Women in Innovation Awards 2025/26

Overview

The Women in Innovation Awards 2025/26 support women founders and co-founders leading late stage start-ups across the UK. Innovate UK plans to fund up to 60 award holders with grants of up to £75,000 each, alongside a structured 12-month support package.

The programme is designed for women-led businesses with scalable, investment-ready innovation in Advanced Manufacturing, Digital and Technologies, or Life Sciences. Award holders will receive funding to accelerate the development and commercialisation of a new or significantly improved product, service or business model, alongside tailored growth support and visibility.

A small number of highly commended applicants who are not awarded funding may still be offered 12 months of bespoke business support.

Scope

This competition supports women founders and co-founders who:

• Lead a UK-registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) listed on Companies House.
• Are operating a late stage start-up, with a prototype or minimal viable product, early customer interest or revenue, and a clear understanding of their target users and market.
• Are building a scalable business with plans to raise significant investment in the next 12–24 months.
• Are developing innovation aligned to one of the following UK high growth sectors:
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Digital and Technologies
  • Life Sciences
    

Projects must focus on new-to-market solutions or significant improvements over existing offerings in terms of performance, efficiency, accessibility, cost or impact. The competition will use a portfolio approach to back a diverse, regionally spread cohort across the three sectors.

Key themes and topics

Innovation must clearly align with at least one of the three growth sectors and their associated priority areas, for example:

Advanced Manufacturing

• Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) and Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM)
• Batteries for net zero and clean energy
• Low-carbon aerospace and advanced propulsion
• Space manufacturing and Industry 4.0 applications
• Advanced materials for low-carbon and resilient components
• Agri-tech for sustainable, productive food systems
  

Digital and Technologies

• Artificial Intelligence, including foundation models and applied AI
• Cyber security and secure digital infrastructure
• Quantum computing, sensing and communications
• Semiconductors and strategic chip supply chains
• Engineering biology and bio-manufacturing applications
• Advanced connectivity, including 5G, 6G and satellite communications
  

Life Sciences

• Biotechnology, genomics and advanced therapeutics
• MedTech, including AI-enabled diagnostics and wearables
• Pharmaceutical innovation and sustainable manufacturing
• Health data and AI for personalised care and improved outcomes
  

Project duration

All funded projects must:

• Request up to 12 months of funding.
• Start on 1 July 2026.
• End on 30 June 2027.
  

Project work must be carried out in the UK, and the business must plan to exploit results from or in the UK. Projects must not start before Innovate UK has approved the Grant Offer Letter.

Award holders must also commit to the non-financial elements of the programme during this 12-month period, including training, coaching and role-modelling activity.

Award value

Each successful applicant can receive:

• Up to £75,000 in grant funding, covering up to 100% of eligible project costs (subject to Minimal Financial Assistance rules and limits).
• 12 months of tailored business support, which may include:
  • Training and development, with a minimum of 10 hours of dedicated support.
  • Coaching and strategic advice from a dedicated Innovation Growth Specialist.
  • Press and media training to maximise profile when winners are announced.
  • Bespoke investment support and warm introductions to investors.
  • Access to networks and events via Innovate UK Business Connect.
  • Mentoring opportunities, both receiving and potentially offering mentoring to others.
    

Grant payments are staged as:

• 50% of the grant within a month of the project start date.
• 40% in arrears after approval of the 50% spend claim and supporting evidence.
• The final 10% up to 30 days after the final claim is submitted and approved.
  

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, all of the following must apply:

Project requirements

• Grant request of up to £75,000.
• Project length of 12 months, running from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
• Project work carried out in the UK, with clear plans to exploit outcomes from or in the UK.
• Only eligible project costs included in the budget, aligned with Innovate UK rules.

Lead applicant

The lead must:

• Be a woman founder or co-founder of the business.
• Be resident in the UK.
• Lead a UK-registered SME (micro, small or medium) registered on Companies House.
• Commit to a minimum of 10 hours of training and development support.
• Commit to a minimum of four hours of role-modelling activity to inspire future women innovators.
• Submit only one application, with only one woman per business allowed to apply.
  

Applicants are not eligible if they or their organisation have previously received funding from:

• Women in Innovation Awards
• Young Innovators Next Steps follow-on funding
• Innovate UK Award: Build
  

Other conditions and exclusions

• Subcontractor costs must not exceed 50% of the grant amount and must be procured fairly.
• Applicants must not breach UK sanctions or create financial benefit to sanctioned entities.
• Projects involving animals must comply with UKRI guidance and relevant legislation.
• Applicants must be within MFA/subsidy limits and comply with the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (and EU State Aid rules where applicable).