UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships

UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships Round 11 — Non-Academic Stream

Supports United Kingdom researchers in non-academic organisations through UKRI Future Leaders non-academic fellowships to build independent innovation programmes.

The non-academic stream of UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships Round 11 is aimed at early-career innovators and researchers hosted at UK businesses, charities, or public-sector organisations rather than universities. It forms part of the same £110 million Round 11 envelope administered across all eight UKRI councils — AHRC, BBSRC, ESRC, EPSRC, Innovate UK, MRC, NERC, and STFC — but follows a separate timeline and application system from the academic stream. Non-academic hosted applicants must apply via Innovate UK's Innovation Funding Service (IFS), not the standard UKRI submission system.

The non-academic stream of Round 11 opens on 22 June 2026 and closes on 4 November 2026 at 11am UK time. The same fellowship structure applies: up to seven years (four years initially, renewable for a further three), funded at 80% of full economic cost with the host organisation covering 20%. Individual award values have ranged from approximately £300,000 to over £2 million. Eligible host organisations include UK-based businesses of any size, charities, and public-sector bodies — universities are not eligible for this stream. The fellowship supports the transition to or establishment of independent innovation leadership within the non-academic context.

The non-academic stream is well-suited to innovators embedded in industry who are developing transformative research with a defined commercial or societal application. The interview stage for both streams is scheduled for the week commencing 17 May 2027, meaning the full assessment cycle extends approximately six months from the November 2026 close. Applicants should demonstrate that their proposed programme requires independence from their current employer structure, has clear alignment with at least one UKRI strategic priority, and is not simply a funded R&D project that would otherwise be supported through Innovate UK's standard grant instruments.