Robotics Adoption Hubs

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £38 million for creating one-stop shops to help end-users adopt robotics and autonomous systems with expert guidance. Funding is from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

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Contents

Summary

Description

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will work with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to invest up to £38 million. This is subject to a sufficient number of high quality applications being received.

The aim of this competition is to bridge the knowledge gap to impact productivity, safety and growth, and deliver public benefit through accelerating adoption of robotics.

Hubs will be located within a region, may have single or multi end user sector focus and are expected to build on strengths and capabilities within the existing ecosystem.

Hubs will at a minimum:

  • advise end users on robotics benefits, costs and integration needs, help identify applications, and connect them with vendors, integrators and finance providers

  • showcase robotics technologies and capabilities at the Hub and in representative environments

  • build in a mechanism to be self sustaining beyond the end of the programme

  • work with the central convening body to share lessons learned, develop national adoption resources, and triage enquiries to the most suitable Hub

  • focus on adoption led activity rather than low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) or fundamental research

  • reuse existing facilities rather than building new or significantly refurbishing physical infrastructure

  • purchase limited robotic demonstration equipment for showcasing, with primary use of existing hardware

For this competition, robotics is defined broadly. It includes drones operating on land, sea and air; autonomous plant and service robots; and industrial robots or automated machinery that use sensors, actuators and control software. Robotics does not include systems that are only software based.

Your proposal must:

  • detail how you will work with end users to provide impartial advice on robotics adoption and connect them with vendors, integrators and finance providers

  • evidence existing connections with end users of robotics and the size of the potential market for robotics advice

  • show the expertise, experience and credibility of consortia members to advise on robotics adoption with end users

  • demonstrate how you will develop a self sustaining Robotics Adoption Hub by the end of the project

  • display connectivity with different types of organisations, for example, businesses, universities, local authorities, across the region where your Hub is based to ensure local impact

  • commit to targets for achievable tangible robotics adoption results within the course of the project

  • include the facilities and equipment your consortia already have available, the equipment you will acquire and mechanism for this, for example, purchase, rent, lease, loan

This funding opportunity is running two separate competitions:

  • Robotics Adoption Hubs (this competition)

  • Central Convening Body

It is your responsibility to ensure you submit your application to the correct competition for your project. You will not be able to transfer your application and it will not be sent for assessment if it is out of scope.

In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition has a funding limit, so we may not be able to fund all the proposed projects. It may be the case that your project scores highly but we are still unable to fund it.

Our experience from similar competitions suggests that you could have 15% chance of success.

We consider a range of factors when determining whether to provide funding to applicants. This includes an assessment of prior conduct, such as any outstanding payments owed to Innovate UK or UKRI. Such factors may influence the funding decision, potentially resulting in a refusal of funding or an award subject to additional scrutiny.

We also reserve the right to adjust funding allocations for any of our competitions. This may be in response to changes in policy, portfolio funding considerations or broader government funding decisions.

This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated in this Innovate UK competition brief. We cannot guarantee other government or third party sites will always show the correct competition information.

Project size

Your project’s total eligible grant funding request must be between £2 million and £7.5 million.

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).

Eligibility

Who can apply

Your project

Your project must:

  • have a grant funding request between £2 million and £7.5 million

  • last between 40 and 43 months

  • start by 1 September 2026

  • end by 31 March 2030

Any funded organisation needs to carry out their project work in the UK and must intend to exploit the project results from or in the UK.

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.

Before deciding whether to apply for this competition read the Subsidy Control (and State Aid) section as it contains important eligibility and compliance information.

Lead organisation

To lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size, research and technology organisation (RTO), public sector organisation, or academic institution.

If the lead organisation is an Academic institution or RTO it must collaborate with at least one business of any size.

To work alone your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size, or public sector organisation.

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

Project team

To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:

  • business of any size

  • academic institution

  • charity

  • not for profit

  • public sector organisation

  • research and technology organisation (RTO)

Each partner organisation must be invited into the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) by the lead to collaborate on a project. Once partners have accepted the invitation, they will be asked to login or to create an account in IFS. They are responsible for entering their own project costs and completing their Project Impact questions in the application.

To be an eligible collaboration, the lead and at least one other organisation must:

  • apply for funding when entering their costs into the application

  • include rationale for the collaboration and describe the structure in your application

  • ensure any one partner does not account for more than 70% of the total eligible costs

Non-funded partners

Your project can include organisations who do not claim any funding for their work on the project. Their costs will be covered from their own resources. These can include UK, EU and other non-UK organisations. Non-UK partners are permitted to carry out project work from within their home countries and exploit the results outside the UK.

