Investor Partnerships - National Materials Innovation Programme 1

Who can apply

Your project

The eligibility criteria will depend on your research category.

For feasibility studies projects:

• your total project costs must be between £50,000 and £300,000

• the project duration must be between 6 and 12 months

For industrial research projects:

• your total project costs must be between £100,000 and £1 million

• the project duration must be between 6 and 24 months

For experimental development projects:

• your total project costs must be between £250,000 and £2 million

• the project duration must be between 12 and 24 months

Projects must always start on the first of the month, even if this is a non-working day. You must not start your project until your Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK. Any delays within Project Setup may mean we need to delay your project start date.

You must only include eligible project costs in your application. See our overview of eligible project costs.

If your project’s total eligible costs or grant funding request or duration falls outside of our eligibility criteria, you must provide justification by email to support@iuk.ukri.org at least 10 working days before the competition closes. We will then decide whether to approve your request.

If your project does not meet our criteria and you have not requested justification approval, your application will be made ineligible and it will not be sent for assessment.

Your organisation

This competition is open to single applicants only. To apply your organisation must:

• be a UK registered micro, small or medium sized business (SME)

• carry out its project work in the UK

• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

• be invited to apply by your investor partner

• have discussed and agreed your proposal with your investor partner before submitting your application

More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.

Subcontractors

Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.

Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.

You can use subcontractors from overseas but must make the case in your application as to why you cannot use subcontractors from the UK.

You must provide a detailed rationale, evidence of the potential UK contractors you approached and the reasons why they were unable to work with you. We will not accept a cheaper cost as a sufficient reason to use an overseas subcontractor.

All subcontractor costs must be justified and appropriate to the total project costs.

Number of applications

An SME can only submit one application into this round of the competition.

Sanctions

This competition will not fund you, or provide any financial benefit to any individual or entities directly or indirectly involved with you, which would expose Innovate UK or any direct or indirect beneficiary of funding from Innovate UK to UK Sanctions. For example, through any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any entity as lead, partner or subcontractor related to these countries, administrations and terrorist groups.

Use of animals in research and innovation

Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.

Applicants must ensure that all of the proposed work within projects, both in the UK and internationally, will comply with the UKRI guidance on the use of animals in research and innovation.

Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.

Previous applications

You can use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.

If you have previously submitted an application that reached our assessment stage, you can re-apply once more with the same proposal.

If there are minor differences to the proposal, but it is judged by us to be ‘not materially different’, the same rule applies.

We will not award you funding if you have:

• failed to exploit a previously funded project

• an overdue independent accountant’s report

• failed to comply with grant terms and conditions

Innovate UK may withhold a grant payment at any time if you have any outstanding sums due to us in relation to other projects.

Subsidy control (and State aid where applicable)

This competition provides funding in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Further information about the Subsidy requirements can be found within the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

Innovate UK is unable to award organisations that are considered to be in financial difficulty. We will conduct financial viability and eligibility tests to confirm this is not the case following the application stage.

EU State aid rules now only apply in limited circumstances. See the Windsor Framework to check if these rules apply to your organisation.

In the ‘Project details’ section of your application you will be asked questions to indicate if State Aid or Subsidy applies to your organisation.

Further Information

If you are unsure about your obligations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 or the State aid rules, you should take independent legal advice. We are unable to advise on individual eligibility or legal obligations.

You must not do anything which could cause a breach of Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom.

This aims to regulate any advantage granted by a public sector body which threatens to, or distorts competition in the United Kingdom or any other country or countries.

Funding

Up to £5 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition. This is subject to us receiving a sufficient number of high quality applications. Funding will be in the form of a grant.

You will only receive Innovate UK grant funding if you also secure aligned investment at or above the minimum required for the relevant research level.

Your investor partner must also submit a 'Declared Minimum Aligned Investment', which you must confirm with your investor partner.

Before any funding decision, we will ask the investor partner to confirm the declared minimum aligned investment, If the declared minimum aligned investment is higher than the minimum required for the relevant research level, it will be treated as greater leverage and will strengthen our assessment of additionality unless there is a strong justification not to.

