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

• be invited to apply by your investor partner

• have discussed and agreed your proposal with your investor partner before submitting your application

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

An SME can only submit one application into this round of the competition.

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

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 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. 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 not do anything which could cause a breach of Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom.

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

Funding

A minimum of £100m million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition. This is subject to us receiving a sufficient number of high quality applications. Funding will be in the form of a grant.

You will only receive Innovate UK grant funding if you also secure aligned investment at or above the minimum required for the relevant research level.

Your investor partner must also submit a “Declared Minimum Aligned Investment”, which you must confirm with your investor partner.

Before any funding decision, we will ask the investor partner to confirm the “Declared Minimum Aligned Investment”. If the “Declared Minimum Aligned Investment” is higher than the minimum required for the relevant research level, it will be treated as greater leverage and will strengthen our assessment of additionality unless there is a strong justification not to.

However, at the same time, the confirmed "Declared Minimum Aligned Investment" becomes the new "Minimum Aligned Investment". Your project cannot start until this amount has been secured.

Innovate UK will decide which projects are eligible and in scope to receive grant funding.

The decision will be based on three factors:

1. Innovation: Assessed by independent assessors based on your application.

2. Additionality: Based on the impact of the grant in accelerating your innovation and leveraging the aligned investment. Assessed by the Investor Partnerships Team based on information provided by your named Investor Partner.

3. Traction: Based on the likelihood of the investment completing within a reasonable timeframe. Assessed by the Investor Partnerships Team based on information provided by your named Investor Partner.

To be successful in this competition, you must score strong across all three factors.

We will ask your confirmed Investor Partner to provide an update on the progress of your investment prior to making our funding decision. Our assessment of the additionality and traction will be based on this update. It is therefore important that you liaise with your Investor Partner and that their response represents your understanding of the investment position at that time.

If you are successful, you will receive grant funding to cover a proportion of the costs of your project. The project will only be allowed to commence once the agreed aligned investment has been confirmed.

Your business must have sufficient capital resources, including through investment from the investor partner and the grant funding, to enable you to meet all your project’s eligible costs.

All recipients must act commercially, and your funding request must not exceed the limits specified.

Feasibility studies and industrial research projects

For feasibility studies and industrial research projects, Innovate UK will fund:

• up to 70% of eligible project costs for micro or small organisations

• up to 60% for medium sized organisations

The absolute minimum aligned investment led by the Investor Partner must always be at least equal to the grant funding.

Experimental development projects

For experimental development projects Innovate UK will fund:

• up to 45% of eligible project costs for micro or small organisations

• up to 35% for medium sized organisations

The absolute minimum aligned investment led by the Investor Partner must always be at least twice as much as the grant funding.

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

Your proposal

The aim of this competition is to provide you with support for research and development and access to the capital investment you need to develop and commercialise your innovations.

Your proposal must have a clear route to market, a clear link to innovation and evidence that you can create a team to deliver your proposal.

You must be:

• registered in the UK as an SME by the time the award is contracted

• able to complete the aligned investment led by the investor partner needed to qualify for the award, through the issue of new shares or convertible debt

You must also demonstrate that if your project is funded, it will:

• have significant market impact

• be able to demonstrate the potential to grow and to scale

• be attractive to equity investors

Sectors and themes

The scope for this competition reflects the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (“Invest 2035”) which identifies key sectors and technologies where innovation and R&D investment can deliver national advantage, productivity gains and global competitiveness.

For Innovate UK purposes, eligible R&D activity should be aligned to one or more of the following strategic sectors as defined by the Industrial strategy or to the Battery Innovation Programme supported by the Department of Business and Trade.

If your technology fits within the “Foundation industries” or “Cross-sector enabling technologies” themes, then you must be able to link it to one of the Industrial sectors. These are the areas where grant support can most effectively catalyse business-led innovation and attract aligned private investment.

Industrial strategy sector - advanced manufacturing

Encompasses process and product innovation across the UK’s high-growth manufacturing industries, with the aim of scaling resilient supply chains and strengthening UK productivity and competitiveness.

