Energy catalyst round 11 – mid stage

Overview

This is the “prove it in the field” stage: strong for SMEs with a credible clean energy access solution (tech or business model) and the right delivery partners on the ground. The competition is tough (Innovate UK flags ~15% success rates from previous rounds), so you’ll want a sharp theory of change, strong in-country delivery, and a crisp plan for affordability, reliability and low-carbon impact.  

Scope

To be in scope you must address both:

• Energy access: improving or creating access to affordable, clean energy services for low-income households, enterprises, or social institutions in eligible ODA countries, via development/testing/scale up of innovations  
• Clean energy: your solution must be affordable, reliable and low carbon  

At least 50% of the project must focus on clean energy access and energy innovation (based on costs and work packages).  

Key themes and topics

While any approach meeting the energy access + clean energy tests can fit, Innovate UK highlights priority “Ayrton Challenge” areas across the round, including (examples): next generation solar, sustainable cooling, modern cooking, energy efficiency, industrial decarbonisation, clean transport, smart energy systems, energy storage, clean hydrogen, critical minerals, inclusive energy, and zero emissions generators.  

Non-starters include projects that are not ODA compliant, don’t credibly improve energy access in the target regions, don’t address clean energy requirements, don’t manage GEDSI, or where energy access isn’t the primary focus.  

Project duration

• 6 to 24 months  
• Must start from 1 August 2026 and end by 31 March 2030 (projects start on the first of the month)  
• Useful timeline markers: briefing event 14 January 2026, applicants notified 18 May 2026, earliest start 1 August 2026.  

Award value

• Total eligible costs: £50,000 to £1.5 million  
• Grant funding is awarded as part of a portfolio approach across regions, technologies and maturities.  

Funding rates

Industrial research projects (businesses):

• Up to 70% (micro/small)
• Up to 60% (medium)
• Up to 50% (large)  

Research participation (non-economic activity):

• Research organisations can share up to 30% of total eligible project costs (split if multiple research orgs)
• Of that 30%: up to 100% for eligible org types, or 80% FEC for Je-S registered institutions  

Eligibility criteria

Your project must:

• Be collaborative and involve at least one legally separate collaborator  
• Include a UK registered administrative lead (hub-and-spoke model for managing and distributing funds)  
• Include at least one grant-claiming SME (from anywhere in the world)  
• Include at least one partner with a legal entity in the target regions (sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Indo-Pacific, Latin America)  
• Include testing or demonstration work in an eligible ODA country