However, at the same time, the confirmed declared minimum aligned investment becomes the new minimum aligned investment. Your project cannot start until this amount has been secured.

Innovate UK will decide which projects are eligible and in scope to receive grant funding.

The decision will be based on three factors:

1. Innovation: Assessed by independent assessors based on your application.

2. Additionality: Based on the impact of the grant in accelerating your innovation and leveraging the aligned investment. Assessed by the Investor Partnerships Team based on information provided by your named investor partner.

3. Traction: Based on the likelihood of the investment completing within a reasonable timeframe. Assessed by the Investor Partnerships Team based on information provided by your named investor partner.

To be successful in this competition, you must score strongly across all three factors.

We will ask your confirmed investor partner to provide an update on the progress of your investment prior to making our funding decision. Our assessment of the additionality and traction will be based on this update. It is therefore important that you liaise with your investor partner, and that their response represents your understanding of the investment position at that time.

If you are successful, you will receive grant funding to cover a proportion of the costs of your project. The project will only be allowed to commence once the agreed aligned investment has been confirmed.

Your business must have sufficient capital resources, including through investment from the investor partner and the grant funding, to enable you to meet all your project’s eligible costs.

All recipients must act commercially, and your funding request must not exceed the limits specified.

Feasibility studies and industrial research projects

For feasibility studies and industrial research projects, Innovate UK will fund:

• up to 70% of eligible project costs for micro or small organisations

• up to 60% for medium sized organisations

The absolute minimum aligned investment led by the investor partner must always be at least equal to the grant funding.

Experimental development projects

For experimental development projects Innovate UK will fund:

• up to 45% of eligible project costs for micro or small organisations

• up to 35% for medium sized organisations

The absolute minimum aligned investment led by the investor partner must always be at least twice as much as the grant funding.

Innovate UK may revoke our decision to provide funding without notice if government commitment for this initiative is withdrawn.

Your proposal

The aim of this competition is to provide you with support for research and development and access to the capital investment you need to develop and commercialise your innovations.

Your proposal must have a clear route to market, a clear link to innovation and evidence that you can create a team to deliver your proposal and must focus on one of the following scope themes and at least one associated sub-theme.

You must be:

• registered in the UK as an SME by the time the award is contracted

• able to complete the aligned investment led by the investor partner needed to qualify for the award, through the issue of new shares or convertible debt

You must also demonstrate that if your project is funded, it will:

• have significant market impact

• be scalable

• be attractive to equity investors

Innovation and ideas can come from anyone and anywhere. We want to see investments unlocked for the diverse and extraordinary talent in the UK.

We encourage innovation involving communities that are typically under represented, including:

• from regions that have historically accessed lower levels of investment (outside London, Oxford and Cambridge)

• ethnic minority groups

• women and other marginalised genders

• disabled people

• people with non-traditional education backgrounds

Portfolio approach

The National Materials Innovation Programme wants to fund a variety of projects within Investor Partnerships. Our initial funding decision is based on the innovation score, investment additionality, expected leverage and likelihood of investment completion.

Where funding is limited within these specific themes, we may make a funding decision based on the project type and size, grant requested, business stage, location, and sector to ensure portfolio balance and alignment with strategic intent. We call this a portfolio approach.

We will also take into account the impact of the grant in accelerating investment and the likelihood of the investment completing within a reasonable time.

Specific themes

Your project must focus on one of the following themes and at least one associated sub-theme.

1. Net Zero Energy Materials

We are seeking material innovation projects focused on advanced materials and material systems that enable the generation, conversion, storage, transport, management, or efficient use of energy.

Net zero energy materials and material systems are defined as those whose primary function is to improve the performance, efficiency, durability, sustainability, or deployment of net zero energy technologies.

Applications under this theme must demonstrate how the material innovation contributes to, for example, reduced emissions or environmental impact, enhanced energy security or supply chain resilience, improved resource efficiency or circularity, reduced deployment or operational costs, improved performance, efficiency, or operational lifetime.

