National Materials Innovation Programme: CR&D Rd1

Who can apply

Your project

Your project must:

• have a grant funding request of between £500,000 and £1 million

• last between 18 and 30 months

• start by 1 February 2027

• end by 31 July 2029

Any organisation receiving funding must carry out its project work in the UK, intend to exploit the results in the UK, and spend most of the funding within the UK.

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.

Lead organisation

To lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size. The consortium must contain at least one UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME) claiming grant funding on this application.

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

Project team

To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:

• business of any size

• academic institution

• charity

• not for profit

• public sector organisation

• research and technology organisation (RTO)

Each partner organisation must be invited into the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) by the lead to collaborate on a project. Once partners have accepted the invitation, they will be asked to login or to create an account in IFS. They are responsible for entering their own project costs and completing their Project Impact questions in the application.

To be an eligible collaboration:

• the lead and at least one other organisation must request funding

• you must explain why you’re collaborating and how the collaboration will work

• no single organisation can claim more than 70% of the total project costs

Non-funded partners

Your project can include organisations who do not claim any funding for their work on the project. Their costs will be covered from their own resources. These can include UK, EU and other non-UK organisations. Non-UK partners are permitted to carry out project work from within their home countries and exploit the results outside the UK.

Where non-funded partners have been invited to the application on IFS, their costs will count towards the total eligible project costs.

Subcontractors

Subcontractors are allowed in this competition and are limited to no more than 30% of the project’s total eligible costs.

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 eligible project costs.

Number of applications

A business can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in a further two applications.

If a business is not leading any application, it can collaborate in any number of applications.

An academic institution, charity, not for profit, public sector organisation, or research and technology organisation can collaborate on any number of applications.

Applications that do not meet these requirements will be made ineligible, in order of the most recent submission being made ineligible first.

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 to enterprises using the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme.

The Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Scheme can be viewed on the subsidy database here: SC10780.

This is 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.

This award is classified as a Subsidy which does not form part of your Minimal Financial Assistance or de minimis allowance.

Funding

Up to £12 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.

We reserve the right to adjust funding allocations for any of our competitions under exceptional circumstances, for example, in response to changes in policy, portfolio funding considerations, or broader government funding decisions.

Under the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Route rules, no more than £3 million can be awarded in the form of a grant to any one enterprise in any one competition.

If your organisation’s work on the project is commercial or economic, your funding request must not exceed the limits below. These limits apply even if your organisation normally acts non-economically but for the purpose of this project will be undertaking commercial or economic activity.

For industrial research you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation

• up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation

• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

For more information on company sizes, refer to the company accounts guidance.

If you are applying for an award funded under State aid Regulations, the definitions are set out in the European Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003.

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

Research participation

The research organisations undertaking non-economic activity as part of the project can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation undertaking non-economic activity, this maximum is shared between them. Of that 30% you can get funding for your eligible project costs of up to:

• 100% of your eligible project costs if you are an RTO, charity, not for profit organisation, public sector organisation or research organisation

• 80% of full economic costs (FEC) if you are an academic institution

Eligibility criteria for claiming 80% of FEC funding

1. Research organisations must use the Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) method as the Je-S form has now been decommissioned.

2. We pay 100% of the 80% Full Economic Cost (FEC). On IFS only enter the 80% being claimed.

To find out more see our: Cost Guidance for Academics.

Your proposal

The aim of this competition is to accelerate the translation and adoption of material innovations through collaborative industrial research. The competition will support the priority opportunity themes of the National Materials Innovation Strategy, unlock strategic material opportunities and enhance competitiveness across the eight growth driving sectors

Your project must focus on one of the sub themes within:

• the three prioritised high growth opportunity theme areas, or

• the one strategic opportunity theme, metamaterials and metasurfaces

See the specific theme section to view the full list of these themes and sub-themes.

