GrantUp funding directory
UK grant finder: business and innovation grants
Find and compare innovation funding for UK start-ups, SMEs and growing businesses. Browse Innovate UK, UKRI, Horizon Europe, regional and sector opportunities, plus innovation loans, for new products, processes and technologies rather than general running costs.
Founders, R&D leads and research partners can shortlist by sector, stage, region and award size. Choose Open now or Closing soon to narrow the listings, then compare funders, typical awards, applicant fit and published deadlines. Each call has its own eligible costs, match funding and partner requirements.
GrantUp curates these 228 listings from its funding records and programme summaries, with links to official funders. Coverage is selective and closed rounds remain for reference. Open rounds appear first; a missing deadline does not confirm availability. Always verify the current scope, eligibility and deadline with the funder before applying.
- Filter by your sector and stage, then choose Open now.
- Compare the funder, typical award and who each call suits.
- Open a listing to check eligible costs, match funding and partner rules.
Not sure where you fit? Use the eligibility checker, read the Innovate UK funding guide or see how to write a winning application.
Find your grant
Showing 1–12 of 228 programmes
- EUCloses in 3 days
EU funding
[Other EU FUNDING] Financial Support To Startups Open Call 2026
Included in GrantPartner*This call is open to startups (legal entities) established in EU Member States or in Third countries associated with Horizon Europe, that are currently in an active pre-seed, seed, or Series A fundraising round targeting the urban mobility market. Applicants must have a prototype, pilot, or MVP, a pre-money valuation not exceeding €50,000,000, and must not already be part of the EIT Urban Mobility equity portfolio.
Max awardup to €2.5MDeadline16 Nov 2026AI & softwareLate stage & scale-upUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 4 days
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Horizon Europe
[HORIZON - CLIMATE] Africa-EU CO-FUND action on climate HORIZON-CL5-2027-01-D1-11
Expected to open. At least 30% of the beneficiaries must be legal entities established in the African Union member states[[ "African Union member states" includes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.]]. The following additional eligibility criteria apply: At least 30% of the beneficiaries must be legal entities established in the Africa Union member states[["African Union member states" excludes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.]].
Max award€15,000,000.00Deadline17 Nov 2026Clean energy & net zeroIndustrial R&DUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 5 days
Innovate UK
[IUK] Efficient, Structured and Controllable AI Systems
Included in GrantPartner*Innovate UK industrial research competition for novel reusable AI mechanisms that are efficient, structured and controllable. Projects start at TRL 1–3. Total eligible costs £50,000–£150,000.
Max award£150,000Deadline18 Nov 2026AI & softwareFeasibilityUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 5 days
Innovate UK
[IUK] MDI Programme Innovation and Scale-up Hub
Included in GrantPartner*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.
Max award£4,000,000Deadline18 Nov 2026Clean energy & net zeroLate stage & scale-upUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 12 days
Innovate UK
[IUK] Investor Partnerships - Battery Innovation Programme
Included in GrantPartner*Innovate UK Investor Partnerships competition for battery innovation. UK SMEs apply as a single applicant for grant funding alongside aligned private investment. Project size depends on research category, up to £2 million for experimental development.
Max award£2,000,000Deadline25 Nov 2026Clean energy & net zeroIndustrial R&DUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 18 days
ARIA
[ARIA] Robot Dexterity: Standards + benchmarks for dexterous robotics – Request for Proposal
Included in GrantPartner*Broad consortia encouraged: developers, manufacturers, research groups, end users, test facilities, standards organisations, including overseas partners. Prior ARIA funding not required.
Max award£3,000,000Deadline1 Dec 2026AI & softwareIndustrial R&DInternationalView grant details - Closes in 18 days
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.
Max award€4.5MDeadline1 Dec 2026Clean energy & net zeroIndustrial R&DUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 18 days
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…
Max award€5MDeadline1 Dec 2026Clean energy & net zeroLate stage & scale-upUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 18 days
Horizon Europe
[Horizon - Research infrastructure] Addressing homelessness through housing-led approaches aligned with the New European Bauhaus
Open to consortia of entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries (with some non-associated countries eligible under specific provisions) that can refine and demonstrate housing-led homelessness approaches in at least three neighbourhoods located in different Member States and/or Associated Countries, requiring collaboration across multiple countries and disciplines including social sciences and humanities expertise.
