GRANT

Innovate UK funding competitions

Swindon, United Kingdom

Competitive R&D funding, mostly grants, from the UK's innovation agency for UK-registered businesses. Competitions are themed by sector or technology and open and close through the year on the Innovation Funding Service; each brief sets eligibility, project size and grant rate.

What Innovate UK funding competitions backs

Stages
Pre-seed, Seed, Series A, Series B and later
Sectors
AI and data, Deep tech and hardware, Climate and energy, Healthtech, Biotech and life sciences, Space and defence
Where
UK
How much
Not publishedVaries by competition. Example: Frontier AI: SME Champions Phase 1 funds projects with total eligible costs of £150,000-£250,000 (opened 1 Oct 2026, closes 11 Nov 2026).

Lately

28 competitions listed on the Innovation Funding Service on 1 Oct 2026, several open now with deadlines between Oct and Dec 2026.

Sources

Checked .

Similar funders

  • GRANTOpen to pitches

    Innovate UK Investor Partnerships

    Swindon

    Innovate UK programme that pairs an R&D grant with aligned equity from its pool of approved investor partners (VCs, angel groups, corporates, impact investors). A grant is only paid if a partner leads aligned investment. Now run through Innovate UK Growth Catalyst rounds.

    Stages
    Pre-seed, Seed, Series A
    Sectors
    Deep tech and hardware, Climate and energy, Biotech and life sciences and 3 more
    Typical amount
    £250k to £2m
    How to pitch Innovate UK Investor Partnerships
  • GRANTOpen to pitches

    The King's Trust Enterprise programme

    London

    Free business start-up programme for 18 to 30 year olds from the charity The King's Trust, with workshops and mentoring. Participants can apply for a £500 test grant, then up to £30,000 to launch: a Start Up Grant of £100 to £5,000 plus a Start Up Loan of £500 to £25,000.

    Stages
    Idea, Pre-seed, Small business
    Sectors
    Small businesses, Social impact
    Typical amount
    £100 to £30k
    How to pitch The King's Trust Enterprise programme
All 88 funders →

Company Signal lists funders so founders can find them. We are not a broker or a financial adviser: we do not recommend funders, pass pitches on or take any fee from them, and nothing here is an offer of finance. Each entry comes from the funder's own public pages, last checked 1 Oct 2026; amounts, terms and rates change, so check them with the funder before you apply.