Where non-funded partners have been invited to the application on IFS, their costs will count towards the total eligible project costs.

Businesses in Northern Ireland

Businesses in Northern Ireland that fall under the Windsor Framework cannot receive funding under this competition, as there is no State aid equivalent. These organisations are not eligible to lead or partner in a funded project.

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 project costs.

Number of applications

A business, academic institution, research and technology organisation (RTO), public sector organisation can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in two further applications.

If a business, academic institution, research and technology organisation (RTO), public sector organisation is not leading any application, it can collaborate in any number of applications.

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:

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)

Funding will be awarded under the Subsidy Scheme: Robotics Adoption Hubs SC11454.

Hubs are permitted to deliver services to end users without charge as gross cash equivalent value of the support, up to a maximum of £200,000. Any awards over £100,000 must be reported back to Innovate UK within 10 working days for onwards reporting. You will be required to complete documentation outlining how you will comply with the process.

Northern Ireland businesses falling under the Windsor framework cannot receive funding under this scheme as there is no State Aid equivalent. Only Research Organisations acting non-economically can deliver ‘the Hub’ but can procure support from enterprises in Northern Ireland to deliver the activities.

Any Northern Ireland Hub is permitted to deliver services to end users without charge as gross cash equivalent value of the support up to a maximum of £200,000 via de minimis regulations, all awards must be reported to Innovate UK within 10 working days for onwards reporting. You will be required to complete documentation outlining how you will comply with the process.

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.

This award is classified as a Subsidy which does not form part of your Minimal Financial Assistance or de minimis allowance.

Funding

Up to £38 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.

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.

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.

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

You can get funding for your eligible project costs of:

  • up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation

  • up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation

  • up to 50% if you are a large organisation

For more information on company sizes, 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.

Research participation

The research organisations undertaking non-economic activity as part of the project can share up to 70% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation undertaking non-economic activity, this maximum is shared between them. Of that 70% you can get funding for your eligible project costs of up to:

  • 100% of your eligible project costs if you are an RTO, charity, not for profit organisation, public sector organisation or research organisation

  • 80% of full economic costs (FEC) if you are a Je-S registered institution such as an academic

Eligibility criteria for claiming 80% of FEC funding

  1. Research organisations using the Je-S system must submit their costs through the Je-S system which calculates the 80% FEC figure.

  2. On IFS, only the 80% FEC output should be entered at 100% funding.

  3. Applicants do not need to show the remaining 20% on the finance table.

To find out more see our: Cost Guidance for Academics.

Objectives

Your proposal

The aim of this competition is to bridge the knowledge gap to impact productivity, safety and growth, and deliver public benefit through accelerating adoption of robotics.

Hubs will be located within a region, may have single or multi end user sector focus and are expected to build on strengths and capabilities within the existing ecosystem.

Hubs will at a minimum:

  • advise end users on robotics benefits, costs and integration needs, help identify applications, and connect them with vendors, integrators and finance providers

  • showcase robotics at the Hub and in representative environments.

  • build in a mechanism to be self sustaining beyond the end of the programme

  • work with the central convening body to share lessons learned, develop national adoption resources, and triage enquiries to the most suitable Hub

  • share success stories and lessons learned with the central convening body

  • focus on adoption led activity rather than low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) or fundamental research

  • reuse existing facilities rather than building new or significantly refurbishing physical infrastructure

  • purchase a small amount of robotic demonstration equipment for showcasing, while focusing mainly on using existing hardware

Your project must:

  • provide impartial advice to end users on what robotics is, identify an application in their organisation, connect them with vendors, integrators and finance providers

  • deliver a new or additional capability not just extend existing activities; by guiding and supporting greater adoption of automation by end users

  • develop a self sustaining robotics adoption Hub by the end of the project, for example, by building towards developing a revenue generating service for longer term viability

  • achieve tangible robotics adoption results including robots operating in an end user organisation with measurable benefits, not just pilots, within the course of the project

  • collect and share evaluation data from end users with Innovate UK and the central convening body including but not limited to changes in turnover, headcount and safety

  • work collaboratively with the other Robotics Adoption Hubs and central convening body to triage leads to the most suitable organisation to provide support based on expertise, sector and region

  • work with the central convening body and the network of Hubs to develop materials and guides to accelerate robotics adoption using standardised branding developed through the programme

  • attend regular meetings, quarterly at a minimum, of the Hub project leads to share knowledge and plan coordinated approaches, organised by the central convening body as secretariat

Portfolio approach

We want to fund a variety of projects across different technologies, markets, locations, sector and costs. We call this a portfolio approach. For example, we may decide to fund only one Hub in a region or sector.