Max award€6.3MDeadline1 Dec 2026Any sectorLate stage & scale-upUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 18 days
Horizon Europe
[Horizon - Research infrastructure] Advancing sustainable maintenance and repair measures for existing buildings
Horizon Europe Innovation Action (HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-REGEN-02). 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.
Max award€5MDeadline1 Dec 2026Clean energy & net zeroIndustrial R&DUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 18 days
Horizon Europe
[Horizon - Research infrastructure] Innovative approaches for the spatial design of neighbourhoods
Horizon Europe Innovation Action (HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-PARTICIPATION-02). 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.
Max award€5MDeadline1 Dec 2026Clean energy & net zeroIndustrial R&DUK-wideView grant details - Closes in 18 days
Horizon Europe
[Horizon - Research infrastructure] Structurally addressing homelessness through coordinated social infrastructure and services i…
Horizon Europe Innovation Action (HORIZON-NEB-2026-01-BUSINESS-01). 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.
Max award€3.5MDeadline1 Dec 2026Clean energy & net zeroIndustrial R&DUK-wideView grant details
Want to apply for more than one grant?
Our retainer clients get a dedicated grant pipeline: we track deadlines, match competitions to your roadmap, and manage multiple applications at once so nothing is missed.
Unsure where to start?
Tell us what you are building and we will point you to the competitions where you are genuinely competitive, before you spend time on an application.
How UK business grant funding works
Innovate UK
The largest source of competitive innovation grants for UK businesses, run through the Innovation Funding Service. Most competitions fund a share of R&D costs, so companies co-invest the rest.
Horizon Europe and the EIC
UK companies can bid for Horizon Europe collaborative projects and the EIC Accelerator, which suit ambitious, high-risk innovations with international reach.
UKRI, ESA and sector funders
Research councils, the European Space Agency, defence and health funders run targeted programmes for specific technologies and missions, often with fewer applicants.
Regional and local funds
Devolved governments and local growth programmes offer smaller grants for capital, productivity and early-stage innovation, sometimes alongside national competitions.
Innovate UK grants for businesses
Innovate UK grants fund feasibility studies, industrial research and experimental development, for single companies or collaborative consortia. Each competition publishes its own scope, award range and funding rate, with listed rounds shown alongside the specialist programmes in this directory. Our Innovate UK grant writers can tell you which round fits your project.
Almost every competition expects match funding, a clear technical advance and a credible route to market. Use the filters above to shortlist programmes, then check your eligibility before you commit time to an application.
Building a funding strategy from this directory
Balance national and regional funds
Flagship Innovate UK and Horizon Europe competitions attract the most applicants. Pairing one national bid with a regional or sector fund, where the field is smaller, spreads risk and can bring in earlier wins while larger decisions are pending.
Sequence by deadline and effort
A strong application typically takes 100 or more hours of specialist work. Shortlist two or three competitions whose deadlines are at least six weeks apart, so each bid gets proper technical and financial preparation rather than a rushed submission.
Match the funder to your stage
Early feasibility work suits smaller, faster competitions; later-stage development and demonstration suit larger awards with match funding. Filtering by stage and award size above keeps your shortlist realistic for where your technology actually is.
Companies that treat grants as a rolling portfolio, rather than a single bet, win more consistently. If you are planning several applications over the year, our GrantPartner programme covers a pipeline of bids for one monthly fee, and our case studies show how funded clients structured theirs.
Planning more than one bid this year?
The GrantPartner programme is a monthly retainer covering a rolling portfolio of applications from this directory, with no separate writing fee per bid. Suited to UK businesses with an active R&D roadmap and match funding in place.
Deadline tracker
What is open right now, and how long you have left
Funder dates move, and the best applications are the ones started early. These are the UK and EU windows we are actively writing toward, with how much is on the table and a live clock to the cut-off.
