Key Features
Programme: Innovate UK
Award: Share of up to £10 million
Opens: 23rd Jun 2026
Closes: 11th Aug 2026
Innovate UK are investing up to £10 million in this ‘Next Wave: Breakthrough Wave 1’ funding competition to support early-stage innovation in the intersection of high growth potential Createch and the Industrial Strategy Frontier industries. This funding competition aims to advance innovations beyond proof of concept, helping to de-risk future investment and supporting long term sector growth.
Next Wave: Breakthrough Wave 1, funded by Innovate UK competition is designed to accelerate early-stage innovation in the intersection of high growth potential Createch and the Industrial Strategy Frontier industries. Your project must:
Your project must focus on commercial digital platforms and services in one of the following frontier industries:
Your project must:
To receive funding your organisation must carry out its project work in the UK and must intend to exploit the results in the UK. You must also spend your funding within the UK.
You must not start your project until Innovate UK have approved your Grant Offer Letter and projects must always start on the first of the month, even if this day falls on a non-working day.
Lead organisation
To lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME) claiming grant funding on this application.
To work alone your organisation must be a UK registered SME.
Academic institutions and RTOs cannot lead or work alone.
Organisations that are not profit driven or do not have a commercial focus, including Community Interest Companies (CICs) and charities, are not allowed to lead in this competition.
Project team
To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:
Each partner organisation must be invited into the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) by the lead to collaborate on a project.
Non-funded partners
Your project may involve organisations that do not require funding for their participation. These partners will cover their own costs and may include UK, EU, and other international organisations. Non-UK partners can undertake project activities from their respective countries and exploit the results outside the UK.
Subcontractors
Subcontractors are permitted in this competition, but their costs must not exceed 50% of the total project costs. Subcontractors may be based anywhere in the UK and must be selected through your standard procurement processes. Overseas subcontractors can also be used; however, you must justify in your application why suitable UK-based subcontractors have not been selected for the project.
Your project’s total eligible costs must be between £100,000 and £500,000.
Up to £10 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects for ‘Next Wave: Breakthrough Wave 1’. This is subject to Innovate UK receiving a sufficient number of high quality applications.
Innovate UK reserve the right to revise funding allocations across their competitions in exceptional circumstances, such as changes in policy, portfolio priorities, or wider government funding decisions.
Under the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Route rules, no more than £3 million can be awarded in the form of a grant to any one enterprise in any one competition.
For industrial research projects, you can get grant funding for your eligible project costs of:
Category 2: Industrial research projects
Book an appointment to speak to one of our advisors to discuss your eligibility to apply for this Grant Funding opportunity.
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