Projects must address one or more of the following sub-themes:

• next generation battery materials

• electrochemical energy conversion materials

• hydrogen materials

• heat exchange, heat storage and waste heat recovery materials

• energy harvesting materials

• advanced nuclear and fusion materials

2. Future Healthcare Materials

We are seeking material innovation projects focused on advanced materials and material systems for healthcare applications.

Healthcare materials and material systems are defined as those designed to safely interact with biological systems and deliver improved prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, rehabilitation or regenerative healthcare outcomes. This includes materials intended for use in medical devices, diagnostics, therapeutic delivery systems, regenerative medicine products and bioelectronic healthcare technologies.

Applications under this theme must demonstrate how the material innovation contributes to, for example, improved biological performance or functionality, improved patient outcomes or quality of life, enhanced diagnostic, monitoring or therapeutic capability, improved manufacturability, scalability or clinical adoption, reduced treatment burden or healthcare costs.

Projects must address one or more of the following sub-themes:

• biocompatible and regenerative materials

• bioelectronic materials

3. Structural Materials Innovation

We are seeking material innovation projects focused on high value, high performance structural materials and material systems.

Structural materials and material systems are defined as those whose primary function is to bear load, maintain structural integrity and deliver reliable performance throughout their operational life. This includes multifunctional materials where structural integrity is the primary enabling function. These materials are typically deployed in applications where failure, degradation or loss of performance would have significant economic, operational, safety or environmental consequences.

The following structural material classes are within scope:

• advanced concretes and geopolymers

• speciality steels, including high strength, corrosion resistant, wear resistant and high temperature steels

• advanced non-ferrous metals and high performance metallic alloys

• fibre reinforced structural composites where fibre reinforcement provides the primary load bearing function

• advanced technical ceramics

• advanced structural glasses and glass ceramics

• high performance structural engineering polymers used in load bearing applications

Only the structural material classes listed above are within scope under this theme.

Applications under this theme must demonstrate how the material innovation contributes to, for example, improved structural performance, durability or operational lifetime, reduced environmental impact or embodied carbon, improved resource efficiency, reuse, repair, remanufacture or recycling, enhanced performance in demanding or extreme operating environments, enabling capability within strategically important UK sectors and technologies.

Projects must address one or more of the following sub-themes:

• sustainable structural materials, for example, built environment

• sustainable non-built environment structural materials

• high performance structural materials

• bulk structural materials for extreme environments

4. Advanced Surface Technologies and Materials Durability

We are seeking material innovation projects focused on advanced surface technologies, coatings and durability enhancing material systems.

Surface technologies, coatings and durability enhancing material systems are defined as those whose primary function is to protect against surface or bulk degradation, improve surface performance, extend operational lifetime or enhance reliability.

Relevant material innovations may include coatings, surface treatments, tribological materials, corrosion protection technologies and other material systems designed to improve durability and resistance to degradation.

Applications under this theme must demonstrate how the material innovation contributes to, for example, extended asset, infrastructure or technology lifetime, improved durability, reliability or resilience, reduced maintenance or whole life costs, improved operational efficiency or performance, reduced environmental impact through longer service life or improved resource efficiency.

Projects must address one or more of the following sub-themes:

• surface protection and durability materials

• tribological materials and surface technologies

• surface technology materials for extreme environments

• materials for degradation monitoring and lifetime management

5. Next Generation Electronics, Telecommunications and Sensors

We are seeking material innovation projects focused on advanced electronic, photonic and communication materials and material systems.

Electronic, photonic and communication materials and material systems are defined as those that enable the generation, conversion, transmission, processing, sensing or thermal management of electrical, optical or electromagnetic signals. This includes semiconductor, photonic, optoelectronic, dielectric, electromagnetic and thermal management materials used within advanced electronic, communication, sensing and quantum technologies.

Applications under this theme must demonstrate how the material innovation contributes to, for example, improved device or system performance, improved energy efficiency or power density, enhanced sensing, communication or computing capability, improved reliability, manufacturability or scalability, enabling capability within strategically important technologies and sectors.

