Funding Opportunities: Aerospace
In the UK, aerospace innovation is a key focus for government and industry, with a range of funding opportunities available to support businesses in developing cutting-edge technologies. Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), regularly provides grants and funding competitions tailored to the aerospace sector, including initiatives for green aviation, space exploration, and advanced manufacturing. Additionally, the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) offer funding aimed at boosting research, development, and commercialization of new aerospace innovations. These funding streams help businesses accelerate growth, drive technological advancements, and stay competitive in the global market. Explore our live grant listings to discover current opportunities for your aerospace business.
PYRAMID for avionics and mission systems
This DASA competition provides funding to support industry adoption and compliance with the PYRAMID Reference Architecture (PRA) in avionics and mission systems. This initiative aims to drive rapid adaptability and systematic reuse through industry-led product development projects. Funding focuses on incorporating and using the PRA, with deliverables including progress reports, lessons learnt, and PRA compliance demonstrations rather than full mission systems or sub-systems.
Innovate UK innovation loans future economy: Round 18
This Innovate UK competition offers loans to help businesses overcome barriers to commercialising their innovations, with a focus on driving significant economic impact and sustainable growth. Eligible projects must showcase innovative products, services, or processes significantly ahead of current offerings or utilize existing solutions in novel ways. Applications should include a strong business plan, skilled team, risk management strategy, financial feasibility, and clear economic impact potential to secure funding for accelerated commercialisation and growth.
Innovate UK Smart grants: Nov 2024
Innovate UK Smart grants are funding UK businesses that are developing game-changing innovations with strong commercial potential. Designed to align with the government’s five key missions—economic growth, clean energy, public safety, expanded opportunities, and healthcare improvements—Smart grants foster projects with high impact potential. By funding cutting-edge solutions, Smart grants drive economic prosperity, boost productivity, and ensure that the benefits of growth reach all UK regions.
British Business Bank Investment Fund for Wales
This fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across Wales.
Other grant funding opportunities
NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Product Development Awards (PDA) Call 29 Stage 1
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This NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) award offers funding for collaborative R&D in medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, and patient-focused digital health technologies for NHS and social care use. Focus areas include clinical development, real-world evaluations, and product development to enhance patient outcomes, de-risk innovations, and attract investors.
Quantum Missions pilot: Quantum Computing and Quantum Networks
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Innovate UK, will invest up to £9.5 million for Quantum Computing and Quantum Networks projects with the aim of accelerating QC and QN technologies by increasing their capabilities and removing technological barriers to their commercialisation and adoption. Project must identify one or more key technological barriers or limitations and propose an innovative project that will address them.
Launchpad: Bio-based Manufacturing, Scotland – Rd2 CR&D, MFA
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Funding by Innovate UK to support outstanding innovation projects led by businesses in the bio-based manufacturing innovation cluster in Scotland. *This competition is split into two strands, Launchpad: bio-based manufacturing, Scotland, Round 2 De minimis or Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA £25k - £100k) and Launchpad: bio-based manufacturing, Scotland, Round 2 Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D £150k - £1 million).
Launchpad: immersive & creative, Coventry & Warwickshire Rd2 MFA, CR&D
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Funding to develop, fuse and transfer existing research excellence, industrial innovation capability and sectoral strengths. Building market orientated opportunities in immersive and creative industries. This competition is for innovation activities in the immersive and creative industries innovation cluster centred on Coventry and Warwickshire in the West Midlands and is split into two strands, Launchpad: immersive and creative industries, Round 2 Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA £25k - £100k) Launchpad: immersive and creative industries, Round 2 Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D £150k - £1 million).
Launchpad: net zero industry, South West Wales – Rd 2 MFA
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This funding supports the UK government’s goals for local economic growth. This Launchpad is also supporting Net Zero Industry Wales as the local cluster management organisation with the aim of supporting outstanding innovation projects led by businesses that grow innovation activities in the net zero industrial cluster in South West Wales, both during and after the project.
Investor Partnerships in health technologies, West Yorkshire: Rd 1
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Innovate UK will work with West Yorkshire Combined Authority to provide support for research, development and access to the capital investment that is needed to develop and commercialise innovations and grow businesses .These projects will be led by ambitious UK, who will use the funding to grow their innovation activities in the health technology cluster in West Yorkshire.
Investor Partnerships in digital technologies, North East: Rd 1
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Innovate UK, through its Launchpad programme, is investing up to £2.5 million in North East England to support ambitious SMEs within the digital technology cluster. This collaboration with the North East Combined Authority and selected investor partners aims to boost local economic growth by providing R&D funding and capital investment for innovative projects.
EIT Manufacturing Accelerate
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This Accelerator programme supports and grants financing to startups and scale-ups with innovative solutions and technologies, that address critical challenges in the manufacturing sector, and are helping the European manufacturing sector to become more efficient, resilient, green, and globally competitive.
*This Competition has multiple cut off dates, see link for more information.