These include:

• automotive

• batteries and energy storage

• aerospace

• advanced materials (including composites, metals, polymers, ceramics, glass, and smart materials)

• agri-tech (manufacturing and processing technologies for the agri-food value chain)

• space

Also in scope, when evidenced as essential inputs to sustainable growth of these industries:

• materials such as steel, cement, ceramics, glass, and composites

• chemicals and critical minerals

• infrastructure services supporting industrial resilience, including ports, electricity networks, and construction

Also in scope are projects aimed at improving productivity and competitiveness of advanced manufacturing companies and their supply chains through:

• development and deployment of new technologies that deliver step-changes in productivity

• further development of technologies that reduce deployment risk and accelerate cross industry adoption

Industrial strategy sector - clean energy industries

Encompasses innovation to support net-zero energy generation, storage and system efficiency, enhancing the UK’s global competitiveness and energy security.

These include:

• wind (onshore, offshore and floating)

• hydrogen production and systems

• fusion and nuclear fission

• carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) and greenhouse gas removal

• heat pumps and Electricity networks

• energy infrastructure, smart-grid integration and digital energy management systems

• supply-chain innovations supporting localisation and cost reduction

• grid integration and digitalisation of energy systems

Industrial strategy sector - digital and technologies

Encompasses frontier technologies that underpin productivity, resilience and innovation across every industrial sector, accelerating digital transformation and data-driven growth.

These include:

• artificial intelligence and machine learning

• quantum technologies

• semiconductors

• cyber security

• advanced connectivity (5G and 6G, IoT and satellite communications)

• engineering biology

• cross-sector digital applications that enable industrial automation, process control and predictive maintenance

• secure data infrastructure and interoperability across supply chains

Industrial strategy sector - defence

Encompasses dual-use and civil-applicable innovations that strengthen the UK’s advanced engineering and security capabilities while maintaining export compliance and ethical standards. Those technologies should have high civic commercialisation potential.

These include:

• autonomous systems and robotics

• advanced propulsion

• maritime and aerospace capabilities

• supply-chain and manufacturing innovations that enhance defence resilience

• other frontier technologies for example, sensors, composites, AI systems, advanced materials

Where projects and business plans have specific defence sector opportunities, we expect to see evidence of defence industry supply chain, including MoD market traction, which we may independently validate.

Industrial strategy sector - creative industries

Innovate UK aims to strengthen the UK’s position as a global creative powerhouse, driving innovation at the intersection of culture, technology and design. The Creative Industries frontier industries contribute significant growth thanks to strengths in their size, employment, and connectedness with other parts of the Creative Industries and wider economy.

Our support will particularly target these high-growth sub sectors, as well as unlocking the emerging, disruptive growth potential of createch.

These include:

• advertising and marketing

• film and television

• videogames

• music, performing and visual arts

Industrial strategy sector - life sciences

Encompasses health and medical innovation that supports the UK’s ambition to become a global leader in life sciences by 2035, driving productivity, investment, and improved population health outcomes. The focus is on SMEs with strong growth potential and the capability to deliver measurable economic impact through innovation.

These include:

• pharmaceuticals – therapeutic discovery and development across all modalities, advancing drug discovery and strengthening advanced manufacturing capabilities

• medical technologies (MedTech) – accelerating development of AI-enabled diagnostics, medical devices, wearable devices, and minimally invasive technologies

• health data and AI (TechBio) – integration of health data, multi-omics technologies, and digital (including AI) tools to improve patient outcomes and enable personalised medicine

We welcome projects that address conditions unique to, disproportionately impact, or manifest differently in women, recognising this as a major growth opportunity for the UK.

Foundation industries

Encompasses the industrial inputs and materials systems that underpin the UK’s manufacturing, energy and infrastructure sectors, supporting the transition to net zero and enhancing resilience.

These include:

• materials – steel, glass, ceramics, cement, paper and chemicals

• resource and process efficiency – low-carbon industrial processes and recycling innovation

• supply-chain modernisation – digitalisation, data management and automation of traditional sectors

• development of industrial clusters and shared infrastructure to enable decarbonisation

• cross-sector initiatives improving circularity and resource security

Cross-sector enabling technologies

Across all sectors, Innovate UK funding can support R&D in cross-cutting themes such as:

