Battery Innovation Concept Development Round 1

Overview

Innovate UK, on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), is offering up to £20 million through the Battery Innovation Programme. This funding supports innovation projects that accelerate the development and commercialisation of advanced battery technologies in the UK, strengthen the domestic supply chain, and improve global competitiveness.

Scope

‍The competition is for concept development projects within the battery value chain. Projects should demonstrate market relevance, technical innovation, and the potential to address industry challenges such as cost, performance, safety, sustainability, and regulatory compliance.

Target sectors include: automotive, aerospace, defence, maritime, rail, personal mobility, and battery energy storage systems.

Key themes and topics

Projects can focus on: raw materials, advanced cell materials, cell design and components, process and manufacturing tools, quality control and diagnostics, or testing, simulation, and digital tools.

Priority areas include: enhancing UK equipment manufacturing and process capability, supporting battery reuse, recovery and recycling, and strengthening local supply chains and industrial resilience.

Proposed innovations should reduce costs, improve performance and safety, meet regulatory standards, and advance UK competitiveness.

Project duration‍

1 to 3 years, with a start date no earlier than 1 April 2026.

Award value

Projects can request between £500,000 and £4 million in grant funding.

Funding rates

‍Up to 70% of eligible costs for micro or small organisations, 60% for medium-sized organisations, and 50% for large organisations.

Research organisations may receive 100% of eligible costs for non-economic activity or 80% of full economic costs if using the Je-S system.

Eligibility criteria

‍Lead organisation must be a UK-registered business of any size, with at least one SME in the consortium claiming funding.

Collaborators can include UK-registered businesses, academic institutions, charities, not-for-profits, public sector organisations, or research & technology organisations (RTOs).

Projects must be carried out in the UK, with results exploited from the UK. Subcontractors are permitted from the UK or overseas (with justification).