Innovate UK delivers a wide range of innovation funding options:
| Funding Type | Key Features | Funding Amount | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Grants | For UK-registered SMEs or large businesses; supports disruptive innovations | £100,000 to £2 million | Up to 70% of eligible costs |
| Collaborative R&D Grants | Supports cross-sector partnerships, often part of Horizon Europe or EUREKA | Varies by programme | Shared between partners |
| Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) | Connects businesses with academic institutions; associate embedded in business | Part-funded | Cost-sharing model with Innovate UK and host institution |
| Innovation Loans | Late-stage R&D and commercialisation; flexible terms | £100,000 to £2 million | Loan at below-market interest rate |
To apply for a Smart Grant, your organisation must:
You can apply alone or as part of a collaborative project. Large businesses may participate only if collaborating with at least one SME.
To be competitive, applications should clearly demonstrate:
At FI Group, we help businesses build grant-winning applications from start to finish. Our grant consultants combine commercial insight, technical expertise, and financial rigour to maximise your success rate.
From opportunity scanning and bid writing to budget modelling and submission, our experts simplify the complex. And because we also support R&D Tax Relief claims, we ensure seamless integration across all funding strategies.
“When it comes to Innovate UK, success lies in precision. We turn high-potential ideas into fully fundable projects with clear technical milestones, credible market plans, and audit-ready budgets.” — Fawzi Abou-Chahine, Funding Director, FI Group UK
At FI Group, we help businesses build grant-winning applications from start to finish. Our grant consultants combine commercial insight, technical expertise, and financial rigour to maximise your success rate.
From opportunity scanning and bid writing to budget modelling and submission, our experts simplify the complex. And because we also support R&D Tax Relief claims, we ensure seamless integration across all funding strategies.
“When it comes to Innovate UK, success lies in precision. We turn high-potential ideas into fully fundable projects with clear technical milestones, credible market plans, and audit-ready budgets.” — Fawzi Abou-Chahine, Funding Director, FI Group UK
Competitions
Funding Guide
The FI Group’s International Grants Guide 2025 is a comprehensive reference for businesses and institutions looking to leverage public funding opportunities worldwide. Covering over a dozen countries, the guide breaks down national and regional schemes that support R&D, innovation, energy efficiency, sustainability, and industrial transformation.
The FI Group’s International Grants Guide 2025 is a comprehensive reference for businesses and institutions looking to leverage public funding opportunities worldwide. Covering over a dozen countries, the guide breaks down national and regional schemes that support R&D, innovation, energy efficiency, sustainability, and industrial transformation.
FAQ
While UK Government funding remains vital, UK companies can also access a range of European and international grant programmes. These schemes support larger budgets, cross-border collaboration, and global innovation goals. FI Group helps UK organisations compete successfully across these high-impact opportunities.
| TRL 2–4(Exploratory R&D) | TRL 4–6(Feasibility and Validation) | TRL 6–7(Prototype Development and Testing) | TRL 8–9(Commercial Deployment) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon Europe Pathfinder Grant | EIC Transition Grant | AUKUS Innovation Challenges | EIC Accelerator Grant |
| MSCA Grant (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) | Horizon Europe Cluster Projects | Horizon Europe Clusters | Eurostars Grants (late-stage) |
| ESA Kick-Start Feasibility Studies | ESA Demonstration Projects | EIC Transition Grant (upper end) | ESA Incubation and Tech Transfer Programmes |
| Eurostars Grants |
We bring together tax, grant, and R&D expertise under one roof, ensuring your grant strategy complements other funding like R&D Tax Relief.
We bring together tax, grant, and R&D expertise under one roof, ensuring your grant strategy complements other funding like R&D Tax Relief.
Innovate UK grant funding is a government-backed financial incentive that helps UK-registered businesses fund research and development (R&D) projects. It provides non-repayable grants to support innovation, commercialisation, and growth across all sectors.
Innovate UK is the UK government’s innovation agency, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). With over £1 billion in annual funding, Innovate UK supports the development of new technologies, products, processes, and services through various targeted competitions.