We recognise that the metamaterials and metasurfaces strategic opportunity theme overlaps with some areas of the high growth opportunity themes. If your material innovation is fundamentally based upon a metamaterial or metasurface technology, then you must apply under Theme 4: Metamaterials and Metasurfaces.

You must explain how your innovation will improve performance, functionality, productivity or sustainability. You must also provide a credible route to commercialisation and deployment.

You must also demonstrate how adoption of your materials innovation contributes to broader UK net zero targets. This could be through more sustainable supply chains, reduction in energy consumption, emissions reduction and resource efficiency.

Your project must:

• be a collaborative industrial research project

• focus primarily on the materials innovation

• identify the specific IS-8 sector and applications being targeted

• explain the opportunity for the materials innovation to be applied and describe any future barriers and challenges you foresee to adoption

• demonstrate a clear route to scale in the UK

• explain how this project will support business growth and UK advanced manufacturing

• involve at least one named end user in the project who is operating within one of the eight growth driving sectors identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (IS-8) sectors

End user involvement

The named end user is an organisation, further downstream the supply chain, that will use or directly benefit from the materials innovation. Examples of end users include OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and other organisations. The involvement of the end user can be in the form of, but is not limited to:

• being on a project advisory board

• being a non-funded project collaborator or a funded project collaborator

The end user must have a clear, defined role within the project governance or work plan. The following will not be accepted as end users:

• an RTO

• academics and academic institutions

• consultants and consultancies

Government organisations or regulators can act as an end user where you provide a clear justification, for example, where they act as a system integrator or service provider for the materials innovation.

In this competition, end user involvement cannot be demonstrated solely through written evidence of a business relationship, such as:

• letters of support

• emails, Teams messages or other forms of electronic communication between project partners and third parties

• purchase orders, invoices or other documents that do not directly relate to the project application

• heads of agreement, memorandum of understanding, joint development agreements, non-disclosure agreements, letters of intent, supply agreements, commercial contracts or formal partnership agreements

Portfolio approach

We want to fund a variety of projects across different themes, technologies, markets, applications of materials, technological maturities, business size and regions. We call this a portfolio approach.

Specific themes

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

Theme 1: Future Healthcare Solutions

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 regeneration outcomes. This includes materials intended for use in medical devices, diagnostics, therapeutic delivery systems, regenerative medicine products and bioelectronic healthcare technologies.

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

Biocompatible and Regenerative Materials

This includes the development, characterisation and validation of biocompatible materials and material systems for medical applications, including:

• advanced biomaterials

• regenerative medicine materials

• tissue engineering scaffolds and matrices

• bioresorbable and biodegradable materials

• materials for tissue repair and wound healing

• implantable and medical device materials

• materials for targeted therapies

• materials and carriers for the controlled delivery of therapeutic agents

Projects must demonstrate how the material enables improved biological performance, patient outcomes, functionality, manufacturability or clinical adoption.

Bioelectronic Materials

This includes the development, characterisation and validation of bioelectronic materials and material systems for medical use that directly interface with biological tissues, cells or physiological processes to:

• prevent disease

• diagnose disease

• monitor physiological function

• treat disease

• restore biological function

• support patient rehabilitation

This can include materials for implantable, wearable, in vitro or integrated bioelectronic systems, including conductive, semiconductive, sensing, stimulating and responsive material technologies that enable improved interaction between biological and electronic systems.

Theme 2: Structural Materials Innovation

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

High value, high performance 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 in demanding environments. This includes multifunctional materials where structural integrity is the critical enabling function. They are 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:

• speciality steels, such as 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

• structural and wear resistant technical ceramics

• advanced structural glasses and glass ceramics

• advanced concretes and geopolymers

• high performance structural engineering polymers used in load bearing applications

Only the material classes listed above are in scope and projects must address one or more of the following four sub-themes:

Sustainability

This includes sustainability and circularity innovations in the structural materials and material systems listed above, including innovations that improve resource efficiency, reuse, repair, remanufacture, recovery and recycling while maintaining mechanical integrity, durability and long service life.