Projects must address one or more of the following sub-themes:

• wide and ultra-wide bandgap materials

• materials for quantum

• advanced connectivity and communication materials

6. Sustainable Polymer, Packaging and Elastomeric Materials

We are seeking material innovation projects focused on sustainable polymer, packaging and elastomeric materials and material systems.

Sustainable polymer, packaging and elastomeric materials are defined as materials that deliver the required functional performance while reducing environmental impact, improving resource efficiency and supporting circularity throughout their lifecycle.

Applications under this theme must demonstrate how the material innovation contributes to, for example, reduced environmental impact or carbon footprint, improved resource efficiency or circularity, improved recyclability, recoverability or end of life outcomes, improved material performance, durability or functionality.

Projects must address one or more of the following sub-themes:

• sustainable polymer and packaging materials

• sustainable elastomeric materials

7. Metamaterials and Metasurfaces

We are seeking material innovation projects focused on the development, scale-up, commercialisation and adoption of metamaterials and metasurfaces, enabling growth, productivity and dual use opportunities across strategically important sectors.

For the purposes of this theme, projects must demonstrate that they meet the definition of a metamaterial or metasurface as developed by the metamaterial community and the UK Metamaterials Network, which are:

• a metamaterial is a three dimensional structure with a response or function arising from the collective effect of engineered meta-atom elements that cannot be achieved conventionally by any individual constituent material

• a metasurface is a two dimensional version of a metamaterial in which the engineered structural elements are confined to a planar surface

The response or function of a metamaterial or metasurface results from the collective behaviour of designed and engineered meta-atom elements. These responses may include electromagnetic, photonic, RF and microwave, terahertz (THz), acoustic, magnetic, mechanical, structural, thermal or chemical functionality.

Applications under this theme must address relevant aspects of the value chain and must demonstrate how the material innovation contributes to, for example, technology concepts for market adoption, overcoming technical barriers to scale-up and manufacture, developing enabling design, metrology and characterisation tools and methods.

Projects must address one or more of the following sub-themes:

• future telecommunications and advanced connectivity

• convergent electronic photonic technologies

• thermal, acoustic and mechanical metamaterials

• energy security and net zero

• healthcare

Research categories

We will fund feasibility projects, industrial research projects and experimental development projects, as defined in the guidance on categories of research.

Projects we will not fund

We are not funding projects that are:

• not carried out by SMEs

• collaborative R&D projects

• not part of a company’s growth plan

• unable to prove there is potential for return on investment and growth

• large capital infrastructure

• not invited by a specified investor partner

• do not align with any of the themes and sub-themes listed in the specific themes section

• are focused on chemical or raw material synthesis rather than on materials innovation toward an end application

• are focused on enabling areas such as regulations, educational resources, behavioural sciences, policy, skills, and relationships

• primarily focused on the development, adaptation or validation of digital tools or technologies for materials innovation, for example, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) or Large Language Models (LLM) software and tools

However AI, ML or LLM software and tools may be used where they support the material innovation that is the primary focus of the project.

We cannot fund projects that are:

• dependent on export performance: giving a subsidy to an organisation on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of its products to another country

• dependent on domestic inputs usage: giving a subsidy to an organisation on the condition that it uses a set percentage of UK components in their product

5 November 2026

Online briefing event: register to attend

Briefing slides will be available to download from Supporting Information after the event

1 March 2027

Applicants notified

1 June 2027

Project start by

Before you start

You must read the guidance on applying for a competition on the Innovation Funding Service before you start.

Before submitting, it is the lead applicant’s responsibility to make sure:

• that all the information provided in the application is correct

• your proposal meets the eligibility and scope criteria

• all sections of the application are marked as complete

You can reopen your application once submitted, up until the competition deadline. You must resubmit the application before the competition deadline.

What we ask you

The application is split into four sections:

1. Project details.

2. Application questions.

3. Finances.

4. Project Impact.

Accessibility and Inclusion

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability or a long term condition and face barriers applying to us.

You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.

We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline.

