Innovate UK Grants & Loans

As an Innovate UK grant bid writer, we can support you to secure funding that helps companies grow through their development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services.

Innovate UK

National Grants

Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and is the UK’s innovation agency. Their mission is to help companies to grow through their development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services.

In April 2025, the UK Government (through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)) announced a commitment of £13.9 billion to fund transformational R&D across critical sectors, including life sciences, green energy, engineering, and more.

Of this, UKRI will manage £8.8 billion for 2025–2026, with Innovate UK allocated £948 million to drive business-led innovation and commercialisation.

Throughout the year, Innovate UK runs a dynamic portfolio of targeted calls and competitions to stimulate R&D, scale breakthrough technologies, and enhance UK competitiveness.

These include:

Energy Catalyst

Accelerating clean energy solutions for emerging markets and global decarbonisation

Biomedical Catalyst

Supporting the commercialisation of innovative healthcare technologies and life sciences R&D.

Innovation Loans

Providing flexible, affordable finance for late-stage innovation and commercialisation.

Themed Calls

Aligned with the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF).

Open Competitions

Supporting innovation across all sectors.

Now is a prime moment for UK tech companies, spinouts, and SMEs to leverage these unparalleled funding opportunities.

Contact Streets Innovation today. Our expert Innovate UK grant bid writers provide end-to-end support for identifying the right funding, developing winning applications, and helping you maximise your innovation potential.

Contact

Innovate UK has at its core three key domains: Net Zero, Healthy Living & Agriculture, and Digital Technologies.

It will aim to incentivise UK businesses to innovate and leverage further private sector investment in these priority areas.

Net Zero

Innovate UK Priority 1

Healthy Living and Agriculture

Innovate UK Priority 2

Digital Technologies

Innovate UK Priority 3

Energy Catalyst: Accelerating Clean Energy Access in Emerging Economies

The Energy Catalyst programme, led by Innovate UK, provides grant funding to UK and international organisations aiming to develop innovative, sustainable energy technologies and business models.

The primary goal is to address the global challenge of energy access, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Indo-Pacific regions. Projects should focus on delivering affordable, reliable, and low-carbon energy solutions to underserved communities.

Funding Streams

Energy Catalyst offers funding across three stages of technology development:

 

  • Early Stage: Feasibility studies to explore the commercial potential of innovative ideas.
  • Mid Stage: Industrial research and development activities.
  • Late Stage: Experimental development, including prototyping and pilot testing.

Each stage has specific eligibility criteria and funding limits, which are detailed in the respective competition briefs.

Eligibility

To be eligible for Energy Catalyst funding:

  • Administrative Lead: Must be a UK-registered business of any size, responsible for project management and financial administration.
  • Technical Lead: Can be from any country and is responsible for the technical direction of the project.
  • Collaborations: Projects must involve at least one partner with a legal entity in one of the target regions (Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or Indo-Pacific).
  • Official Development Assistance (ODA) Compliance: Projects must demonstrate how they will promote the economic development and welfare of the target countries.
  • Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI): Applicants must outline how their projects will address gender and social inclusion challenges in the target regions.

Funding Details

  • Funding Amount: Varies by competition and project stage; for example, previous rounds have offered up to £20 million in total funding. Project total costs must be between £50,000 and £5 million.
  • Project Duration: Typically ranges from 6 to 36 months, depending on the project stage.
  • Eligible Costs: Include personnel, materials, equipment, subcontracting, and other direct project costs.

Application Process

The process includes:

  1. Project Proposal: Detailed description of the innovation, its impact, and implementation plan.
  2. Financial Information: Breakdown of project costs and funding requirements.
  3. Supporting Documents: Including ODA compliance statements and GESI plans.

Each application is assessed for both the quality of the innovation and its potential impact on energy access in the target regions.

How We Can Help

Navigating the Energy Catalyst application process can be complex. Our team offers comprehensive support, including:

 

  • Identifying the most suitable funding opportunities.
  • Assisting with proposal development and submission.
  • Providing guidance on project planning and budgeting.
  • Offering strategic advice to strengthen your application.

Get Started

If you're developing an innovative energy solution aimed at improving access in emerging economies, the Energy Catalyst programme could provide the support you need to bring your project to fruition.

 

Contact Streets Innovation today for a no-obligation consultation with our Innovate UK grant bid writers. Our expert team can help you navigate the process, prepare a compelling application, and maximise your chances of success.

 

Let's turn your energy innovation into impact - get in touch now!

Biomedical Catalyst: Accelerating UK Health Innovation

The Biomedical Catalyst is Innovate UK’s flagship grant funding programme, designed to support UK-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing innovative health and care solutions.

With a focus on transforming cutting-edge ideas into commercially viable products and services, the programme aims to address unmet healthcare needs and drive economic growth in the life sciences sector.