Surface Engineering

This includes material innovations in coatings, surface treatments, tribological solutions and corrosion protection technologies that enhance the durability, reliability and operational lifetime of the structural materials and material systems listed above by mitigating surface or bulk degradation.

Design and Deployment

This includes innovations that improve the modelling, qualification, manufacture, inspection, monitoring and deployment of the structural materials and material systems listed above, enabling more predictable performance and improved resistance to degradation throughout the asset lifecycle.

Extreme Environments

This includes the development and refinement of structural and multifunctional material systems from the material classes listed above that are capable of maintaining mechanical integrity and performance under extreme or combined extreme conditions, including thermal, radiation, corrosive, high pressure, wear and fatigue environments.

Theme 3: Power Electronics and Connectivity

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, delivering enhanced performance, efficiency, functionality or reliability in advanced electronic and communication technologies.

Relevant materials and material systems may include semiconductor, photonic, optoelectronic, dielectric, electromagnetic and thermal management materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), diamond, gallium oxide, integrated photonic materials, radio frequency (RF) and microwave materials, low loss dielectric materials, thermal interface materials and advanced heat spreading materials.

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

Wide and Ultra Wide Bandgap Materials

This includes materials innovations associated with wide and ultra wide bandgap semiconductor materials and associated substrate, packaging and thermal management material systems, enabling higher voltage, higher temperature and higher frequency operation, together with improved power density and energy efficiency compared with conventional silicon based technologies.

Advanced Connectivity Materials

This includes materials innovations for advanced connectivity and communication systems, enabling enhanced energy efficiency, signal quality, bandwidth, spectrum utilisation, capacity and coverage across next generation communication and sensing technologies, including 5G, 6G, optical, RF, infrared (IR) and radar applications.

Theme 4: 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 metamaterials 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.

Projects must address relevant aspects of the value chain. This can include demonstrating technology concepts for market adoption, overcoming technical barriers to scale-up and manufacture, or 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

This includes metamaterial and metasurface innovations enabling enhanced connectivity, communication and sensing capabilities through improved signal control, bandwidth, spectrum utilisation, coverage, energy efficiency and system performance. Relevant applications can include 5G, 6G, satellite communications, RF, microwave and THz systems.

Convergent Electronic-Photonic Technologies

This includes metamaterial and metasurface innovations enabling enhanced integration and functionality across semiconductor, electronic and photonic technologies, supporting next-generation computing, sensing, communication and optoelectronic systems.

Thermal, Acoustic and Mechanical Metamaterials

This includes thermal, acoustic and mechanical metamaterial innovations that enable novel or enhanced control of thermal, acoustic, structural or mechanical behaviour across a range of length scales. Relevant applications can include robotics, autonomous systems, advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defence technologies.

Energy Security and Net Zero

This includes metamaterial and metasurface innovations enabling improved performance, efficiency, control or resilience in renewable energy generation, energy storage, power transmission and broader net zero technologies.

Healthcare

This includes metamaterial and metasurface innovations enabling advances in healthcare technologies, including biosensing, biomonitoring, imaging, diagnostics, biomedical devices, stimuli-responsive systems, advanced prosthetics and acoustic management in clinical environments.

Research categories

We will fund industrial research projects as defined in the guidance on categories of research.

Projects we will not fund

We are not funding projects that:

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

• are focused on the development or application of digital tools and technologies to support or enable materials innovation, for example, AI or machine learning (ML) tools

• do not name and describe an end user and their role within the project

• do not demonstrate the IS-8 sector being targeted and applications within the chosen sector

• do not demonstrate a clear and realistic sector and application opportunity for later adoption

• are focused on chemical or raw materials synthesis, rather than adoption of materials innovations in an end application

• are focused solely on the defence sector, but we will recognise dual use material innovations providing the primary focus is on civil applications

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

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

3 September 2026

Online briefing event: register to attend

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

11 September 2026

Clinic 1: register to attend

7 October 2026

Clinic 2: register to attend

2 December 2026

Applicants notified

1 February 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

• that all partners have completed all assigned sections and accepted the terms and conditions (T&Cs)

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).