You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

This competition is open during the Christmas holiday period. However, UKRI and Innovate UK will have limited capacity to respond to queries.

We will not respond to queries between 23 December 2026 and 4 January 2027. Responses may also be delayed after 18 December 2026.

Submit any queries well in advance of this period to allow sufficient time for a response.

Project details

This section provides background for your application and is not scored.

Do not include any website addresses (URLs) in your answers.

Application team

Decide which people from your organisation will work with you on the project and invite those people to help complete the application.

Application details

Give your project’s title, start date and duration.

Research category

Select the type of research you will undertake.

Project summary

Describe your project briefly and be clear about what makes it innovative. We use this section to assign the right experts to assess your application.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Public description

Describe your project in detail and in a way that you are happy to see published. Do not include any commercially sensitive information. If we award your project funding, we will publish this description. This could happen before you start your project.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Scope

Describe how your project fits the scope of the competition. If your project is not in scope, it will not be sent for assessment. We will tell you the reason why.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

2. Application questions

The assessors will score all your answers apart from questions 1 to 8. You will receive feedback for each scored question. Find out more about how our assessors assess and how we select applications for funding.

You must answer all questions. Your answer to each question can be up to 400 words long.

You must not include any website addresses or links (URLs) in your answers. Any website addresses or URLs included, will not be viewed or opened.

Question 1. Theme and Subtheme (not scored)

You must select which theme and subtheme, your project is applying to:

• net zero energy materials: next generation battery materials

• net zero energy materials: electrochemical energy conversion materials

• net zero energy materials: hydrogen materials

• net zero energy materials: heat exchange, heat storage and waste heat recovery materials

• net zero energy materials: energy harvesting materials

• net zero energy materials: advanced nuclear and fusion materials

• future healthcare materials: biocompatible and regenerative materials

• future healthcare materials: bioelectronic materials

• structural materials innovation: sustainable structural materials [built environment]

• structural materials innovation: sustainable non-built environment structural materials

• structural materials innovation: high-performance structural materials

• structural materials innovation: bulk structural materials for extreme environments

• advanced surface technologies and materials durability: surface protection and durability materials

• advanced surface technologies and materials durability: tribological materials and surface technologies

• advanced surface technologies and materials durability: surface technology materials for extreme environments

• advanced surface technologies and materials durability: materials for degradation monitoring and lifetime management

• next generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors: wide and ultra-wide bandgap materials

• next generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors: materials for quantum

• next generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors: advanced connectivity and communication materials

• sustainable polymer, packaging and elastomeric materials: sustainable polymer and packaging materials

• sustainable polymer, packaging and elastomeric materials: sustainable elastomeric materials

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: future telecommunications and advanced connectivity

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: convergent electronic-photonic technologies

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: thermal, acoustic and mechanical metamaterials

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: energy security and net zero

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: healthcare

Question 2. Applicant location (not scored)

You must state the name and full registered address of your organisation and any subcontractors working on your project.

We are collecting this information to understand more about the geographical location of all applicants.

Question 3. Animal testing (not scored)

Will your project involve any trials with animals or animal testing?

You must select one option:

• Yes

• No

We will only support innovation projects conducted to the highest standards of animal welfare.

Further information for proposals involving animal testing is available at the UKRI Good Research Hub and NC3R’s animal welfare guidance.

Question 4. Permits and licences (not scored)

Will you have the correct permits and licences in place to carry out your project?

We are unable to fund projects which do not have the correct permits or licences in place by your project start date.

You must select one option:

• Yes

• No

• In the process of being applied for

• Not applicable

Question 5. International collaboration (not scored)

Does your proposed work involve any international collaboration or engagement?

You must provide details of any expected international collaboration or engagement. You must include a list of the names and the countries, any international project co-leads, visiting researchers, or other collaborators are based in. You must also include details of any subcontractors or service providers.

If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration or engagement, your answer must confirm this.

Question 6 Export licence (not scored)

You must indicate whether an export control license is required for this project under the academic export control guidance.

