Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG)

TRIG — Cohort 19

Supports United Kingdom transport innovators through feasibility work and practical proof of concept development resources.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) Cohort 19 is the 2026 cycle of a Department for Transport programme delivered by Connected Places Catapult. Cohort 19 makes £2,385,000 available across up to 53 projects, with individual grants capped at £45,000. All awards are 100% funded — applicants do not need to provide any match funding. Since the programme launched, 474 projects have been funded with over £17,400,000 disbursed across 18 completed cohorts, making TRIG one of the most established early-stage transport innovation funding programmes in the UK. The deadline for Cohort 19 applications was 5 June 2026 at 12:00pm UK time.

Eligible activities span Technology Readiness Levels 2 to 4, covering basic research, applied research, and proof-of-concept or prototype development tested in laboratory or relevant operational environments. The programme is open to SMEs, universities, research organisations, large businesses, and public, private, and third-sector organisations — all must hold a UK registered office. For consortium proposals, a lead applicant must be nominated. Organisations submitting multiple applications must demonstrate they have the capacity to deliver concurrent projects.

Beyond the grant itself, successful recipients receive technical oversight, business coaching, and access to networking opportunities and potential investor showcase events coordinated by Connected Places Catapult. The programme has a clear annual cadence — with 18 cohorts already completed — meaning organisations that missed the Cohort 19 deadline should plan for Cohort 20 in 2027. TRIG is particularly well suited to innovators with a novel transport concept at an early validation stage who need a modest, fully-covered grant to test technical feasibility before seeking larger follow-on funding.