Innovate UK is offering small and micro businesses a share of up to £30 million in grants for affordable, adoptable and investable innovations in net zero and healthcare

Businesses can apply for up to £50,000 for highly innovative ideas that have a clear route to commercialisation through business growth.

The ideas must focus on one of two challenge themes:

  1. Achieving net zero and reducing environmental impact.
  2. Self-driven healthcare, de-centralised healthcare and mental wellbeing.

Within those themes, projects should explore how one or more of the seven UK Innovation Strategy technology areas can enable affordable, adoptable, and investible solutions. These areas are:

  • advanced materials and manufacturing.
  • AI, digital and advanced computing.
  • bioinformatics and genomics.
  • engineering biology.
  • electronics, photonics and quantum.
  • energy and environmental technologies.
  • robotics and smart machines.

To be eligible, projects must lead to new products, processes or services that are significantly ahead of others currently available, or propose an innovative use of existing products, processes or services. It can also involve a new or innovative business model.

This funding is for small and micro businesses only. Eligible companies can apply for a grant of between £25,000 and £50,000. If you receive an award, you will be contacted about working with an innovation and growth specialist at Innovate UK EDGE. This service forms part of the funded offer to you.

See: Competition overview – Fast Start: Innovation – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)