Innovate UK
The UK's national innovation agency and the largest source of innovation grants for companies. Feasibility studies, industrial research and experimental development, single company or collaborative.
Typically £100k to £2m
Innovation grants
Innovation grants for UK companies
Innovation grants pay for a share of the cost of developing something genuinely new, without taking equity and without repayment. This page explains who funds them, what they are worth, what assessors score, and where to see every open UK competition in one place.
Who awards innovation grants
Horizon Europe and the EIC
European innovation funding open to UK participants, including the EIC Accelerator for breakthrough deep tech and Eurostars for collaborative SME R&D.
Up to €2.5m grant, plus optional equity
ARIA and mission programmes
High risk, high reward research programmes and targeted challenge funds run by government departments, agencies and research councils.
Varies by programme
Defence and security innovation
Themed and open calls for dual use and defence technologies, staged from proof of concept through to demonstration.
£100k to several million
ESA and space programmes
Innovation funding for space enabled products and downstream applications, delivered with the UK Space Agency and ESA.
£50k to £2m
Devolved, regional and sector funds
Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish and combined authority innovation schemes, plus catapult and industry challenge programmes.
£5k to £500k
Are you eligible for an innovation grant?
Eligibility varies by competition, but most UK innovation funding expects a UK registered company, a project with a defined start and end, technical or commercial risk that justifies public funding, and match funding for the portion of costs the grant does not cover. Intervention rates are highest for small companies and for earlier stage research.
Grants fund the project, not business as usual. Work that would happen anyway is rarely fundable, but a well defined new strand of work inside a mature product very often is, because that strand sits at a much lower technology readiness level than the product around it.
How to win an innovation grant
Match the project to a live scope
Innovation grants fund a defined project, not the company. Start from the published scope of an open competition and test honestly whether your work sits inside it.
Evidence the innovation and the risk
Assessors score novelty against the current state of the art, the technical risk that justifies public money, and why the work would not happen at this pace without the grant.
Build the delivery and commercial case
A credible workplan, a team that can deliver it, realistic costs, and a route to market with named customers or partners carry as much weight as the technology.
Write to the scored questions
Each question has a mark scheme. Answer it directly with evidence rather than description, and leave enough time for internal review before the portal closes.
Our grant application guide works through each scored section in detail, and the UK grant directory shows what is open now and when it closes. If you expect to apply for several competitions, our Unlimited programme covers a rolling portfolio of applications.
Innovation grants and R&D tax relief
Under the merged R&D scheme, holding a grant no longer reduces or blocks a claim, so most companies can combine innovation grant funding with R&D tax credits on the same project. That combination often decides whether a project is affordable.
Common questions
What are innovation grants?
Innovation grants are non-repayable public funding awards for companies developing new products, processes or services. They cover a share of eligible project costs, typically 25 to 70 per cent depending on company size and research category, and you keep all of your equity.
Who can apply for innovation grants in the UK?
Most UK innovation grants are open to UK registered companies of any age, from pre revenue startups to large corporates, provided the project has genuine technical risk, a clear start and end, and match funding for the costs the grant does not cover. Some competitions require collaboration with another company or a research organisation.
How much can an innovation grant be worth?
Awards range from around £25k for early feasibility work to several million pounds for collaborative programmes. Innovate UK competitions commonly sit between £100k and £2m, while EIC Accelerator awards can reach €2.5m in grant.
Do innovation grants have to be repaid?
No. Grants are non-dilutive and non-repayable, provided you deliver the funded project and meet the conditions in the offer letter. They are usually paid quarterly in arrears against actual eligible costs.
Can I claim R&D tax relief on a grant funded innovation project?
Yes. Under the merged R&D scheme, grant funding no longer restricts the claim, so eligible companies can hold an innovation grant and still claim relief on qualifying expenditure for the same project. A separate de minimis limit applies to Northern Ireland registered companies claiming ERIS.
How competitive are innovation grants?
Open competitions typically fund between five and twenty per cent of applications. Fit with the published scope and the quality of evidence matter far more than the size of the applicant.
Find the innovation grant that fits your project
Book a free consultation and we will match your project against the competitions you can realistically win.