Funding and support for UK small and micro businesses working on net zero innovations

Opens: Monday 11 July

Closes: Tuesday 26 July 11am

Innovate UK is offering small and micro businesses a share of up to £30 million in grants alongside tailored business support delivered by Innovate UK EDGE. You can apply for up to £50,000 for highly innovative ideas that have a clear route to commercialisation through business growth.

Your project must lead to new products, processes or services that are significantly ahead of others currently available, or propose an innovative use of existing products, processes or services. It can also involve a new or innovative business model.

In your application, you must be able to show that you:

• have a great idea
• need public funding
• have the capability to deliver the project
• will deliver the project

Your idea must focus on either achieving net zero or self-driven healthcare, and how new technology can enable affordable, adoptable and investable innovations in these areas. We are particularly interested in proposals which will help you:

• develop both your idea and your business
• create a new revenue stream
• evidence and enable your market, funding and commercialisation plans
• show what’s feasible, helping you decide whether to pursue your idea further
• catalyse further innovation on your path to commercial success
• respond to changing market conditions

Your proposal must demonstrate how one or more of the seven technology areas outlined in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy UK innovation Strategy will be applied to the specific challenge themes outlined below. The seven technologies are:

• advanced materials and manufacturing
• AI, digital and advanced computing
• bioinformatics and genomics
• engineering biology
• electronics, photonics and quantum
• energy and environment technologies
• robotics and smart machines

Your project must focus on how one or more of the seven technology areas outlined above, can enable affordable, adoptable, and investible solutions for either:

Achieving net zero and reducing environmental impact through:

• user-centric low carbon heating and cooling solutions
• energy generation, storage, management, and active user engagement approaches to energy efficiency
• zero emission powertrain system development, and digital solutions to optimise transport
• environmentally focused manufacturing, supply chains and circular economy solutions

Innovate UK runs many different competitions, and each will have different eligibility and scope requirements. The guidance in this competition brief will always supersede any other guidance. If you are unsure or have any questions, please contact our Customer Support Service who will assist you further.

In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated.

Find out more.