You must select one option:

• Yes

• No

Question 7. Trusted Research and Innovation (not scored)

You must explain if your proposed project work relates to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) Principles, including:

• a list of any dual use (both military and non-military) applications to your research

• a list of the areas where your project is relevant to one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act

• whether an export control license is required for this project under the academic export control guidance and the status of any applications

• a list of any items or substances on the UK Strategic Export Control List

If your proposed work does not relate to UKRI’s TR&I Principles, your answer must confirm this.

We may ask you to provide additional TR&I information at a later date, in line with UKRI TR&I Principles and funding terms and conditions.

Question 8. Investor partner (not scored)

Provide the name of the investor partner who you are working with.

We will contact the investor partner to confirm how the grant funding will impact the proposed investment, and the current stage of completion. This forms part of the decision of whether your application is successful.

Question 9. Problem

What is the problem that your innovation will address?

Describe the problem clearly. Focus on the issue itself, not your solution.

In your answer you must describe:

• how widespread the issue is

• what the consequences are if it remains unaddressed

You must detail any research or evidence that supports your response.

Your responses to this question must focus on the problem it addresses not the detail of your innovation.

Question 10. Idea

Provide a detailed description of your idea.

You must refer to the problem you have identified in the question above, and how this idea intends to address it.

Do not consider market sizing, project management or risks in your answer.

You can submit one appendix to support your answer. It can include diagrams and charts. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 11. Benefits

Outline the benefits you expect to result from your innovation in more detail.

In your explanation, include specific metrics or indicators that you intend to use to measure these benefits.

Question 12. Design

How will you ensure that your innovation is designed with care and attention to its use, and is developed inclusively?

You could consider:

• user needs, experience, and what they value, what testing you’ll do and how

• any unintended negative impacts and how they can be avoided

Question 13. Milestones

What are the key milestones you are aiming to achieve through this award?

You must focus specifically on what the funding from this competition will enable you to do. Your milestones must fit within your anticipated timeline for project delivery.

You don’t need to provide the full project plan in the answer to this question.

Question 14. Delivery Plan

How will you ensure successful delivery of the programme?

Your response must consist of two parts:

• upload a delivery plan for the programme in the form of a Gantt chart which includes the key programme milestones

• explain what steps will you be taking to ensure successful delivery of your milestones: your response must consider how you will achieve the key milestones.

You must submit a Gantt chart as an appendix to support your answer. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 15. Route to market

Outline the key steps and timeline for bringing your innovation to market.

In your response, include detailed information on the following areas where relevant:

• product development milestones: describe the critical phases and checkpoints in your product development process

• supply chain and manufacturing: explain your strategy for sourcing materials and manufacturing your product, including any partnerships or logistical considerations

• sales channels and partnerships: identify your planned sales channels and any strategic partnerships that will facilitate market entry

Question 16. Risk detail

You must outline the top three risks in more detail. For each identified risk, explain what actions you will take to mitigate its impact.

Risks can come from many areas for example:

• technical risks: risks related to product development, functionality of performance

• commercial or financial risks: for example, those related to market adoption, competition or profitability

• environmental or social risks: risks related to environmental impact, regulations, social acceptance

• regulatory risks: risks related to obtaining necessary regulatory approvals

• project management risks: risks related to timelines, team or resources

Recognising and acknowledging potential risks is a vital part of the planning process and will not negatively impact your application.

You must submit a risk register as an appendix to support your answer. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 17. Skills

What skills, capabilities or experience does your team have that will help you deliver your innovation?

You must include any skills, knowledge, or experiences that are applicable.

You can submit one appendix, with a short summary of the main people working on the project to support your answer. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 18. Market Size

Estimate the realistic market opportunity for your innovation.

Provide an evidence based assessment by:

a) The Total Addressable Market (TAM): This is the total market demand for a product or service. It's the maximum revenue opportunity available if 100% market share was achieved.

b) The Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM): The portion of the addressable market that can realistically be captured by your innovation. It factors in constraints like competition, geography, pricing, and how easily you can go to market.

Question 19. Market growth

How much do you expect your target market to grow over a two, five and ten year period?

