Innovate UK Themed Competitions

Innovate UK Themed Competitions

Funds sector-themed innovation competitions in the United Kingdom for hydrogen, manufacturing, agri-tech, health, and AI.

Innovate UK is the UK's national innovation agency, operating as one of nine councils within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Following the pause of Smart Grants in January 2025, with no Smart rounds in financial year 2025/26, Innovate UK's grant funding flows primarily through themed sector-specific competitions published on the Innovation Funding Service portal (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk). These competitions align to UK Government Industrial Strategy priorities and are often delivered through co-funding partnerships with departments such as DESNZ for energy, Defra for agriculture, and DfT for transport. As of May 2026, approximately 35 open or upcoming competitions were live, spanning net-zero technologies, advanced manufacturing, agritech, healthtech, AI, maritime, quantum, and defence.

Award sizes range from roughly £25,000 to £5 million per project, with an estimated £200 million available annually across the themed-competition portfolio. State-aid funding rates apply: up to 70% of eligible costs for micro and small SMEs undertaking industrial research. Lead applicants must be UK-registered businesses with project activities predominantly in the UK. Universities and research organisations may participate as partners. Match funding from the applicant's own resources is required for the remaining share of eligible project costs. Each published competition brief specifies its own scope, award band, deadline, and co-funder.

To pursue a themed competition, applicants register on the Innovation Funding Service, review the specific competition brief, and submit a proposal through the portal before the stated deadline. Assessment is against criteria published in each brief, typically covering innovation quality, route to market, team capability, and economic impact for the UK. With dozens of competitions cycling through the year, the best-fit opportunity for any given technology depends on matching the specific call theme and TRL window (typically TRL 3–8), monitoring the UKRI funding finder regularly, and submitting well before deadlines since late submissions are rejected without review.