• advanced manufacturing and materials

• data, AI and digitalisation

• net-zero and sustainability technologies

• resilience and supply-chain innovation

• inclusive and responsible innovation practices

Battery Innovation Programme 

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is delivering the Battery Innovation Programme on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade. Funding will be considered to high-quality applications that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• accelerate the development and commercialisation of state-of-the-art battery technologies in the UK

• support the growth of the UK battery supply chain and related companies

• enhance the UK’s competitiveness in the global battery market

• demonstrate how battery technologies can meet specific application requirements and drive electrification across diverse sectors

Your proposal can address one or more of the following areas:

• raw materials

• advanced cell materials

• cell design and components

• process and manufacturing tools

• quality control and diagnostics

• testing, simulation and digital tools

Your project can target performance requirements for at least one of the listed sectors and can support emerging use cases or cross sector applicability.

Included sectors:

• defence, aerospace, and battery energy storage

• automotive sector including on and off-highway vehicles, motorsports and niche automotive

• aerospace

• battery energy storage systems

• rail

• maritime

• personal mobility

Innovation and ideas can come from anyone and anywhere. We want to see investments unlocked for the diverse and extraordinary talent in the UK.

We encourage innovation involving communities that are typically under-represented, including:

• from regions that have historically accessed lower levels of investment (outside London, Oxford and Cambridge)

• ethnic minority groups

• women and other marginalised genders

• disabled people

• people with non-traditional education backgrounds

Portfolio approachWe want to fund a variety of projects within Investor Partnerships, this includes the Battery Innovation Programme. Our initial funding decision is based on the innovation score, investment additionality, expected leverage and likelihood of investment completion.

Where funding is limited within these specific themes, we may make a funding decision based on the project type and size, grant requested, business stage, location, and sector to ensure portfolio balance and alignment with strategic intent. We call this a portfolio approach.

We will also take into account the impact of the grant in accelerating investment and the likelihood of the investment completing within a reasonable time.

Research categories

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

Projects we will not fund

We are not funding projects that are:

• not carried out by SMEs

• collaborative R&D projects

• not part of a company’s growth plan

• unable to prove there is potential for return on investment and growth

• large capital infrastructure

• not invited by a specified investor partner

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

16 December 2025

Online briefing event: register to attend (Briefing slides will be available to download from Supporting Information after the event)

3 February 2026

Submission deadline - competition closes

17 March 2026

Applicants notified

1 July 2026

Project start on

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

• 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 four sections:

1. Project details.

2. Application questions.

3. Finances.

4. Project Impact.

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.

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).

Innovate UK Customer Support Service and Reasonable Adjustments Service are unavailable during the holiday period (between 22nd December and the 5th of January). To accommodate this, the competition was announced early to allow applicants extra time to prepare an application.

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.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Have you completed the EDI survey?

Complete the survey.

We will not use this data when we assess your application. We collect this data anonymously and only use it to help us understand our funding recipients better.

You must select one option.

• Yes

• No

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 could 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 and specifically to which of the sectors it belongs, including the Battery Innovation Programme. If your project is not in scope for the confirmed sector, it will not be eligible for funding.

You must choose only one eligible sector and be clear which it is. If your project spans more than one sector, select the one which fits best and explain why it sits within that sector.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

2. Application questions

The assessors will score all your answers apart from question 1 to 7. 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. Your answer to each question can be up to 400 words long.

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.

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.

Question 5. Export licence (not scored)

You must indicate whether an export control license is required for this project under the academic export control guidance.

You must select one option:

• Yes

• No

Question 6. 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.

Question 7. Investor partner (not scored)

Provide the name of the investor partner who you are working with.

We will contact the investor partner to confirm how the grant funding will impact the proposed investment, and the current stage of completion. This forms part of the decision of whether your application is successful.

Question 8. Need or challenge

What is the business need, technological challenge, or market opportunity behind your innovation?

Explain:

• the main motivation for the project

• the business need, technological challenge or market opportunity

• whether you have identified any similar innovation and its current limitations, including those close to market or in development

• any work you have already done to respond to this need, for example, if the project focuses on developing an existing capability or building a new one

• the wider economic, social, environmental, cultural or political challenges which are influential in creating the opportunity, such as incoming regulations

Question 9. Approach and innovation

What approach will you take and where will the focus of the innovation be?

