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Scale-Up Catalyst Pilot

The Scale-Up Catalyst Pilot is a highly selective programme designed to test an intensive delivery model for accelerating a cohort(s) of the UK’s highest-growth potential scale-ups. The pilot will fund a single / lead Delivery Partner to provide a bespoke support offer centred on expert account management, high-quality cohort activity, and curated connections (for example to founders, peers, investors, lenders, and specialist talent/skills expertise).

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Summary

Scale‑ups are a critical driver of productivity, innovation and job creation, despite making up less than 1% of the business population, scale‑ups account for 25% of turnover and 14% of employment in the UK and support for this segment is a priority for the Prime Minster and the Government.  

This underserved and underrepresented segment often falls between support aimed at early‑stage, innovation‑led businesses and provision focused on the UK’s largest firms, leaving many high‑potential scale‑ups without knowledge, capacity or connections needed to access the right mix of advice, capital and networks at key growth ‘tipping points’.  

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is looking to work with a pipeline of 200 of the UK’s high-potential scale-ups to test a national delivery model of support, working in partnership with the private sector to turbo-charge the economic development of the nation. 

The Pilot will deliver a bespoke support offer centred on founders accessing expert advice, guidance and facilitated access to experienced founders, peers, investors, financial backers, specialist talent and skills expertise.  

Through this Pilot, DBT aims to test and evidence whether a selective, high‑intensity model can help high‑potential scale‑ups overcome barriers to growth, including access to finance, leadership capability, market expansion and internationalisation, whilst generating robust learning to inform any future scalable national offer. 

We envision the scheme to run late summer 2026 to end of March 2028. 

What we are asking of applicants 

Applicants are invited to propose how they would design and deliver the Scale‑Up Catalyst Pilot, including these Funded Activities: 

  • delivering high‑quality, expert‑led account management for participating scale‑ups; 

  • designing and running impactful cohort activities that support peer learning and capability building; 

  • facilitating credible, high‑value connections to investors, finance providers, experienced founders and specialist expertise; and 

  • operating a selective and robust approach to identifying and supporting scale‑ups with the highest potential for transformational growth. 

  • working closely with the evaluation partner to facilitate an effective evaluation with high engagement. 

Applications should demonstrate how the organisation will deliver a high‑intensity, business‑case‑ready pilot that is both effective in supporting scale‑ups and capable of generating clear evidence and learning to inform future policy and delivery decisions. 

The applicant will be expected to enter into a Grant Funding Agreement following a successful outcome of their application.

Eligibility

We welcome applications from organisations with the capability, credibility and networks to deliver an intensive scale-up support offer at national scale. This includes not-for-profit and private sector organisations and consortia. If applying as a consortium, you must identify a lead organisation that will be accountable to DBT for the overall delivery, reporting and financial management. 

Below is an overarching summary of the criteria we will assess the application against:

  • Relevant delivery track record: evidence of delivering comparable high-growth/scale-up programmes (e.g. cohort-based delivery, account/relationship management, curated networks) 

  • Credible networks: strong connections across founders, investors/lenders, and specialist talent/skills expertise, relevant international capability (e.g., overseas networks, trade missions, or market-entry support) 

  • Delivery capacity and governance: clear organisational structure, named leads, and sufficient resourcing (including monitoring/reporting capability) to deliver at pace and manage performance 

  • Ability to manage data effectively and securely: robust information management and data protection arrangements that meet public sector expectations (details to be set out in your application)

Objectives

‘Big Picture’ Objectives 

  • Accelerate the growth of high‑potential UK scale‑ups Design and deliver an intensive, selective pilot that helps existing high‑potential scale‑ups overcome key barriers to growth, particularly access to markets, finance, leadership capability and international opportunities. This is where government intervention can deliver clear additionality. 

  • Test and evidence an effective national scale‑up delivery model Use the pilot to test assumptions around targeting, intensity, delivery and performance management, generating robust evidence on what works while informing future decisions on a scalable national offer. This involves working with an independent evaluation partner appointed by DBT. 

  • Improve value for money by focusing resources where impact is highest Concentrate bespoke support on a smaller cohort of high‑potential firms where deadweight is low and the likelihood of transformational impact is highest, drawing on lessons from previous UK scale‑up programmes. 

Benefits 

For the delivery partner 

  • Enhanced reputation in delivering government contracts/support programmes 

  • Increased knowledge of working with businesses across a range of sectors 

  • Developing & growing a network of ambitious businesses 

For scale‑up businesses 

  • Clearer access to intensive, tailored support that directly addresses barriers to growth 

  • Improved readiness for investment, export activity and leadership for scale 

  • Stronger peer networks and exposure to high‑value partners and markets 

For the UK economy 

  • Stronger productivity, innovation and job creation driven by a small number of high‑impact firms 

  • Enhanced contribution to DBT’s trade and growth objectives through export‑ready scale‑ups 

For DBT and government 

  • Robust evidence on the effectiveness, additionality and value‑for‑money of intensive scale‑up interventions  

  • Clearer insight into how national and regional delivery models can be best developed for scale-ups 

  • A stronger, more coherent government narrative on backing scale‑ups as central to the growth mission

Dates

Applications opening date: 9th June 2026

Applications closing date: 5th July 2026

We aim to communicate the outcome of your application by 26th July 2026.

We envision the scheme to run from late summer 2026 to the end of March 2028.

How to apply

Applications are submitted via the Grants Hub portal. Follow the link to register for the platform and complete your form and supporting documentation.

Supporting information

You will be able to view further supporting documents and guidance attached to the application form in the Grants Hub portal.