1. 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 organisations will work with you on your project and invite people from those organisations 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 can 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.

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. Applicant location (not scored)

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

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

Question 2. 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 3. 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 4. 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, project partners, 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 5. 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 6. 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 7. Project theme (not scored)

You must select which theme your project is within:

• future healthcare: biocompatible materials

• future healthcare: bioelectronic materials

• sustainable structural systems: circularity

• sustainable structural systems: surface engineering

• sustainable structural systems: design and deployment

• sustainable structural systems: extreme environments

• power electronics and connectivity: wide and ultra-wide bandgap

• power electronics and connectivity: advanced connectivity

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: future telecoms and advanced connectivity

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: convergent electronic-photonic

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: thermal or mechanical

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: energy security and net zero

• metamaterials and metasurfaces: healthcare

Question 8. End User Involvement (not scored)

You must:

• provide a contact name, the organisation name, organisation address and brief description of the end user involved in your project

• identify the IS-8 sector, frontier industry or foundational industries and inputs in which they operate

• explain their role and the extent of their involvement in the project

Question 9. Need or challenge

What is the business need, technological challenge, or market opportunity behind your innovation?

Explain:

• the main motivation for the project

• the business need, technological challenge or market opportunity

• whether you have identified any similar innovation and its current limitations, including those close to market or in development

• any work you have already done to respond to this need, for example, if the project focuses on developing an existing capability or building a new one

• the wider economic, social, environmental, cultural or political challenges which are influential in creating the opportunity, such as incoming regulations

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 10. Approach and innovation

What approach will you take and where will the focus of the innovation be?

Explain:

• how you will respond to the need, challenge or opportunity identified

• how you will improve on any similar innovation that you have identified

• whether the innovation will focus on existing technologies in new areas, the development of new technologies for existing areas, or a totally disruptive approach

• the freedom you have to operate

• how this project fits with your current product, service lines or offerings

• how it will make you more competitive

• the nature of the outputs you expect from the project, for example, reports, demonstrator, know-how, new process, product or service design, and how these will help you to target the need, challenge or opportunity identified

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

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. Team and resources

Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Explain:

• the roles, skills and experience of all members of the project team that are relevant to the approach you will be taking

• the resources, equipment and facilities needed for the project and how you will access them

• the details of any vital external parties, including subcontractors, who you will need to work with to successfully carry out the project

• if your project is collaborative, the current relationships between project partners and how these will change as a result of the project

• any roles you will need to recruit for

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

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 12. Market awareness

What does the market or markets you are targeting look like?

Describe:

• the target markets for the project outcomes and any other potential markets, either domestic, international or both

• the size of the target markets for the project outcomes, backed up by references where available

• the structure and dynamics of the target markets, including customer segmentation, together with predicted growth rates within clear timeframes

• the target markets’ main supply or value chains and business models, and any barriers to entry that exist

• the current UK position in targeting these markets

• the size and main features of any other markets not already listed

If your project is highly innovative, where the market may be unexplored, describe or explain:

• what the market’s size might be

• how your project will try to explore the market’s potential

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 13. Outcomes and route to market

How are you going to grow your business and increase long term productivity as a result of the project?

Explain:

• your current position in the markets and supply or value chains outlined, and whether you will be extending or establishing your market position

• your target customers or end users, and the value to them, for example, why they would use or buy your product

• your route to market

• how you are going to profit from the innovation, including increased revenues or cost reduction

• how the innovation will affect your productivity and growth, in both the short and the long term

• how you will protect and exploit the outputs of the project, for example, through know-how, patenting, designs or changes to your business model

• your strategy for targeting the other markets you have identified during or after the project

If there is any research organisation activity in the project, describe:

• your plans to spread the project’s research outputs over a reasonable timescale

• how you expect to use the results generated from the project in further research activities

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 14. Wider impacts

What impact might this project have outside the project team?

