EmpowerRD’s grant funding finder 

Latest UK grant funding opportunities for innovative companies.

 

With the increased RDEC rate, UK R&D tax relief will become more lucrative for companies that are awarded innovation grants. Why? From April 2023, the RDEC rate will increase from 13% to 20%, and companies that win innovation grants are typically eligible for the RDEC scheme.

If you’re an innovative business looking for grants, your search stops here! Below is a curated list of some of the most exciting grant funding opportunities currently available.

 

LATEST INNOVATION GRANTS

Innovation UK Smart grants: January 2023

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovations that can significantly impact the UK economy. This funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.

 

Eligibility

This competition is open to single applicants and collaborations.

To lead a project, your organisation must:

  • Be a UK-registered business of any size
  • Be a UK-registered research and technology organisation (RTO)
  • Carry out all your research and development (R&D) project activity in the UK
  • Intend to commercially exploit the project results from the UK

You must be or involve at least one grant-claiming micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

 

Dates

Opens: 19 January 2023

Closes: 26 April 2023

Find out more >> 

 

Energy Catalyst Round 10: Early Stage

Organisations can apply for a share of up to £10 million in total across the 3 stages, to create new or improved clean energy access in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia or the Indo-Pacific regions.

Eligibility

This competition is open to single applicants or collaborations.

To be eligible for funding you can be from any country and must be either a:

  • business of any size
  • research organisation
  • research and technology organisation (RTO)
  • charity
  • non-governmental organisation (NGO)

You must involve at least one micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

 

Dates

Opens: 27 February 2023

Closes: 28 June 2023

Find out more >> 

 

Innovate UK Transformative Technologies

UK registered small and micro businesses can apply for a share of up to £20 million for affordable, adoptable and investable innovations in transformative technologies.

Eligibility

This competition is open to single applicants only.

To lead a project your organisation must:

  • be a UK registered micro or small business
  • not have previously been awarded funding from Innovate UK
  • carry out its project work in the UK
  • intend to exploit the project outcomes from the UK for domestic or global benefit

 

Dates

Opens: 20 February 2023

Closes: 29 March 2023

Find out more >> 

 

Net Zero Heat: rapid assessment of building fabric performance

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovations that can significantly impact the UK economy. This funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.

Eligibility

This competition is open to single applicants and collaborations.

To lead a project your organisation must be a UK registered:

  • business of any size
  • research organisation
  • research and technology organisation (RTO)

You must be or involve at least one grant claiming micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

    Dates

    Opens: 13 February 2023

    Closes: 22 March 2023

    Find out more >> 

     

    Launchpad: Net Zero, CR&D Tees Valley, R2

    UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £3 million for business led projects that grow activities in the net zero innovation cluster centred on Tees Valley. This collaborative research and development (CR&D) funding is from Innovate UK.

    Eligibility

    This competition is open to collaborations only.

    To lead a project your organisation must:

    • be a UK registered business of any size
    • be active or growing your work activities, in the net zero innovation cluster centred on the Tees Valley
    • have a demonstrable ambition for business growth

    You must be or involve at least one grant claiming micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

      Dates

      Opens: 13 February 2023

      Closes: 29 March 2023

      Find out more >> 

       

      Launchpad: Advanced Manufacturing, MFA, Liverpool City Region, R2

      UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £3 million for projects that grow activities in the advanced manufacturing innovation cluster centred on Liverpool City Region. This Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) funding is from Innovate UK.

      Eligibility

      To lead a project your organisation must:

      • be a UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
      • be active or growing your work activities in the advanced manufacturing innovation cluster centred on Liverpool City Region
      • have a demonstrable ambition for business growth

      Dates

      Opens: 13 February 2023

      Closes: 29 March 2023

      Find out more >> 

       

      Launchpad: Advanced Manufacturing CR&D Liverpool City Region

      UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £3 million for business led projects that grow activities in the advanced manufacturing innovation cluster centred on the Liverpool City Region. This funding is from Innovate UK.

      Eligibility

      This competition is open to collaborations only.

      To lead a project your organisation must:

      • be a UK registered business of any size
      • be active or growing your work activities in the advanced manufacturing innovation cluster centred on Liverpool City Region
      • have a demonstrable ambition for business growth

      You must be or involve at least one grant claiming micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

        Dates

        Opens: 13 February 2023

        Closes: 29 March 2023

        Find out more >> 

         

        Hydrogen storage and distribution supply chain Collaborative R&D

        UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £4.35 million for CR&D projects related to hydrogen storage and distribution supply chain. This funding is from Innovate UK.

        Eligibility

        This competition is open to collaborations only.

        To lead a project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.

        You must be or involve at least one grant claiming micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

          Dates

          Opens: 13 February 2023

          Closes: 26 April 2023

          Find out more >> 

           

          Feasibility Studies in Quantum Computing Applications

          UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £8 million for innovative solutions to industrial problems using Quantum Computing. This funding is from the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) programme.

