Investor Partnerships - National Materials Innovation Programme 1

Key facts

About this grant

Summary from the official listing on Find a Grant (GOV.UK):

Investor Partnerships

Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has selected investor partners with aligned investment interests and capacity to lead investments.

These investor partners have demonstrated that they have the credibility, capability, capacity and appetite to invest in innovative, technology led businesses in areas that align with our strategic priority areas.

The Investor Partnerships programme brings together:

• Innovate UK’s expertise in identifying innovation and using grant funding to change the risk profile of businesses
• investor partners aligned funding and expertise in identifying opportunities and teams that can best use extra investment finance

The aim of this competition is to provide support for research and development and access to the capital investment you need to develop and commercialise your material innovations.

National Materials Innovation Programme

Up to £5 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition. This is subject to us receiving a sufficient number of high quality applications. Funding will be in the form of a grant.

This funding is part of the National Materials Innovation Programme, announced as part of the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan in the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy.

The focus of the National Materials Innovation Programme is on the translation and adoption of key advanced materials innovations for the eight growth driving sectors (IS-8), the associated frontier industries and foundational industries and inputs identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and sector plans.

Materials innovation in the context of this competition are activities directed towards:

• improving the functionality of existing materials to address a major technical barrier to use in, for example, metals, composites, ceramics, polymers
• developing and deploying new materials innovations, for example, emergent advanced materials

These lead to materials which overcome a technical hurdle and function in an enhanced way. This may be evidenced through improved performance, functionality or efficiency, bolstering the security and competitiveness of UK industry or environmental benefits, for example, sustainability or resource efficiency, as outcomes.

If successful, Business Growth support is available through this competition. Eligible UK based small and medium sized businesses may be contacted by Innovate UK Business Growth to explore whether they could benefit from their support.

Innovate UK Business Growth offers a fully funded advisory service designed to help innovative businesses make informed strategic decisions, strengthen their investment readiness, and access the right resources to support growth and scale-up ambitions.

To learn more about how an Innovation and Growth Specialist could support your business, visit the service's website.

You should also contact Innovate UK Business Connect to establish if there are specific programmes for connecting businesses in your sector to relevant investors. Support and connections to sector specific investors can also be provided by the relevant Catapults.

You must establish a relationship and a strong level of investment traction with one of our approved investor partners before you apply for funding.

View details of our investor partnerships: Investor Partnerships - Innovate UK Business Connect

The investor partner must have submitted an expression of interest directly to Innovate UK and confirmed with you…

Eligibility

Text update November 6th 2026: We have updated the guidance in the funding section giving further clarity around aligned investment eligibility.

Who can apply

Your project

The eligibility criteria will depend on your research category.

For feasibility studies projects:

• your total project costs must be between £50,000 and £300,000
• the project duration must be between 6 and 12 months

For industrial research projects:

• your total project costs must be between £100,000 and £1 million
• the project duration must be between 6 and 24 months

For experimental development projects:

• your total project costs must be between £250,000 and £2 million
• the project duration must be between 12 and 24 months

Projects must always start on the first of the month, even if this is a non-working day. You must not start your project until your Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK. Any delays within Project Setup may mean we need to delay your project start date.

You must only include eligible project costs in your application. See our overview of eligible project costs.

If your project’s total eligible costs or grant funding request or duration falls outside of our eligibility criteria, you must provide justification by email to support@iuk.ukri.org at least 10 working days before the competition closes. We will then decide whether to approve your request.

If your project does not meet our criteria and you have not requested justification approval, your application will be made ineligible and it will not be sent for assessment.

Your organisation

This competition is open to single applicants only. To apply your organisation must:

• be a UK registered micro, small or medium sized business (SME)
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
• be invited to apply by your investor partner
• have discussed and agreed your proposal with your investor partner before submitting your application

More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.

Subcontractors

Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.

Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.

You can use subcontractors from overseas but must make the case in your application as to why you cannot use subcontractors from the UK.

You must provide a detailed rationale, evidence of the potential UK contractors you approached and the reasons why they were unable to wo

Details are copied from the official source and can change. Check the official listing before you apply. Grant Writing Company is not affiliated with this funder.