You must consider the key market trends or drivers underlying this growth. Highlight any research or evidence that supports these expectations in your response.

Question 20. Competitors

Who are your main competitors in the market?

Where possible, include estimates of their market share and their approximate business size.

Question 21. Differentiation

How does your business or innovation set itself apart from the competitors you have identified?

Provide specific examples and evidence where possible.

Question 22. Intellectual property detail

Describe your formal Intellectual Property (IP) strategy and the progress you have made.

You can read more in the UK Government guide to understanding intellectual property.

Question 23. Public funding

How will public funding accelerate or enhance your innovation compared to relying solely on private investment or internal resources at this stage?

3. Finances

You must complete your own project costs, organisation details and funding details in the application.

For an overview on what costs you can claim, see our project costs guidance. Note this is general guidance, for specific guidance see the eligibility section in this competition.

4. Project Impact

This section is not scored but will provide background to your project.

Each partner must complete the Project Impact questions before being able to submit the application.

More information can be found in our Project Impact guidance and by viewing our Impact Management Framework video.

Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.

Assessment

Your application will be reviewed by three independent assessors based on the content of your application and their skills or expertise relevant to your project. All of the scores awarded will count towards the total score used to make the funding decision unless you are notified otherwise.

You can find out more about our assessment process in the General Guidance.

Your submitted application will be assessed against these criteria:

Investor Partnerships - National Materials Innovation Programme 1 - assessor guidance for applicants.pdf (opens in a new window)

Background and further information

Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, has selected a pool of investor partners. These investor partners have demonstrated that they have the credibility, capability, capacity and appetite to invest in innovative, technology led businesses that align with the programmes. These programmes will focus on the future economy as described in our plan for action.

The Investor Partnership programme brings together:

• Innovate UK’s expertise in identifying innovation and using grant funding to change the risk profile of businesses

• investor partners’ aligned funding and expertise in identifying opportunities and teams that can best use extra investment finance

This approach aims to provide you with support for research and development and access to the capital investment you need to develop and commercialise your innovations.

If successful, Business Growth support is available through this competition. Eligible UK based small and medium sized businesses may be contacted by Innovate UK Business Growth to explore whether they could benefit from their support.

Innovate UK Business Growth offers a fully funded advisory service designed to help innovative businesses make informed strategic decisions, strengthen their investment readiness, and access the right resources to support growth and scale-up ambitions.

To learn more about how an Innovation and Growth Specialist could support your business, visit the service's website.

You should also contact Innovate UK Business Connect to establish if there are specific programmes for connecting businesses in your sector to relevant investors. Support and connections to sector specific investors may also be provided by the relevant catapult centre.

You will need to establish a relationship and a level of investment traction with one of our approved investor partners before you apply for funding. A full list of selected investor partners is provided on the Innovate UK Business Connect Investor Partnerships websites.

The investor partner must have confirmed with you that you are in a position to apply for grant funding as you will be asked to identify them in the application.

To be successful, your project must be independently assessed by Innovate UK as fundable and receive investment directly, led or catalysed by the investor partner.

As part of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy advanced materials were recognised as a priority growth sector and frontier industry in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan.

This competition is the fourth under the National Materials Innovation Programme and the first Investor Partnership call since the official launch of the programme at Materials Research Exchange 2026.

The National Materials Innovation Programme aims to transform materials potential into materials progress, ensuring the UK remains a global leader in materials innovation.

You can review the following documents:

• the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and Sector Plans, which includes the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan

• Industrial Strategy Sector Definitions which contains the definitions used across the IS-8 growth driving sectors, frontier industries and foundational industries and inputs

• Henry Royce Institute led National Materials Innovation Strategy, which includes the three prioritised high growth opportunity themes

• UK Metamaterials Network website who supported the community to develop an agreed definition of metamaterials

The focus of the National Materials Innovation Programme is on the translation and adoption of key advanced materials innovations for the eight growth driving sectors identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (IS-8 sectors).

