TechLocal: Connecting Local Talent to Local Tech Jobs

Key Features

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £7.6 million to enable career and growth opportunities in the tech sector. This funding is from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Programme:     Innovate UK

Award:     Share of up to £7.6 million

Opens: 4th Feb 2026

Closes: 18th Mar 2026

! This scheme is now closed
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Grant Overview

Innovate UK are working with the Department of Science to invest up to £7.6 million in the TechLocal: Connecting Local Talent to Local Tech Jobs competition.

Grant Scope

The competitions aim is to develop local impactful initiatives that secure entry level jobs by bridging the gap between training and employment.

The six frontier technology sectors included in this competition are:

  • AI
  • Cyber Security
  • Engineering Biology
  • Quantum
  • Semiconductors
  • Advanced Connectivity Technologies

Eligibility Criteria

Projects must request between £100,000 and £225,000 million in grant funding with projects lasting between 6-9 months. Projects must not start before 1st July 2026 and end on 31st March 2027. Project work needs to be carried out in the UK with project results exploited in the UK.

Lead: To lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size, Research and Technology Organisations, academic institution, charity, not for profit or public sector organisation. Local Authorities can not lead a project.

Project team: To collaborate with a lead, organisations must be a UK registered: business of any size. Academic institution, charity, not for-profit, public-sector organisation or research and technology organisation

Non funded partners: Projects can include organisations that do not claim funding for their work on the project. Their costs will be covered by their own resources.

Subcontractors: Subcontractors are allowed in this competition and can be from anywhere in the UK. Overseas subcontractors can be used, but you must make a case as to why subcontractors from the UK could not be used.

Number of applications: Businesses, research and technology organisations, academic institutions, charities, not for profit or public sector organisations can only lead on one application but they can collaborate on a further 2 applications.

Previous applications: Previously submitted applications can be used in this competition

Grant Exclusions

The following projects are not being funded:

  • Projects not in scope for the competition
  • Projects that do not have clear impact in one or more of the 12 specified geographical areas
  • Projects that do not have impact or application in at least one of the six frontier technologies
  • Projects that replicate the aims or activities of other TechFirst initiatives
  • Projects that are limited to research papers or feasibility studies

Grant Funding

Innovate UK are offering up to £7.6 million to fund innovation projects. Funding will be in the form of a grant. Funding will be in the form of a grant.

Category 2 Industrial research projects:

  • up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
  • up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation
  • up to 50% if you are a large organisation

Streamline Scheme Information

This scheme supports research or critical information to gain new skills or knowledge. It can also fund projects that make improvements to existing projects, processes or services. Examples of digital products include:

  • supercomputing
  • quantum technologies
  • blockchain technologies
  • artificial intelligence
  • cyber security
  • big data
  • cloud technologies

Research participation

Research organisations undertaking non-economic activity as part of the project can share up to 50% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation taking part in non-exempt activity the maximum is shared. Of the 50% you can receive funding for eligible project costs of:

  • 100% of your eligible project costs if you are an RTO, charity, not for profit organisation, public sector organisation or research organisation
  • 80% of full economic costs (FEC) if you are a Je-S registered institution such as an academic

Eligibility criteria for claiming 80% of FEC funding

  1. Research organisations using the Je-S system must submit their costs through the Je-S system which calculates the 80% FEC figure.
  2. On IFS, only the 80% FEC output should be entered at 100% funding.
  3. Applicants do not need to show the remaining 20% on the finance table.

For further information on this competition, please see full details.

Full competition details

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Book an appointment to speak to one of our advisors to discuss your eligibility to apply for this Grant Funding opportunity.