SMART: SCOTLAND grants

This is a multi-sector generous loan opportunity of between £100k and £2m for UK registered, highly innovative SMEs with projects lasting up to 5 years.

UKRI seeks a single innovative, interdisciplinary project under its Creating Opportunities, Improving Outcomes theme to address economic inactivity in areas with high rates of ill-health, disability, and informal care. The project will investigate local systemic factors shaping inactivity, identify effective support strategies, bridge research-to-practice gaps through collaboration with policymakers and local partners, and improve access to administrative data for inactivity research.

​The European Space Agency invites proposals for feasibility studies and demonstration projects that leverage space-based technologies—such as IoT, AI, and satellite communications—to improve resilience and sustainability in the energy sector.

Creative UK have partnered with Triodos Bank on the Creative Growth Finance fund to offer loans of £100,000 to £1m* to businesses that bring change, disruption and new IP to the creative industries, harness creativity with technologies and supporting businesses and are talent led.

NIHR are funding research into decarbonising the health and social care system as part of their commitment to achieving net zero. Proposals must generate high-quality evidence on decarbonisation through innovative or existing interventions, service models, or care pathways, with a guideline minimum funding of £200,000

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Innovate UK and the Department of Business and Trade, through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) are supporting collaborative R&D projects to advance zero-emission vehicle technologies and manufacturing. This competition aims to accelerate industrialisation, safeguard skilled jobs, and strengthen the UK’s automotive value chain. APC provides expertise in propulsion technologies, fostering innovation and collaboration to drive the UK’s transition to a sustainable, net-zero automotive industry while maintaining global competitiveness.

The Innovation Fund 2024 Net Zero Technologies Call aims to support the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies, processes, and business models that are sufficiently mature and have significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The call focuses on accelerating the transition to a climate-neutral economy by 2050 and achieving the EU's target of at least a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030.

​The EIC Accelerator Challenges 2025 offer €250 million to support startups and SMEs developing breakthrough technologies in five key areas: advanced materials, low-emission food production, generative AI, in-space services, and future mobility. Each challenge has a dedicated budget of €50 million. These initiatives aim to drive innovation and address significant EU objectives. ​

​The European Space Agency (ESA) invites proposals for feasibility studies and demonstration projects that leverage space-based services and applications to enhance smart cities. This initiative addresses challenges arising from rapid urban population growth and climate change, focusing on areas such as urban development, emissions, air pollution, digital communication, transport, and urban overheating.

The NIHR Work and Health Development Awards support research teams in preparing for large-scale projects. These awards fund collaboration building, proof-of-concept and feasibility studies, data access and linkage development, and other preparatory work. The aim is to create strong research proposals for the subsequent award phase, enabling significant and ambitious research programs to address critical work and health issues for the benefit of the nation.

The NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) programme invites stage 1 applications for research addressing health service practices with potential to improve patient and NHS user wellbeing. As a researcher-led initiative, it welcomes diverse proposals tackling health service challenges. The programme funds high-quality quantitative and qualitative research with clear patient benefit, emphasizing public and patient involvement and co-development with service users.

Apply for funding to foster UK-led research partnerships between businesses and academia, focusing on safety and toxicity in advanced therapies. Projects will co-develop tools and resources to assess and mitigate safety risks, integrating discovery and translational science to advance therapies from research to clinical application.

This funding supports pilot projects to enhance diversity in NERC science, attracting a broader talent pool and showcasing diverse skillsets. Up to 20 grants will fund partnerships to develop inclusive plans, test approaches, and inspire underrepresented groups to join the environmental solutions workforce. Projects should identify and engage diverse talent, fostering equitable inclusion and contributing to a more representative NERC community.

The Research to Advance UK Recycling Capabilities funding opportunity, offered by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in collaboration with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), aims to accelerate the development of energy-efficient, scalable, environmentally sustainable, and economically viable recycling and separation technologies. The initiative particularly focuses on addressing challenges associated with hard-to-recycle products.

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Innovate UK is offering loans to SMEs for late-stage R&D projects with strong commercial and economic potential. Projects must deliver innovative products, processes, or services significantly ahead of current offerings or propose new uses or business models. Eligible projects should demonstrate clear routes to commercialization and economic impact, supporting groundbreaking innovation and advancing the competitive edge of UK enterprises.

