SMART FIS
Supports Welsh organizations pursuing research, development, and innovation through partnerships and grants.
SMART Flexible Innovation Support (SMART FIS) is the Welsh Government's £20 million rolling innovation umbrella, launched in June 2023 as part of a £30 million innovation package and administered through Business Wales. The programme replaced legacy ESF-funded schemes following the end of European Social Fund support in Wales post-Brexit. It is open on a continuous basis to any organisation — including businesses, third sector bodies, local authorities, health boards, universities, and research organisations — that wishes to undertake research, development, and innovation activities aligned with the Welsh Government Innovation Strategy.
SMART FIS operates through three interconnected pillars: access to a UK-wide network of specialists (Expertise), financial support to help access funding (Money), and guidance from approved framework advisors (Support). Three delivery strands sit beneath the umbrella: SMART Partnerships (collaborative knowledge-transfer projects between businesses and research organisations), SMART Digital and Productivity Accelerator (consultancy and diagnostics), and SMART Innovation Funding (discretionary RD&I grants). Award sizes are discretionary and not published in a fixed band. The £20 million envelope covers the full programme life; individual grant amounts must be negotiated through an approved advisor. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no deadline cycle; contact is via smart.fis@gov.wales or 03000 6 03000. The programme was reported as oversubscribed as of early 2026.
Organisations considering SMART FIS should apply early given the high demand and extended response times flagged on the Business Wales portal. Projects must demonstrably help deliver missions in the Welsh Government Innovation Strategy. Non-Welsh entities are considered only in exceptional circumstances under the SMART Partnerships strand. The programme's sub-national (Wales-only) scope means it is distinct from UK-wide Innovate UK schemes, offering a practical entry point for Welsh-based SMEs, public bodies, and research consortia seeking co-funded RD&I partnerships or cash innovation grants.
Research, development, and innovation activities across all sectors for organisations based or operating in Wales, delivered through collaborative partnerships, digital productivity diagnostics, or discretionary RD&I cash grants aligned with the Welsh Government Innovation Strategy.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see the timeline