Funding Streams

The Biomedical Catalyst offers several funding opportunities to accommodate projects at various stages of development:

 

  • Feasibility Studies: Support for early-stage projects to explore and evaluate the commercial potential of innovative ideas.
  • Primer Awards: Funding for conducting technical evaluations through to proof of concept in a model system.
  • Early-Stage Awards: Assistance in creating data packages sufficient to support testing in clinical or relevant settings.
  • Late-Stage Awards: Support for projects that have demonstrated early proof of concept and are ready for preclinical development through to early clinical trials.
  • Industry-Led R&D: Grants for SMEs to develop innovative solutions addressing significant health or healthcare challenges, with a focus on projects that have existing evidence of commercial and technical feasibility.
  • Investor Partnerships: Opportunities that align public grant funding with private investment to de-risk innovative technologies.

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

 

  • Be a UK-registered SME.
  • Carry out the project work in the UK.
  • Demonstrate the potential for the project to improve the competitiveness and productivity of at least one UK SME involved.

Collaborations with other businesses, research organisations, or academic institutions are often encouraged, depending on the specific funding stream.

Funding Details

  • Funding Amount: Varies by competition; for example, the 2024 Industry-Led R&D round offered up to £2 million in grant funding.
  • Project Duration: Typically ranges from 12 to 36 months.
  • Project Costs: Eligible project costs must align with the specific competition guidelines.

Application Process

Funding competitions are announced multiple times a year. Each competition has specific themes, eligibility criteria, and application deadlines. Applications must be submitted through the Innovation Funding Service.

How We Can Help

Navigating the application process for the Biomedical Catalyst can be complex. Our team offers comprehensive support, including:

 

  • Identifying the most suitable funding stream for your project.
  • Assisting with proposal development and submission.
  • Providing guidance on project planning and budgeting.
  • Offering strategic advice to strengthen your application.

Get Started

If you're developing an innovative health or care solution and want to leverage non-dilutive grant funding of up to £2 million to take your R&D forward, now is the time to act.

 

Contact Streets Innovation today for a no-obligation consultation, our expert team can help you navigate the process, prepare a winning application, and maximise your chances of success in the Biomedical Catalyst programme.

 

Let’s turn your health innovation into impact - get in touch now!

Innovate UK Innovation Loans: Fuelling Late-Stage Innovation

The Innovate UK Innovation Loans: Future Economy programme offers flexible, affordable loans to UK-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aiming to accelerate the commercialisation of late-stage research and development (R&D) projects.

These loans are designed to support innovations that have a clear route to market and the potential to significantly impact the UK economy.

Key Features

  • Loan Amount: Between £100,000 and £2 million.
  • Loan Term: Up to 7 years, including:
  • Interest Rates:
    • Availability & Extension Periods: 3.7% per annum.
    • Repayment Period: 7.4% per annum.
    • Security: Loans are secured via a debenture over the company's assets; no personal guarantees are required.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an Innovation Loan, applicants must:

 

  • Be a UK-registered SME.
  • Carry out the project work in the UK.
  • Demonstrate the potential for the project to improve the competitiveness and productivity of at least one UK SME involved.
  • Show a clear route to commercial success and the ability to repay the loan on time.

Note: Only single businesses can apply; collaborations are not eligible.

Eligible Costs

Innovation Loans can cover up to 100% of eligible project costs, including:

 

  • Staff salaries and overheads.
  • Materials and consumables.
  • Capital equipment (pro-rated if used for other projects).
  • Subcontractor costs.
  • Other direct costs related to the project.

Note: Loans cannot be used for general business purposes.

Application Process

The process includes:

 

Project Proposal: Details of the innovation, its market potential, and project plan.

  1. Business and Financial Information: Assessment of the company's ability to repay the loan, including financial forecasts.
  2. Financial Submission: Detailed breakdown of project costs and funding requirements.

Each application is assessed for both the quality of the innovation and the financial viability of the business.

Assessment Criteria

Applications are evaluated based on:

 

  • The innovation's potential for significant economic impact.
  • The company's ability to deliver the project and repay the loan.
  • The need for public funding and the inability to secure private financing.
  • The strength of the management team and commercial strategy.

How We Can Help

Navigating the Innovation Loans application process can be complex. Our team offers comprehensive support, including:

 

  • Identifying the most suitable funding opportunities.
  • Assisting with proposal development and submission.
  • Providing guidance on project planning and budgeting.
  • Offering strategic advice to strengthen your application.

Get Started

If you're developing an innovative product, process, or service and need flexible financing to bring it to market, the Innovate UK Innovation Loans programme could be the solution.

 

Contact Streets Innovation today for a no-obligation consultation with our Innovate UK grant bid writers. Our expert team can help you navigate the process, prepare a compelling application, and maximise your chances of success.

 

Let's turn your innovation into impact - get in touch now!