Innovate UK Growth Catalyst for scaling projects

Innovate UK Growth Catalyst is an Innovate UK programme designed to help startups and scaleups with high growth potential to grow faster. This Innovate UK Growth Catalyst competition combines grant funding, aligned private investment and structured support services to help innovators progress through key growth milestones. It also uses the Investor Partnerships model of funding.

There are three strands available:

Feasibility studies

• Total project costs: £50,000 to £300,000
• Duration: 6 to 12 months
• Grant funding: up to 70% of costs

Industrial research

• Total project costs: £100,000 to £1million
• Duration: 6 to 24 months
• Grant funding: up to 70% of costs

For feasibility studies and industrial research projects, aligned private investment must be at least equal to the grant amount. This investment does not need to directly fund the project but must be committed to the business before the grant can be made.

Experimental development

• Total project costs: £250,000 to £2million
• Duration: 12 to 24 months
• Grant funding: up to 45% of costs

Eligbility

This Innovate UK Growth Catalyst competition comprises a £100 million programme to support innovative companies in six of the industry growth sectors identified in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, in addition to a Battery Innovation programme conducted with the Department for Business and Trade. It seeks to support innovative companies seeking to scale in:

• Advanced Manufacturing [which includes Agri-Tech]
• Clean Energy Industries
• Creative Industries
• Defence and Security Technologies
• Digital and Technologies
• Life Sciences
• Batteries

It also seeks applications from innovative companies working in foundation industries (typically cross-cutting) that enable the high-growth sectors listed above.

What could Growth Catalyst do for your business?

Growth Catalyst offers a tailored package of funding and support to help you accelerate your journey to scale by:

• Progressing your innovation toward market readiness.
• Securing aligned private investment.
• Strengthening your business model, operations, and investment readiness.

Who should apply?

We are looking for applications from UK-registered companies seeking to scale by developing and deploying innovative solutions which will drive business growth in the sectors described above. You can use a 5 minute suitability checker tool on the Business Connect website, which will help you decide if you should apply.

You should:

• Be planning to scale rapidly.
• Be seeking both grant funding and private investment.
• Be able to demonstrate evidence of high growth potential.
• Have established traction with at least one Innovate UK Investor Partner. Your Investor Partner must be identified in your application and confirm their support through an Expression of Interest (EOI) before the application close date. See directory of Investor Partners.

What the package includes:

Successful applicants receive an integrated support package to accelerate long-term growth, including:

• Grant funding for late-stage R&D projects of up to £2m in project costs, subject to aligned private investment through Innovate UK’s proven Investor Partners funding model.
• Structured support delivered by Innovate UK Business Growth, Innovate UK Business Connect, and other partners, tailored to applicants’ specific growth needs such as:
  • Developing your business model and operation.
  • Assessing and developing your investment readiness and fundraising preparation.
  • Helping you access markets and to understand and meet standards and relegations.
  • Supporting you as you seek export finance and your international growth.
  • Connecting to industry experts and research partners.
  • Accessing specialist skills and industry infrastructure

There is more information available on the Business Connect website. This call will open on 10th December, when we expect more information to be available on the page.

You can use a 5 minute suitability checker tool on the Business Connect website, which will help you decide if you should apply.

This call will close on 3rd February 2026 at 11am.

You can see other open agri-tech funding calls in our Funding Finder.