Explain:

• how you will respond to the need, challenge or opportunity identified

• how you will improve on any similar innovation that you have identified

• whether the innovation will focus on existing technologies in new areas, the development of new technologies for existing areas, or a totally disruptive approach

• the freedom you have to operate

• how this project fits with your current product, service lines or offerings

• how it will make you more competitive

• the nature of the outputs you expect from the project, for example reports, demonstrator, know-how, new process, product or service design, and how these will help you to target the need, challenge or opportunity identified

You can submit one appendix to support your answer. It can include diagrams and charts. 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 10. Team and resources

Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Explain:

• the roles, skills and experience of all members of the project team that are relevant to the approach you will be taking

• the resources, equipment and facilities needed for the project and how you will access them

• the details of any vital external parties, including subcontractors, who you will need to work with to successfully carry out the project

• any roles you will need to recruit for

You can submit one appendix, with a short summary of the main people working on the project 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 11. Market awareness

What does the market or markets you are targeting look like?

Describe:

• the target markets for the project outcomes and any other potential markets, either domestic, international or both

• the size of the target markets for the project outcomes, backed up by references where available

• the structure and dynamics of the target markets, including customer segmentation, together with predicted growth rates within clear timeframes

• the target markets’ main supply or value chains and business models, and any barriers to entry that exist

• the current UK position in targeting these markets

• the size and main features of any other markets not already listed

If your project is highly innovative, where the market may be unexplored, describe or explain:

• what the market’s size might be

• how your project will try to explore the market’s potential

Question 12. Outcomes and route to market

How are you going to grow your business and increase long term productivity as a result of the project?

Explain:

• your current position in the markets and supply or value chains outlined, and whether you will be extending or establishing your market position

• your target customers or end users, and the value to them, for example, why they would use or buy your product

• your route to market

• how you are going to profit from the innovation, including increased revenues or cost reduction

• how the innovation will affect your productivity and growth, in both the short and the long term

• how you will protect and exploit the outputs of the project, for example through know-how, patenting, designs or changes to your business model

• your strategy for targeting the other markets you have identified during or after the project

If there is any research organisation activity in the project, describe:

• your plans to spread the project’s research outputs over a reasonable timescale

• how you expect to use the results generated from the project in further research activities

Question 13. Wider impacts

What impact might this project have outside of your organisation?

Describe and where possible, measure the economic benefits from the project such as productivity increases and import substitution, to:

• external parties

• customers

• others in the supply chain

• broader industry

• the UK economy

Describe and where possible, measure:

• any expected impact on government priorities

• any expected environmental impacts, either positive or negative

• any expected regional impacts of the project

Describe any expected social impacts, either positive or negative on, for example:

• quality of life

• social inclusion or exclusion

• jobs, such as safeguarding, creating, changing or displacing them

• education

• public empowerment

• health and safety

• regulations

• diversity

Question 14. Project management

How will you manage the project effectively?

Explain:

• the main work packages of the project, indicating who is the lead partner assigned to each and the total cost of each one

• your approach to project management, identifying any major tools and mechanisms you will use to get a successful and innovative project outcome

• the management reporting lines

• your project plan in enough detail to identify any links or dependencies between work packages or milestones

You must submit a project plan or Gantt chart as an 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 15. Risks

What are the main risks for this project?

Explain:

• the main risks and uncertainties of the project, including the technical, commercial, managerial and environmental risks

• how you will mitigate these risks

• any project inputs that are critical to completion, such as resources, expertise and data sets

• any output likely to be subject to regulatory requirements, certification, ethical issues and other requirements identified, and how you will manage this

You must submit a risk register as an 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 16. Added value

How will this public funding help you to accelerate or enhance your approach to developing your project towards commercialisation? What impact would this award have on the organisations involved?

Explain:

• what advantages public funding would offer your project, for example: appeal to investors, more partners, reduced risk or a faster route to market

• the likely impact of the project outcomes on the organisations involved

• what other routes of investment or means of support you have already engaged with and why they were not suitable

• how any existing or potential investment or support will be used in conjunction with the grant funding

• what your project would look like without public funding

• how this project would change the R&D activities of all the organisations involved

Question 17. Costs and value for money

How much will the project cost and how does it represent value for money for the team and the taxpayer?