          Eligibility

          This competition is open to collaborations only.
          To lead a project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.

            Dates

            Opens: 13 February 2023

            Closes: 29 March 2023

            Find out more >> 

             

            African Agriculture Knowledge transfer partnerships (KTP) 2023-24 R1

            UK registered higher or further education institutions, RTOs or Catapults, can apply for a share of up to £2.5m from the African agriculture KTP, working with a knowledge base and business partner registered in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya or South Africa.

            Eligibility

            To lead a project your organisation must:

            • be a UK registered higher education or further education institution, research and technology organisation (RTO) or catapult
            • collaborate with a knowledge base and business partner from an eligible African country

            The business must contribute to the project’s costs.

              Dates

              Opens: 13 February 2023

              Closes: 22 March 2023

              Find out more >> 

               

              UK – German Bilateral: Collaborative R&D

              UK registered organisations, collaborating with at least one German SME applying under the equivalent German ZIM programme, can apply for a share of up to £4 million for collaborative research projects resulting in innovative solutions.

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to UK and German collaborations only.

              To lead a project your organisation must:

              • be a UK registered business of any size
              • be or involve at least one grant claiming UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
              • collaborate with a German registered business, which must be a separate non-linked entity to the UK project partners

              Dates

              Opens: 7 February 2023

              Closes: 7 June 2023

              Find out more >> 

               

              Innovation Loans Future Economy Competition: Round 8

              UK registered businesses can apply for loans for innovative projects with strong commercial potential to improve the UK economy significantly.

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to single small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) applicants registered in the UK.

              Dates

              Opens: 13 January 2023

              Closes: 8 March 2023

              Find out more >> 

               
              Novel low-emission food production systems: Industrial research
              UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £16 million to deliver resource-efficient, low-emission food production systems. Including alternative proteins and Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA).

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to collaborations only.

              To lead an industrial research project, your organisation must be a UK-registered business of any size.

              Dates

              Opens: 18 January 2023

              Closes: 19 April 2023

              Find out more >> 

              Novel low-emission food production systems: Feasibility studies

              UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £16 million to deliver resource-efficient, low-emission food production systems. Including alternative proteins and Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA).

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to collaborations only.

              To lead a feasibility studies project, your organisation must be UK registered: 

              • Business of any size
              • Academic institution
              • Research organisation
              • Research and technology organisation (RTO)
              • charity
              • Not for profit
              • Public sector organisation

              Dates

              Opens: 18 January 2023
              Closes: 19 April 2023

              Find out more >>

               

              Better Food for All: Innovation for improved nutrition, mid-stage

              UK-registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £20 million over the three strands of the competition. Projects will support the development of innovative solutions to address significant nutrition challenges. This funding is from Innovate UK.

               

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to collaborations only. To lead a mid-stage industrial research project, your organisation must be a UK-registered business of any size.

              Dates

              Opens: 11 January 2023
              Closes: 29 March 2023 

              Find out more >>

               

              Better Food for All: Innovation for improved nutrition, late-stage

              UK-registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £20 million over the three strands of the competition. Projects will support the development of innovative solutions to address significant nutrition challenges. This funding is from Innovate UK.

               

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to collaborations only. To lead a late-stage experimental development project, your organisation must be a UK-registered business of any size.

              Dates

              Opens: 11 January 2023
              Closes: 29 March 2023 

              Find out more >> 

               

              Better Food for All: Innovation for improved nutrition, early-stage

              UK-registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £20 million over the three strands of the competition. Projects will support the development of innovative solutions to address significant nutrition challenges. This funding is from Innovate UK.

               

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to collaborations only. To lead an early-stage feasibility project, your organisation must be UK-registered:

              • Business of any size
              • Research organisation
              • Research and technology organisation (RTO)
              • Charity
              • Not-for-profit organisation
              • Public sector organisation

              Dates

              Opens: 11 January 2023
              Closes: 29 March 2023 

              Find out more >> 

              Farming Futures: automation and robotics, industrial research

              UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £12.5 million across the two strands of this competition to develop innovative solutions for automation and robotics. This funding is from the Farming Futures R&D Fund.

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to collaborations only. To lead a project, your organisation must be a UK-registered business of any size.

              Dates

              Opens: 9 January 2023
              Closes: 15 March 2023 

              Find out more >> 

              Farming Futures: automation and robotics, experimental development

              UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £12.5 million across the two strands of this competition to develop innovative solutions for automation and robotics. This funding is from the Farming Futures R&D Fund.

              Eligibility

              This competition is open to collaborations only. To lead a project, your organisation must be a UK-registered business of any size.

              Dates

              Opens: 9 January 2023
              Closes: 15 March 2023

              Find out more >>