​The EIT Manufacturing Accelerate Programme is an ongoing initiative aimed at supporting and scaling industrial startups and scale-ups within the European manufacturing ecosystem. It provides financial support ranging from €50,000 to €500,000 per company, targeting ventures that offer innovative solutions addressing critical challenges in manufacturing. ​

This fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across Wales.

The MRC-NIHR Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme invites applications to assess novel non-pharmacological approaches for diagnosing, treating, or managing ADHD in children and adults. Proposals should target core symptoms or related conditions and provide strong clinical rationale and proof of concept. Evaluations must focus on interventions or technologies with convincing human evidence of efficacy, including diagnostic tools with promising sensitivity, specificity, or predictive value.

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Arts Council National Lottery are offering funding to people in England who are creative, or work in the arts, museums or libraries. The fund supports thousands of individual practitioners, community and cultural organisations

This Expression of Interest (EoI) competition supports projects aligning with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, focusing on civil aerospace applications, including dual-use technologies. Areas include zero-carbon emission technologies (battery, hydrogen, fuel cells), ultra-efficient technologies (energy efficiency, CO2, NOx, noise reduction), cross-cutting enabling technologies (aircraft lifecycle design and analysis), and non-CO2 technologies (fuel characteristics, aircraft systems, data operations).

Innovate UK and India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) is funding business-led UK-India collaborations on Net Zero Technologies. Projects must present disruptive innovations with economic potential, strong business and financial plans, and a clear path to commercialization. Proposals should demonstrate mutual benefits for UK and Indian economies, effective IP sharing, and added value from cross-country collaboration. Outcomes must deliver impactful, market-ready solutions post-project completion.

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UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovation that can significantly impact the UK economy. This funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.

The Launchpad: Net Zero Industry, Southwest Wales – Round 2 Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) competition, organized by Innovate UK in partnership with the Welsh Government and its agencies, aims to stimulate innovation-led growth within the net zero industrial cluster in Southwest Wales. This initiative seeks to support UK-registered businesses in developing innovative projects that contribute to industrial decarbonization and align with the UK's net zero objectives. The competition focuses on fostering collaboration and enhancing the region's capabilities in achieving a sustainable industrial future.​

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NIHR is launching Phase 3 of the Innovation Fund to Reduce the Demand for Illicit Substances, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in partnership with the Joint Combatting Drugs Unit (JCDU).

NIHR is seeking research proposals to develop and evaluate interventions aimed at preventing and/or managing lymphoedema following breast cancer resection. Proposals should focus on innovative approaches to address this condition, which affects many breast cancer survivors. The goal is to improve patient outcomes and quality of life through effective prevention and management strategies.

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Proof of Concept funding opportunity aims to support the early-to-mid stage commercialisation of research outputs. The initiative focuses on validating and developing concepts derived from research to facilitate their progression along various commercialisation pathways, such as licensing, spinouts, social ventures, or other routes.

The Non-Compressible Haemorrhage – Novel Technologies Market Exploration, launched by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) on behalf of the Research and Clinical Innovation (RCI) Research, Surgeon General’s Department, aims to identify and assess innovative medical device technologies designed to manage non-compressible haemorrhage (NCH) at the point of injury. NCH, characterized by bleeding from anatomical areas where external pressure is ineffective, is a leading cause of preventable battlefield fatalities, with a mortality rate of 85%. This initiative seeks solutions that can be employed in austere, pre-hospital settings by non-medical personnel to control such life-threatening bleeding.

This competition seeks uncrewed systems with extended range and modular capabilities for rapid deployment within 12 months. The British Army aims to enhance operational reach with the development of an uncrewed Deep Recce Strike platform capable of operating at ranges greater than 80 kilometers. Solutions must prioritize resilience in contested environments, modularity for iterative upgrades, and reliance on allied supply chains to address evolving battlefield challenges effectively.

Apply for AHRC standard research grant funding to support collaborative arts and humanities projects. Projects must involve a UK-based project lead and at least one co-lead to develop and manage the research. These grants aim to foster collaborations within and beyond academia, enhance career development for researchers, and promote effective dissemination of research outcomes. Proposals can involve interdisciplinary or international partnerships and may include individual research components that demonstrably add value to the overall project.

