What are R&D grants?
R&D Grants offer crucial financial incentives for businesses embarking on projects in key government priority areas. These grants provide financial funding support, enabling you to pursue innovative projects.
Accessible to businesses of all sizes, many grants are specifically designed to support SMEs. Funding is available from various UK government departments (e.g. DSIT, DESNZ, Defra), including Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency who oversee and promote these funding opportunities.
Why should you consider grant funding?
Grant funding provides a unique opportunity to accelerate your business growth by securing financial support for your innovative projects. Below are our top five reasons why you should consider R&D Grant funding.
Grants provide a financial boost without the need for repayment, allowing businesses to invest in innovation without concerns around interest, debt, dilution or intellectual property rights.
Securing grant funding is a competitive process with applications undergoing a rigorous review process. Being awarded funding is a prestigious accolade which showcases your commitment to innovation and your ability to meet rigorous selection criteria. This will enable you to leverage further opportunities to secure funding and further your brand amongst clients and investors.
Grant programs often come with access to a network of experts, mentors, and potential partners, and enable you to collaborate with other businesses or publicly funded organisations such as universities or research technology centres of excellence. Engaging with the wider R&D ecosystem also provides opportunities to upskill employees through knowledge sharing.
Embarking on a project which has been awarded Grant funding is a surefire way to know that the work you are conducting is having an impact on the future of your industry and on society as a whole.
The UKRI Strategy 2022-2027 report shows that public investment in Research & Development attracts a further £2 of private R&D investment for every £1 of public money.
The UK and innovation
The UK has a rich legacy of pioneering innovations, from the Industrial Revolution to the digital age, continuously shaping the future of technology and industry. With a history of groundbreaking achievements, such as the development of the steam engine, the discovery of penicillin, and the creation of the World Wide Web, the UK remains at the forefront of global innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
As part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Innovate UK’s mission is to drive productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to realise the potential of new technologies, develop ideas and make them a commercial success.
The UK boasts a robust innovation ecosystem, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and government to drive technological advancements.
Innovate UK provides tailored funding and expert guidance to help businesses of all sizes navigate the innovation landscape, from early-stage research to market-ready solutions.
By championing new technologies and innovative ideas, Innovate UK plays a pivotal role in boosting the UK economy, creating jobs, and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.
Our streamlined Grant services
1. Pre-award:
We help you secure funding by managing the entire application process, ensuring your submission stands out.
Confirm project fit and refine your application strategy.
Draft and revise all sections, including technical and commercial inputs, aligned with competition criteria.
Build a robust project budget and risk register.
Handle all administrative aspects to ensure timely and compliant submissions.
Strengthen your proposal based on feedback and assist with resubmission, if needed.
2. Award notification
Transition smoothly from funding success to project delivery with our expert support.
Manage registration and compliance within funding platforms
Ensure match-funding requirements and financial evidence align
Review collaboration agreements, exploitation plans, and grant offer terms.
Handle all administrative aspects to ensure timely and compliant submissions.
Finalise spend profiles and create an actionable project management plan.
3. Post-award
Keep your project on track with our comprehensive post-award management services.
Grants Lead
Meet our team
Will is a senior leader within our Consulting team, focused on operational excellence, revenue enablement, and driving cross-functional alignment. With over a decade of experience in the innovation funding sector, he has worked alongside some of the UK’s most forward-thinking founders and executives across digital, clean-tech, medical, and manufacturing industries – supporting the successful delivery of over £100 million in funding.
A Chartered Manager and certified Change Management Practitioner, Will brings deep expertise in internal operational improvement, specialising in scaling teams, evolving product offerings, and enhancing client value. His approach centres on creating high-performing, data-informed teams and fostering cultures where innovation and performance thrive together.
Before joining Kene, Will led the Grants function at tax service and software provider within its EAP Innovation Funding practice, where he was responsible for service delivery, product development, and organisational transformation.
Whether he’s advising clients on funding strategy or building internal capabilities, Will is passionate about unlocking the potential of people and data, combining commercial insight with a strong understanding of the UK’s innovation landscape to deliver measurable impact.
As Grants Lead, Claire is responsible for advising SMEs on securing national and European R&D grant funding and specialises in guiding clients through all stages of the grants process. She has a demonstrable track record of successfully leading the development of winning proposals helping to unlock R&D funding for deep-tech SMEs.
Claire is a highly experienced innovation consultant and grant writer bringing over 15 years’ experience in grant funded R&D, leveraging a broad network of connections across the UK's R&D innovation ecosystem. She is a PhD qualified chemist with a strong technical background in organic chemistry and biotechnology. Beginning her career as a synthetic chemist at a CRO before returning to academia for a PhD, and post-doctoral research in directed enzyme evolution and biocatalysis. Claire is also an official project facilitator for Defra’s ADOPT funding scheme.
Check your eligibility for R&D funding now
Discover which UK government incentives your business could qualify for with our quick and easy self-assessment tool. In just a few minutes, you’ll receive a tailored report outlining the funding opportunities available to support your innovation and growth.
R&D tax credits, grants, Patent Box and R&D allowances are all schemes are designed to help ambitious businesses like yours thrive. Don’t leave potential funding untapped—it could be the key to fuelling your next big idea.
R&D Grant Funding – FAQs
Contact us
How do we calculate our fees?
At Kene , our fees reflect the quality of the service we provide. We always want to offer value, and our rates are an honest and competitive reflection of what we do – we apply the same diligence, rigour, and consistency to all our work. But we won’t cut corners or sacrifice client service in order to be that ‘cheap’ R&D consultancy.
As part of our commitment to outstanding service, we invest in our highly skilled and educated team of engineers, sector specialists, chartered tax advisers, and R&D specialists – our fees allow us to maintain that commitment.
Our full-service, end-to-end R&D tax claims are success-based. The fee is charged as a percentage of the claim which we agree upon before any work takes place. This fee covers the full scope of work including technical workshop(s), information gathering, report writing and full support in the event of an enquiry from HMRC. You will also be appointed a dedicated project manager who will be on hand to assist throughout the claims process.
Success-based; only pay if your claim is successful
Dedicated project manager and in-house sector experts
Full support beyond claim submission
Find out if you qualify for R&D funding
Discover which UK government incentives your business could qualify for with our quick and easy self-assessment tool. In just a few minutes, you’ll receive a tailored report outlining the funding opportunities available to support your innovation and growth.
R&D tax credits, grants, Patent Box and R&D allowances are all schemes are designed to help ambitious businesses like yours thrive. Don’t leave potential funding untapped—it could be the key to fuelling your next big idea.
Why should you consider Grant funding?
Grant funding provides a unique opportunity to accelerate your business growth by securing financial support for your innovative projects. Below are our top five reasons why you should consider R&D Grant funding.
In an initial consultation, we’ll determine if your business is eligible for R&D tax credits. We will clarify any legal provisions and seek the necessary financial information to initiate your claim.
Before we submit your claim, you’ll see a final version of your comprehensive R&D report. We will handle any HMRC inquiries and provide ongoing support, including record-keeping guidance for future claims.
Before we submit your claim, you’ll see a final version of your comprehensive R&D report. We will handle any HMRC inquiries and provide ongoing support, including record-keeping guidance for future claims.
Before we submit your claim, you’ll see a final version of your comprehensive R&D report. We will handle any HMRC inquiries and provide ongoing support, including record-keeping guidance for future claims.
Before we submit your claim, you’ll see a final version of your comprehensive R&D report. We will handle any HMRC inquiries and provide ongoing support, including record-keeping guidance for future claims.
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