In terms of your project goals, explain:

• your total eligible project costs

• the grant you are requesting

• how each partner will finance their contributions to your project

• how this project represents value for money for you and the taxpayer

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

• the balance of costs and grant across the project partners

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

3. Finances

Your organisation in your project must complete their 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 see the eligibility section in this competition. You can also view our application finances video.

4. Project Impact

This section is not scored but will provide background to your project.

You must complete the Project Impact questions before being able to submit the application.

More information can be found in our Project Impact guidance and by viewing our Impact Management Framework video.

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.

Assessment

Your application will be reviewed by three 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, as well as the additionality and traction assessments conducted by the investor partnerships team, unless you are notified otherwise.

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

Your submitted application will be assessed against these criteria:

(Comp title assessor guidance)

Assessor guidance for applicants - Innovate UK Growth Catalyst Investor Partnerships Round 2.pdf (opens in a new window)

Background and further information

Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, has selected a pool of investor partners. These investor partners have demonstrated that they have the credibility, capability, capacity and appetite to invest in innovative, technology-led businesses that align with the programmes.

The Investor Partnerships brings together:

• Innovate UK’s expertise in identifying innovation and using grant funding to change the risk profile of businesses

• investor partners aligned funding and expertise in identifying opportunities and teams that can best use extra investment finance

This approach aims to provide you with support for research and development and access to the capital investment you need to develop and commercialise your innovations.

Innovate UK provide support for your investment readiness and for engaging with suitable investors via Innovate UK Business Growth and Innovate UK Business Connect.

In the first instance you should contact Innovate UK Business Growth for support in understanding your readiness for investment and also to look at your wider strategy for growth.

You should also contact Innovate UK Business Connect to establish if there are specific programmes for connecting businesses in your sector to relevant investors. Support and connections to sector specific investors may also be provided by the relevant catapult centre.

You will need to establish a relationship and a level of investment traction with one of our approved investor partners before you apply for funding. A full list of selected investor partners is provided at Innovate UK Investor Partners – UKRI

and Innovate UK Business Connect investor partnerships websites.

The investor partner must have confirmed with you that you are in a position to apply for grant funding as you will be asked to identify them in the application.

To be successful, your project must be independently assessed by Innovate UK as fundable and receive investment directly, led or catalysed by the investor partner.

Briefing recording and slides

Briefing recording and slides will be available to download here after the briefing event.

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 setup process on the Innovation Funding Service (IFS). Watch our video on what steps are there before a project starts.

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, for example your bank details. Watch our video on how successful applicants receive their funding.

Your Grant offer letter (GOL)

Once you have successfully completed project setup, we will issue your GOL.

The GOL will be made available on your IFS portal.

The GOL will be made available on your IFS portal. You will not be able to start your project until:

• you have signed the GOL

• your investor partner has confirmed the investment by completing and signing an additional annex to the GOL

• any other investors involved in your investment have completed any required additional annexes

• the GOL and additional signed annexes have been uploaded to IFS

• we have confirmed that the investment meets the requirements of the aligned investment

Once approved we will send you an email with permission to start your project on your confirmed start date.

You must not start your project before the date stated on your email and GOL. Any costs incurred before your agreed start date cannot be claimed as part of your grant.

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 for any of the following reasons:

• your average score was not above the funding threshold

• your project has not been selected under the portfolio approach

• we were not convinced that the grant was making a significant difference in the investment and in all likelihood the investment would have happened anyway

• you do not have sufficient traction with the investor and we doubt that the investment will complete in a reasonable period of time

• the investment has already been secured

• the selected investor partner is not taking a significant role in leading or facilitating the investment

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.

Find an investor partner

You will need to establish a relationship and a level of investment traction with one of our approved investor partners before you apply for funding. A full list of selected investor partners is provided Innovate UK Business Connect investor partnerships website.

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 operated by Innovate UK.

Innovate UK is directly accountable to you for its holding and processing of your information, including any personal data and confidential information. Data is held in accordance with our own policies.

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

Innovate UK and Innovate UK Business Connect will be data controllers for personal data submitted during the application.

Innovate UK’s Privacy Policy

Innovate UK Business Connect 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 Customer Support Service and Reasonable Adjustments Service are unavailable during the holiday period (between 22nd December and the 5th of January). To accommodate this, the competition was announced early to allow applicants extra time to prepare an application.

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.