Key Features
Organisations can apply for a share of £2.5 million (including VAT) to create innovative solutions that improve the early, fair, and reliable identification of special educational needs (SEN), particularly where current market offerings are limited or ineffective.
Programme: Innovate UK
Award: Share of up to £2.5 million
Opens: 23rd Jun 2026
Closes: 5th Aug 2026
Organisations can apply for a share of £2.5 million (including VAT) to develop innovations that improve the early, fair, and reliable identification of special educational needs (SEN), with a focus on better supporting children in SEN, particularly where existing market solutions are ineffective or unavailable.
This Contracts for Innovation competition aims to support the development of special educational needs (SEN) children and is seeking projects that have a strong pathway to real-world adoption and impact. Your project must deliver one or both of the following outcomes:
To be eligible for this grant, projects must have total costs of between £200,000 and £500,000, inclusive of VAT. Your project must start by 1st October 2026, and end by 30th September 2027 and must last up to 12 months.
Projects must start on the first day of the month, even if this falls on a non-working day, and projects cannot be started until your contract has been approved by Innovate UK.
Lead: To lead a project, organisations must an organisation of any size, including those based in EU, EEA or internationally. registered business of any size.
You must work independently or with specialist subcontractors from business, academia, RTOs, or the third sector. Contracts will be awarded to a single legal entity. Most work, deliverables, and funding must remain with the UK-based applicant, with subcontracting limited to specialist skills.
The competition will not fund projects that lack clear innovation, real-world application, user involvement, legal compliance or originality. In addition, they will not support projects that do not address the specific market failures outlined in the project scope, and projects that do not have UK children and families as their direct or indirect beneficiaries.
Up to £2.5 million (including VAT) is available for Phase 1 feasibility R&D projects, with contracts of up to £500,000 each for up to 12 months. They expect to fund up to 12 projects, subject to receiving enough high-quality applications.
Funding allocations may be revised to reflect policy changes or wider budget considerations. Successful Phase 1 projects may be invited to progress to a potential Phase 2 for further development.
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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