BBSRC-STFC DeepTech Catalyst Bio

BBSRC-STFC DeepTech Catalyst Bio

Supports United Kingdom startups working on biological-in-nature technologies through BBSRC STFC DeepTech Catalyst Bio to move ideas toward practical impact.

The BBSRC-STFC DeepTech Catalyst Bio 2026 is a joint programme from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) designed to accelerate early-stage UK biotech startups toward commercial readiness. The programme provides up to £50,000 in R&D funding plus a separate £10,000 innovation voucher, alongside comprehensive business support and access to world-class UKRI campus infrastructure including STFC's Sci-Tech Daresbury, Rothamsted Enterprises, AberInnovation, and the Pirbright Institute.

Eligible companies must be UK-registered, under five years old at the time of application, and majority-owned by founders and employees. The technology must be biological in nature — meaning it interacts with a biological entity, involves a biological process, or addresses a biological challenge — and must fall within the BBSRC research remit. Critically, companies must have already received prior support from BBSRC, UKRI, or a UKRI-backed accelerator; clinical devices or therapeutics aimed solely at specific clinical endpoints are excluded. The 2026 round opened on 11 May 2026, with an expression of interest deadline of 16 August 2026 and a final application deadline of 14 September 2026. The evaluation board meets 20–22 October 2026.

This programme suits deep-tech biotech founders who have already validated scientific credibility through UKRI-backed funding channels and are now seeking capital to close the gap between lab-stage work and commercial application. The two-stage process — expression of interest followed by a full application — gives applicants a structured path to refine their pitch before committing a complete submission. Enquiries can be directed to bio_enquiries@stfc.ac.uk.