Specific themes

Your project can focus on one or more of the following:

  • manufacturing

  • infrastructure

  • construction

  • health and care

  • energy generation or distribution

  • maritime

This is not an exhaustive list.

Projects we will not fund

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

Dates

2 March 2026

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

25 May 2026

Invite to interview

15 June 2026

Interview panel start

19 June 2026

Interview panel end

23 June 2026

Applicants notified

1 September 2026

Project start from

How to apply

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

  • if collaborative, that all partners have completed all assigned sections and accepted the terms and conditions (T&Cs)

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.

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.

Application team

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

Application details

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

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 sent for assessment. We will tell you the reason why.

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. 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 partners or 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. Need or challenge

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

Explain:

  • the main motivation for the project

  • the business need, technological challenge or market opportunity

  • whether you have identified any similar service 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 8. Approach and innovation

What approach will you take and where will the focus of the service 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

  • the freedom you have to operate

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

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

  • targets for achievable robotics adoption results and other impacts within the course of the project

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 9. 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

  • if your project is collaborative, the current relationships between project partners and how these will change as a result of 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 10. 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 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

Question 11. Sustainability beyond the project

How are you going to create a self sustaining Robotics Adoption Hub 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 service

  • your route to market

  • how you are going to continue to provide the Robotics Adoption Hub service, for example, by generating revenue, accessing other sources of funding or another mechanism

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

  • how you will exploit the outputs of the project, for example, through know-how, 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:

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

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 12. Wider impacts

What impact might this project have outside the project team?

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 13. Project management

How will you manage your project effectively?

Explain:

  • 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

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

Once completed, work packages may be used to generate revenue.

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 14. 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 15. 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

Question 16. 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

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.

3. Finances

Each organisation in your project must complete their own project costs, organisation details and funding details in the application. Academic institutions must complete and upload a Je-S form.

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.

Each partner 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 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:

Robotics Adoption Hubs - Assessor guidance for applicants.pdf (opens in a new window)

Interviews

If your application passes the first stage of assessment, you may be invited to attend an interview, where you must give a presentation. Your interview will take place in London with a venue to be confirmed. The interviews will be held between 15 June 2026 and 19 June 2026.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you at the interview you must email us at support@iuk.ukri.org within three days of receiving your invitation.

Before the interview and by the deadline stated in the invitation email, you:

  • must send a list of who will attend the interview

  • must send your interview presentation slides

  • can send a written response to the assessors’ feedback

List of attendees

Agree the list with your consortium. Up to nine people from your project can attend, ideally one person from each organisation. They must all be available on all published interview dates. We are unable to reschedule slots once allocated.

Presentation slides

Your interview presentation must:

  • use Microsoft PowerPoint

  • be no longer than 30 minutes

  • have no more than 30 slides

  • not include any video or embedded web links

You cannot change the presentation after you submit it or bring any additional materials to the interview.

Written response to assessor feedback

This is optional and is an opportunity to answer the assessors’ concerns. It can:

  • be up to two A4 pages in a single PDF or Word document

  • include charts or diagrams

Interview

After your presentation the panel will spend 45 minutes asking questions. You will be expected to answer based on the information you provided in your application form, presentation and the response to feedback.

After your interview

The panellists will individually score your application and these will be averaged for your overall interview score. This score will supersede the one you received from initial assessment unless stated otherwise in the competition brief. We will notify you whether you have been successful or not by email and you will receive feedback on your interview within a week of notification.

Supporting information

Background and further information

The UK has historically under invested in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS): the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) ranks the UK last in the G7 for industrial robot installations and outside the top 20 internationally, IFR 2024 presentation. Beyond our automotive sector, uptake is limited, including service sectors, which dominate the UK economy. BEIS: The economic impact of robotics and autonomous systems across UK sectors estimated a £150 billion increase in UK Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2035 if robotics were fully adopted across seven key service sectors. Yet at current rates of adoption, we will only achieve a £6 billion gain.

This programme was developed to address the need for more adoption of robotics highlighted in the Robotics Growth Partnership: Smart machines strategy 2035. The programme was announced in the Modern Industrial Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan.

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.

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.

Find a project partner

If you want help to find a project partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect.

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.

Visit the service’s website to learn about how you might benefit as a winner.

Protecting your innovation

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, and the Department of Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT) (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 DSIT 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 and DSIT 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 and DSIT will be data controllers for personal data submitted during the application.

Innovate UK’s Privacy Policy

Innovate UK Business Connect Privacy Policy

DSIT 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.