The Investor Partnerships – Digital Technologies, North East: Round 2 competition, launched by Innovate UK in collaboration with the North East Combined Authority, aims to stimulate innovation-led growth within the digital technologies sector in North East England. This initiative seeks to support UK-registered small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing grant funding alongside private investment from selected investor partners. The goal is to enhance the innovation activities of SMEs, fostering the development and commercialization of new digital technologies that can significantly impact the regional economy.

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This call seeks proposals for feasibility studies using space technology (SatCom, SatEO, SatNav) to advance green hydrogen as a sustainable energy source. Focus areas include energy, transportation, maritime, and smart cities, addressing challenges in hydrogen production, storage, and distribution. Projects should assess satellite-based solutions for environmental sustainability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, engaging user communities to develop proof of concept and pathways for future applications aligned with net-zero goals by 2050.

ARIA's Programmable Plants opportunity seed funding offers up to £500,000 for innovative research proposals that explore programming plants to address challenges like CO₂ removal, food security, and medicine delivery. Projects can range from early-stage research to pre-commercial science and technology.

ESA aims to fund projects that use space technology to improve the insurance industry. This includes finding ways to predict and prevent risks, manage claims more efficiently, and enhance customer experiences.

​The European Space Agency's Open Call for Proposals invites businesses from any sector to apply for funding throughout the year to develop new commercial services that utilise one or more space assets, such as satellite communications, Earth observation, or satellite navigation.

​The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), in collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Home Office, has launched a competition titled "Innovations in Dermal Protection Against Liquid Chemicals." This initiative seeks proposals for advanced solutions—such as treatments, fabric designs, or novel constructions—that prevent the penetration of low surface tension liquids, including chemical warfare agents, thereby enhancing protective clothing for defence and security personnel.

The Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator 4 (ARMD4) competition focuses on accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles by supporting late-stage R&D projects. It aims to develop and demonstrate innovative vehicle technologies, including battery systems, hydrogen fuel cells, power electronics, and lightweight materials. Projects should deliver solutions that enhance performance, efficiency, and sustainability, with a strong potential for commercialization and real-world deployment by 2026.

The SMART: SCOTLAND grant, administered by Scottish Enterprise, aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in conducting feasibility studies for high-risk, highly ambitious research and development (R&D) projects. The grant focuses on projects that represent a significant technological advance for the UK industry or sector concerned and have a clear commercial endpoint.

The Healthy Homes funding opportunity, offered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through its Public Health Research (PHR) Programme, aims to fund research evaluating strategies to mitigate the adverse health effects of substandard housing. The initiative seeks to identify effective interventions that can improve living conditions and, consequently, public health outcomes.

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​The EIC Accelerator is a European funding programme under Horizon Europe that supports start-ups and SMEs developing innovative, game-changing products, services, or business models with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones. It offers grant funding of up to €2.5 million for innovation activities (TRL 6-8) and equity investments ranging from €0.5 to €10 million, with higher amounts available under the STEP ScaleUp scheme.

The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 6, Strand 3, funds feasibility studies and pre-deployment projects leveraging digital technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality in maritime transport. Supported by Innovate UK and the Department for Transport, up to £30 million is available for Smart Shipping projects that conduct technical and economic feasibility studies or trials, advancing the UK’s leadership in clean maritime technology under the UK SHORE initiative.

NIHR i4i Challenge Awards support the real-world evaluation of medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and high-impact patient-focused digital health technologies for us in the NHS or social care system. The i4i Challenge Awards provide funding for collaborative projects with a focus on implementation research on technologies which have demonstrated safety and efficacy, and have a clear pathway towards adoption and commercialisation.

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The NIHR's Health Technology Assessment Programme seeks research proposals to evaluate the effectiveness and economic impact of technology-based interventions aimed at improving care and support for individuals with deafblindness in social care settings.

This funding supports innovative construction and renovation solutions to extend building service life, enhance adaptability, and enable reuse and deconstruction. Projects should develop and validate techniques that improve resource efficiency, use CO2-storing and low-emission materials, and address all building components. Solutions must be tested in diverse environments, involve local value chains, and provide measurable outcomes. Deliverables include guidance for stakeholders, dissemination of best practices, and contributions to standardization through the Built4People network.

The Content Fund is a joint plan between Government and industry to drive growth, build talent and develop skills across the creative sectors.

The NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Connect 9 funding opportunity aims to support small and medium-sized med-tech enterprises (SMEs) in advancing their medical technologies along the development pathway. The programme seeks to accelerate the progression of promising medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices, and digital health technologies intended for use within the NHS or social care systems.

The LSIMF will provide capital grants across the UK and sector-wide to support investments in the manufacturing of human medicines (including active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished products), medical diagnostics (for disease identification and monitoring), and MedTech products (medical devices for human health). The fund will remain open until all funding is allocated.

This funding supports transformative ideas in the Scalable Neural Interfaces space, aiming to revolutionise understanding of neurological disorders. Proposals should align with or challenge established assumptions, explore innovative brain interfaces, and push boundaries of what’s possible. Projects may range from curiosity-driven research to pre-commercial technologies, fostering bold approaches to redefine the potential and value of neural interfacing at scale.

You can apply for funding from ESA for the Open Call for Proposals or through specific themed opportunities. Your project must delivered R&D related to the space industry

​The Mobilise programme offers up to £180,000 in funding, mentoring, and networking to UK-based small businesses, start-ups, and university spinouts developing innovative zero-emission or connected and automated mobility technologies. This 18-month accelerator helps participants create strong business strategies and speed up their path to market. ​

​The EIC Work Programme 2025 outlines over €1.4 billion in funding to support breakthrough technologies and innovations in Europe. It introduces the STEP Scale Up scheme, allocating €300 million for larger investments in companies advancing strategic technologies. The programme also emphasizes increased access to Business Acceleration Services, particularly for emerging companies from 'widening countries'. ​

This competition by the Department for Transport aims to develop affordable, user-friendly hardware and software solutions for coaches to comply with the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023. The solutions must provide accessible audio and visual route, destination, and location information, supporting disabled passengers. Proposals should prioritize scalability, compatibility, and affordability while incorporating innovative technologies.

The Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) seeks to fund ambitious studies evaluating interventions that could significantly improve health promotion, disease treatment, and rehabilitation or long-term care. The programme focuses on translational research assessing a wide range of new or repurposed interventions, including diagnostic tests, therapeutics, medical devices, and public health initiatives implemented within the National Health Service (NHS).

The Investor Partnerships – Health Technologies, West Yorkshire: Round 2 competition, launched by Innovate UK in collaboration with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, aims to stimulate innovation-led growth within the health technology sector in the West Yorkshire region. This initiative seeks to support UK-registered small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing grant funding alongside private investment from selected investor partners.

This competition encourages UK-Canada collaboration to develop innovative technologies in life sciences (e.g., biomanufacturing, agri-tech), digital technologies (e.g., AI, quantum), and sustainability (e.g., clean energy, ocean sciences). Open to organisations in both countries, it funds projects creating groundbreaking products, processes, or services across sectors. Proposals should align with previous UK-Canada R&D focuses or areas, fostering advancements in critical and emerging technology fields.

The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 6, Strand 2, funds feasibility studies into clean maritime technologies and skills to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Projects must conduct technical and economic studies focused on developing and demonstrating on-vessel technologies, infrastructure technologies, skills, or a combination of these. This strand excludes Smart Shipping, supporting innovative approaches to cleaner maritime operations and fostering sustainable advancements in the maritime industry.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative arts and humanities research projects, enabling researchers to establish or enhance interdisciplinary and international partnerships, foster early-career researcher development, and maximise the impact of research outcomes through effective communication and knowledge transfer. Proposals should prioritize arts and humanities perspectives while integrating diverse disciplines and sectors. Projects, funded for up to five years, must align with AHRC or NSF-SBE research themes and demonstrate a proportionate commitment from project leads.

Innovate UK has selected a number of investor partners and will provide grant funding to companies that are delivering ambitious innovation projects with strong commercial potential.

The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 6, Strand 1, funds pre-deployment testing of novel clean maritime technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This strand supports the design, development, and testing of on-vessel and infrastructure technologies, advancing innovative solutions for cleaner maritime operations. The competition excludes Smart Shipping, focusing solely on groundbreaking clean technology trials.

The NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Product Development Awards (PDA) Call 30 aims to support collaborative research and development of medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices, and high-impact patient-focused digital health technologies intended for use within the NHS or social care systems. The programme focuses on de-risking innovations by funding early product development and real-world evaluations, thereby making them more attractive to follow-on funders, investors, and buyers, particularly NHS commissioners and national guidance bodies.

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