Mindset extended reality (XR): Digital therapeutics for mental health
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Funding to develop digital therapeutic extended reality (XR) solutions to provide mental healthcare services. These solutions will optimally be applied and trialled following an R&D cycle of between 12 to 18 months. Solutions must have the potential to be adopted at scale to form part of the UK’s formal mental healthcare ecosystem.
Design foundations round six
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Innovate UK is providing funding to support innovation projects using people-centred and systemic design methods. This competition aims to identify opportunities, generate new ideas, or improve existing concepts, fostering innovative products, services, and models that benefit people, the planet, and society. It encourages sustainable, impactful design-driven R&D for transformative innovation.
Robotics and Automated Solutions for Sustainable Construction
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This funding by HORIZON supports the development of robotic and automated solutions for sustainable building construction, renovation, and maintenance. Projects should enhance efficiency, reduce errors, minimize environmental impact, and lower costs through automation. Key areas include energy-efficient robotic techniques, digitally assisted design, automated surveying, and worker safety augmentation. Solutions must be tested in at least three prototypes, addressing diverse building types, and contribute to the Built4People network and its innovation clusters.
AI solutions to develop AI competencies in key sectors
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Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing in innovative projects aimed at developing responsible and ethical AI-based personalised learning solutions. This funding initiative supports the development of AI competency in key sectors, including construction, transport and logistics, agriculture and food processing, and the creative industries. The goal is to foster AI-driven growth, adaptability, and skill enhancement within these vital sectors.
Collaborative R&D: Creative Catalyst
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This CR&D competition aims to advance the development of collaboration with innovators in the creative industries by funding projects that address industry challenges and support economic growth. Applicants must propose ambitious, market-ready solutions that enhance the creative supply chain, create new revenue streams, and demonstrate significant improvement over existing offerings.
Design for Adaptability, Re-use, and Deconstruction of Buildings
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This funding supports innovative construction and renovation solutions to extend building service life, enhance adaptability, and enable reuse and deconstruction. Projects should develop and validate techniques that improve resource efficiency, use CO2-storing and low-emission materials, and address all building components. Solutions must be tested in diverse environments, involve local value chains, and provide measurable outcomes. Deliverables include guidance for stakeholders, dissemination of best practices, and contributions to standardization through the Built4People network.
India - UK Collaborative R&D for industrial sustainability Rd 2
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Innovate UK and India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) is funding business-led UK-India collaborations on Net Zero Technologies. Projects must present disruptive innovations with economic potential, strong business and financial plans, and a clear path to commercialization. Proposals should demonstrate mutual benefits for UK and Indian economies, effective IP sharing, and added value from cross-country collaboration. Outcomes must deliver impactful, market-ready solutions post-project completion.
European Space Agency: Maritime Decarbonisation through Autonomy
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This grant supports innovations in maritime autonomy that enhance decarbonisation through improved vessel efficiency, advanced infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and security. It seeks solutions leveraging space data to increase autonomy, improve situational awareness, and protect systems while preparing seafarers for the evolving landscape of human-assisted operations. Focus areas include sustainability, safety, and regulatory integration.
Developmental pathway funding scheme: stage one
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This grant supports academically-led translational projects addressing significant health needs or global health challenges. Eligible projects include developing or refining therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, or research tools to enhance intervention efficiency. All diseases and intervention types qualify, spanning early development to phase 2a clinical trials. Proposals should target prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment advancements, with opportunities for preclinical and early-phase clinical studies.
The Content Fund
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The Content Fund is a joint plan between Government and industry to drive growth, build talent and develop skills across the creative sectors.
Opening up the Environment 2025
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This funding supports pilot projects to enhance diversity in NERC science, attracting a broader talent pool and showcasing diverse skillsets. Up to 20 grants will fund partnerships to develop inclusive plans, test approaches, and inspire underrepresented groups to join the environmental solutions workforce. Projects should identify and engage diverse talent, fostering equitable inclusion and contributing to a more representative NERC community.
European Space Agency
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You can apply for funding from ESA for the Open Call for Proposals or through specific themed opportunities. Your project must delivered R&D related to the space industry
Innovation Loan
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This is a multi-sector generous loan opportunity of between £100k and £2m for UK registered, highly innovative SMEs with projects lasting up to 5 years.
Creative Growth Finance
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Creative UK have partnered with Triodos Bank on the Creative Growth Finance fund to offer loans of £100,000 to £1m* to businesses that bring change, disruption and new IP to the creative industries, harness creativity with technologies and supporting businesses and are talent led.
SMART: SCOTLAND grants
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The SMART: SCOTLAND grant aims to support high-risk, highly ambitious projects providing support to conduct feasibility studies. It’s only available to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) based in Scotland
Challenge Awards round 15
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NIHR i4i Challenge Awards support the real-world evaluation of medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and high-impact patient-focused digital health technologies for us in the NHS or social care system. The i4i Challenge Awards provide funding for collaborative projects with a focus on implementation research on technologies which have demonstrated safety and efficacy, and have a clear pathway towards adoption and commercialisation.
Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants
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Arts Council National Lottery are offering funding to people in England who are creative, or work in the arts, museums or libraries. The fund supports thousands of individual practitioners, community and cultural organisations