Updated automatically from our live grant directory
| Programme | Funding available | Deadline | Time left | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Other EU FUNDING] Financial Support To Startups Open Call 2026EU fundingOfficial page | up to €2.5MPer successful application | 16 Nov 2026 | Closes in 3 daysEvery day counts, speak to us today. | This call is open to startups (legal entities) established in EU Member States or in Third countries associated with Horizon Europe, that are currently in an active pre-seed, seed, or Series A fundraising round targeting the urban mobility market. Applicants must have a prototype, pilot, or MVP, a pre-money valuation not exceeding €50,000,000, and must not already be part of the EIT Urban Mobility equity portfolio. |
| [HORIZON - CLIMATE] Africa-EU CO-FUND action on climate HORIZON-CL5-2027-01-D1-11Horizon EuropeOfficial page | €15,000,000.00Per successful application | 17 Nov 2026 | Closes in 4 daysEvery day counts, speak to us today. | Expected to open. At least 30% of the beneficiaries must be legal entities established in the African Union member states[[ "African Union member states" includes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.]]. The following additional eligibility criteria apply: At least 30% of the beneficiaries must be legal entities established in the Africa Union member states[["African Union member states" excludes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.]]. |
| [IUK] MDI Programme Innovation and Scale-up HubInnovate UKOfficial page | Grant funding request £3.8 million–£4 million. Duration 36 months.Per successful application | 18 Nov 2026 | Closes in 5 daysEvery day counts, speak to us today. | 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. |
| [IUK] Efficient, Structured and Controllable AI SystemsInnovate UKOfficial page | Total eligible costs £50,000–£150,000.Per successful application | 18 Nov 2026 | Closes in 5 daysEvery day counts, speak to us today. | Innovate UK industrial research competition for novel reusable AI mechanisms that are efficient, structured and controllable. Projects start at TRL 1–3. Total eligible costs £50,000–£150,000. |
| [IUK] Investor Partnerships - Battery Innovation ProgrammeInnovate UKOfficial page | £50,000–£2 million.Per successful application | 25 Nov 2026 | Closes in 12 daysEvery day counts, speak to us today. | Innovate UK Investor Partnerships competition for battery innovation. UK SMEs apply as a single applicant for grant funding alongside aligned private investment. Project size depends on research category, up to £2 million for experimental development. |
| [Other UK calls] Diabetes UK Project GrantUK governmentOfficial page | Up to £500,000 per project over up to five years. £500,000 is the maximum available award, not the expected size; Diabetes UK anticipates that most applications will request less and/or a shorter duration. Applicants applying for £500,000 or more must contact Diabetes UK in the first instance and should already hold substantial funding from Diabetes UK or another funding body.Per successful application | 1 Dec 2026 | Closes in 18 daysEvery day counts, speak to us today. | Diabetes UK Project Grants fund high-quality, hypothesis-driven diabetes research. Awards are up to £500,000 over up to five years; £500,000 is the maximum, and most applications request less. The lead must be a tenured (or equivalently salaried) researcher at a UK academic institute or NHS Trust. Businesses cannot lead but can join as partners or collaborators; international co-investigators are allowed, with funds paid to the UK host. Applications opened on 31 July 2026 and close on 1 December 2026 (time of day not stated). The funding decision is due in May 2027. This round includes a high… |
| [IUK] Commercialising Knowledge Assets Fund (CKAF) WinterInnovate UKOfficial page | Total eligible grant funding request between £50,000 and £250,000 per project.Per successful application | 1 Dec 2026 | Closes in 18 daysEvery day counts, speak to us today. | Government Office for Technology Transfer fund, administered by Innovate UK, giving UK public sector research organisations £50,000–£250,000 (100% funded) to move pre-existing Knowledge Assets with identified markets towards commercialisation. Projects of 6, 12 or 18 months starting 1 Mar–1 Apr 2027. Opens 17 September 2026, closes 1 December 2026 11:00am; shortlisted applicants interviewed in January 2027. |
| [IUK] UK-Germany Bilateral: collaborative research and development Round 5Innovate UKOfficial page | UK partners grant funding request £100,000–£350,000 per project.Per successful application | 1 Dec 2026 | Closes in 18 daysEvery day counts, speak to us today. | Funding to support high-growth potential innovative UK companies in aligned IS-8 sectors and frontier technologies to grow and scale internationally through collaborations with German counterparts. Innovate UK funds the UK partners only. |
Always confirm dates on the funder page before you plan around them. Competitions are amended and cycles shift.
Not sure which of these fits you?
Picking the wrong programme costs months. Our specialist team maps your technology, stage and timeline against live competitions and tells you honestly where you are competitive, and where you are not.
Guides to go with the directory
Pair your grant with R&D tax credits
R&D tax relief can recover part of the match funding a grant asks you to cover. Our R&D tax credit specialists plan both together. Use the R&D tax relief calculator to see what your spend could return, or read accountant vs R&D tax specialist.
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