Describe and, where possible, measure the economic benefits from the project such as productivity increases and import substitution, to:

• external parties

• customers

• others in the supply chain

• broader industry

• the UK economy

Describe and, where possible, measure:

• any expected impact on government priorities

• any expected environmental impacts, either positive or negative

• any expected regional impacts of the project

Describe any expected social impacts, either positive or negative, on, for example:

• quality of life

• social inclusion or exclusion

• jobs, such as safeguarding, creating, changing or displacing them

• education

• public empowerment

• health and safety

• regulations

• diversity

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 15. Project management

How will you manage your project effectively?

Explain:

• the main work packages of your project, indicating the lead partner assigned to each and the total cost of each one

• your approach to project management, identifying any major tools and mechanisms you will use to get a successful and innovative project outcome

• the management reporting lines

• your project plan in enough detail to identify any links or dependencies between work packages or milestones

You must submit a project plan or 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.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 16. Risks

What are the main risks for this project?

Explain:

• the main risks and uncertainties of the project, including the technical, commercial, managerial and environmental risks

• how you will mitigate these risks

• any project inputs that are critical to completion, such as resources, expertise, and data sets

• any output likely to be subject to regulatory requirements, certification, ethical issues and other requirements identified, and how you will manage this

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

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. Added value

How will this public funding help you to accelerate or enhance your approach to developing your project towards commercialisation? What impact would this award have on the organisations involved?

Explain:

• what advantages public funding would offer your project, for example: appeal to investors, more partners, reduced risk or a faster route to market

• the likely impact of the project outcomes on the organisations involved

• what other routes of investment or means of support you have already engaged with and why they were not suitable

• how any existing or potential investment or support will be used in conjunction with the grant funding

• what your project would look like without public funding

• how this project would change the R&D activities of all the organisations involved

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 18. Costs and value for money

How much will the project cost and how does it represent value for money for the team and the taxpayer?

In terms of your project goals, explain:

• your total eligible project costs

• the grant you are requesting

• how each partner will finance their contributions to your project

• how this project represents value for money for you and the taxpayer

• how it compares to what you would spend your money on otherwise

• the balance of costs and grant across the project partners

• any subcontractor costs and why they are critical to your project

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

3. Finances

Each organisation in your project must complete their own project costs, organisation details and funding details in the application. Academic institutions must use the Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) method and upload to IFS to support their costs. This is a replacement to the Je-S form which has now been decommissioned.

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. You can also view our application finances video.

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:

National Materials Innovation Programme CRD Rd1 Assessor guidance for applicants.pdf (opens in a new window)

Background and further information

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 third under the National Materials Innovation Programme and the first funding collaborative R&D 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.

Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Scheme Information

This award is being offered under the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme in accordance with section 10(4) of the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

Projects funded must meet the following definitions:

Category 2: Industrial research​

​The planned research or critical investigation that is aimed at the acquisition of new knowledge and skills for developing new products, processes or services. It can also be for projects that are aimed at bringing about a significant improvement in existing products, processes or services. ​

This would include digital products, processes or services, in any technology, industry or sector, including, but not limited to: digital industries and technologies, such as supercomputing, quantum technologies, blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence, cyber security, big data and cloud technologies. ​

Industrial research comprises the creation of component parts of complex systems. It may include the construction of prototypes in a laboratory environment or in an environment with simulated interfaces to existing systems as well as of pilot lines. Where necessary, this would be for the industrial research and notably for generic technology validation.​

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.

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 as your average score was not above the funding threshold or your project has not been selected under the portfolio approach if this is applied for this competition.

Find a project partner

If you want help to find a project partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect.

Innovate UK Business Connect will host a business matchmaking platform to help potential collaborators connect and develop project partnerships.

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 national and regional UK third parties and partners who may contact you. 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 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

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.