Applicants attention is drawn to a number of specific government requirements relating to the investment and activities of businesses in certain advanced materials technology areas and in some of the IS-8 sectors.

All applicants should familiarise themselves with the following:

• National Security and Investment Act’s: 17 sensitive sectors including advanced materials

• Science and Technology Framework: five critical technologies

• Strategic Export Control: consolidated list

There may be specific information in these links to support applicants, their projects and beyond.

Briefing recording and slides

Briefing recording and slides will be available to download here after the briefing event.

What happens if you receive a grant offer

If you have passed your initial assessment and have received an email with a grant offer, you will be asked to complete the project setup process on the Innovation Funding Service (IFS). Watch our video on what steps are there before a project starts.

We will ask for information that will allow us to undertake mandatory checks on your organisation and the eligibility of your costs, as well as review the documentation for your project.

You must follow the unique link embedded in your email notification. This takes you to your project's dedicated IFS Set Up portal, where we gather the information required to set up your project, for example, your bank details. Watch our video on how successful applicants receive their funding.

Your Grant offer letter (GOL)

Once you have successfully completed project setup, we will issue your GOL.

The GOL will be made available on your IFS portal.

You will not be able to start your project until:

• you have signed the GOL

• your investor partner has confirmed the investment by completing and signing an additional annex to the GOL

• any other investors involved in your investment have completed any required additional annexes

• the GOL and additional signed annexes have been uploaded to IFS

• we have confirmed that the investment meets the requirements of the aligned investment

Once approved we will send you an email with permission to start your project on your confirmed start date.

You must not start your project before the date stated on your email and GOL. Any costs incurred before your agreed start date cannot be claimed as part of your grant.

If your application is unsuccessful

If you are unsuccessful with your application this time, you can view feedback from the assessors. This will be available to you on your IFS portal following notification.

Sometimes your application will have scored well, and you will receive positive comments from the assessors. You may be unsuccessful for any of the following reasons:

• your average score was not above the funding threshold

• your project has not been selected under the portfolio approach

• we were not convinced that the grant was making a significant difference in the investment and in all likelihood the investment would have happened anyway

• you do not have sufficient traction with the investor and we doubt that the investment will complete in a reasonable period of time

• the investment has already been secured

• the selected investor partner is not taking a significant role in leading or facilitating the investment

Find an investor partner

You will need to establish a relationship and a level of investment traction with one of our approved investor partners before you apply for funding. A full list of selected investor partners is provided at Innovate UK Business Connect investor partnerships websites.

Support for SMEs from Innovate UK Business Growth service

Innovate UK Business Growth helps innovation focused businesses make the best strategic choices and access the right resources, in order to grow and ultimately achieve scale.

Visit the service’s website to learn about how you might benefit as a winner.

Protecting your innovation

A Secure Innovation campaign has been developed to help founders and leaders of innovative startups protect their technology, competitive advantage, and reputation.

This was developed by UK’s National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Data sharing

This competition is operated by Innovate UK.

Innovate UK is directly accountable to you for its holding and processing of your information, including any personal data and confidential information. Data is held in accordance with our own policies.

Innovate UK may also share any relevant information submitted and produced during the application process concerning your application with Innovate UK’s regional UK third parties. For more information see how we handle grant applicant and grant holder data.

Innovate UK and Innovate UK Business Connect will be data controllers for personal data submitted during the application.

Innovate UK’s Privacy Policy

Innovate UK Business Connect Privacy Policy

Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.

The Information Commissioner’s Office also has a useful guide for organisations, which outlines the data protection principles.

Contact us

If you need more information about how to apply or you want to submit your application in Welsh, email support@iuk.ukri.org or call 0300 321 4357.

Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12 pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

This competition is open during the Christmas holiday period. However, UKRI and Innovate UK will have limited capacity to respond to queries.

We will not respond to queries between 23 December 2026 and 4 January 2027. Responses may also be delayed after 18 December 2026.

Submit any queries well in advance of this period to allow sufficient time for a response.

Innovate UK or any of our partners will not tolerate abusive language in any written or verbal correspondence, applications, social media or any other form that might affect staff.