Innovate UK Growth Catalyst – December 2025

Overview

The Innovate UK Growth Catalyst programme supports UK companies with high growth potential by combining grant funding, aligned private investment and structured business support. This competition offers funding for late-stage R&D and commercialisation, helping innovative businesses progress towards market readiness while strengthening their investment position.

Scope

The competition targets seven growth areas identified through the Government’s Industrial Strategy and Battery Innovation Programme. Innovate UK is seeking proposals from businesses operating in Advanced Manufacturing (including battery technology), Clean Energy, Creative Industries, Defence and Security Technologies, Digital and Technologies, and Life Sciences. Applications are also welcomed from companies working in cross-cutting foundation industries that underpin these sectors.

Key themes and topics

Projects should enable scalable commercial growth and support innovation aligned to one of the eligible sector categories. Themes include developing new technologies, accelerating commercial readiness, supporting investment preparation, strengthening business operations, and progressing toward market adoption. Project categories include feasibility studies, industrial research, and experimental development.

Project duration

Projects may run for:

• 6–12 months for feasibility studies
• 6–24 months for industrial research
• 12–24 months for experimental development

Award value

Companies can access:

• Up to £900,000 in grant funding, aligned with private investment
• Project cost ranges:
  • Feasibility: £50k–£300k
  • Industrial research: £100k–£1m
  • Experimental development: £250k–£2m

Funding rates

Funding intervention rates are:

• Up to 70% for feasibility studies and industrial research
• Up to 45% for experimental development

Aligned private investment is required for all project types, at:

• Equal to the grant amount for feasibility and industrial research
• Twice the grant amount for experimental development

Investment does not need to fund the project directly but must be committed before grant drawdown.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must:

• Be a UK-registered business with plans to scale rapidly
• Demonstrate high growth potential
• Seek both grant funding and private investment
• Have engagement with at least one Innovate UK Investor Partner, confirmed via an Expression of Interest
  Innovate UK will assess applications competitively and award funding based on strategic fit. Support is available across the UK, with emphasis on underrepresented regions and sectors.

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