Aerospace & Space grants
ESA and ATI funding for hardware that has to fly
Aerospace hardware is expensive to prove, which is exactly why the Aerospace Technology Institute and the European Space Agency run some of the deepest non-dilutive pipelines available to UK companies, with rolling open calls that can carry a company for years. Fit to a named ESA activity or ATI theme matters more here than almost anywhere else.
£190m+ won by our team
PhD-level specialists who have won these awards themselves.
Funders funding aerospace & space
- Dstl
Programmes that fit aerospace & space companies
ESA open calls
Rolling submission against defined activity areas, including Digitalisation of the Water Sector and connectivity themes.
ATI SME Programme
Open and directed topics with an identified aerospace prime as the route to market.
Innovate UK Zero Emission Vessels & Infrastructure
Mission-led funding bridging aerospace and maritime propulsion technology.
What assessors actually score
- Current technology readiness level stated honestly, with a credible next increment
- Mass, power and thermal budgets that survive scrutiny
- A named mission, prime contractor or programme office as the infusion path
Where we work in aerospace & space
Aerospace & Space grants in our directory
Live programmes from the UK grant directory that suit aerospace & space projects. Deadlines move between rounds, so each listing links through to the current detail.
Innovate UK
[IUK] MDI Programme Innovation and Scale-up Hub
Innovate UK Manufacturing Digitalisation Innovation (MDI) competition to establish an Innovation and Scale-up Hub for Frontier 5 manufacturing (advanced materials, aerospace, automotive, batteries, space). Grant £3.8m–£4m over 36 months from 1 April 2027.
Horizon Europe
[HORIZON - Energy] Renewable Energy Valleys in Africa to increase energy security and energy access in Africa HORIZON-CL5-2027-02…
Expected to open. Due to the scope of this topic, legal entities established in all African Union member states are exceptionally eligible for Union funding. If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). The following additional eligibility criteria apply: At least two legal entities established in at least two different African Union member states must be part of the consortium as beneficiaries.
Horizon Europe
[Horizon - New European Bauhaus] Approaches to reuse vacant, obsolete or underutilised spaces
Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-BUSINESS-03). Applicants must be legal entities established in the eligible countries described in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes; consortium and other participation rules also follow General Annex B.
Horizon Europe
[Horizon - New European Bauhaus] Innovative solutions for the sustainable and beautiful use of vertical space
Technology Readiness Level (TRL): Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project. Activities may start at any TRL. What the Grant Supports This topic supports the development and demonstration of innovative solutions that make use of unused or underused vertical space above buildings and/or streets to improve housing availability and affordability and/or provide additional green spaces. Projects must: • Develop and demonstrate at least one innovative solution that uses unused or underused vertical space above buildings and/or streets in a beautiful and sustainable manner…
UK Space Agency
[UK Space Agency] Unlocking Space for Business: Environmental Intelligence & Emissions Grant Call
UK Space Agency grant call (£2M pot, up to £400k per project, 9 months) for UK end-user businesses leading a consortium with a UK space supplier to pilot space-enabled environmental intelligence and emissions solutions. Closes 11 December 2026 at 16:00 GMT.
Horizon Europe
[Horizon - Energy supply] Stage 1: Novel approaches towards next-generation battery concepts, leveraging the enabling role of inn…
Expected to open. What the Grant Supports This call supports the development of next-generation battery concepts and advanced materials that go beyond current state-of-the-art battery technologies. Projects can start at any TRL but are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by project completion. Projects must focus on one of the following application areas: * Low-cost batteries for electric vehicles and stationary energy storage * High-performance batteries for aviation, maritime, and other demanding mobility applications * Advanced battery concepts for grid-scale and industrial energy storage Funding…
Relevant client wins
Grants our team has won for companies solving comparable technical problems.
£452,654
For composite production leap
Mayku
Advanced manufacturing: composites
Read the case study
£375,000
£375K awarded; delivery accelerated by ~2 years
HiLo Maritime Risk Management
AI / safety: maritime risk
Read the case studyPair your grant with R&D tax credits
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