Analysis for Innovators: National Physical Laboratory Stage 1

Key Features

UK registered businesses can apply for funding to resolve productivity and competitiveness issues, by working with National Physical Laboratory (NPL) scientists.

Programme:     Innovate UK

Award:     Funding unavailable

Opens: 26th Aug 2025

Closes: 15th Sep 2025

! This scheme is closing soon

Overview

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will work with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to invest in small, innovation projects delivered by our analysis for innovators partner NPL. This is subject to a sufficient number of high quality applications being received.

Innovate UK reserve the right to adjust funding allocations for any of our competitions under exceptional circumstances, for example, in response to changes in policy, portfolio funding considerations, or broader government funding decisions.

Scope

The aim of this competition is to help businesses address their existing analysis and measurement problems. These are problems that can be best explored by scientists and cutting-edge facilities available in the UK.

You must outline what you consider to be the benefits of solving your problem, such as improved productivity or competitiveness.

Innovate UK will only consider problems that:

  • are related to an existing process, product or service owned or used by a company
  • are related to the measurement or analysis of some quantities or properties of your process, product or service
  • are not effectively solvable by simple ‘off the shelf’ methods or techniques
  • relates to a product, service or process improvement owned or used by a company

You must outline any methods and attempts that you have previously tried to address the problem. Do not propose how the problem should be solved.

Analysis problems cannot be simply software related, for example pure data analysis.

Eligibility

Your project must:

  • meet the programme problem scope requirements
  • relate to work being undertaken in the UK
  • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
  • demonstrate a stage 2 project duration of between 3 and 9 months with NPL

Confirmation of your stage 2 project duration and start date will be agreed with your analysis for innovators partner during brokerage following a successful stage 1 application. This must be between 1 January 2026 and 30 September 2026.

In stage 2, all of your funding from this competition will be subject to Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) limits. You will be made ineligible if you exceed this limit. You must submit a completed MFA declaration as part of your application in stage 2.

Lead organisation

To apply to this stage, your organisation must be a UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME).

More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.

Number of applications

A UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME), must submit only one application to this competition.

Sanctions

This competition will not fund you, or provide any financial benefit to any individual or entities directly or indirectly involved with you, which would expose Innovate UK or any direct or indirect beneficiary of funding from Innovate UK to UK Sanctions. For example, through any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any entity as lead, partner or subcontractor related to these countries, administrations and terrorist groups.

Use of animals in research and innovation

Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.

Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.

You can use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.

Exclusions

Innovate UK are consider problems that are:

  • not measurement or analysis problems
  • ones we consider to be resolvable with easily available methods, such as those that do not require any innovative or cutting-edge science or facilities
  • solely computer software analysis problems, such as algorithms to analyse objects
  • not related to a company’s existing processes, products or services owned or used by the company

In the Stage 2 competition Innovate UK will not fund any projects that:

  • involve primary production in fishery and aquaculture
  • involve primary production in agriculture
  • are not allowed under De minimis regulation restrictions
  • are not eligible to receive Minimal Financial Assistance
  • are dependent on export performance, for example, giving an award to a baker on the condition that they export a certain quantity of bread to another country
  • are dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example, if we give an award to a baker on the condition that they use 50% UK flour in their product

Funding Costs

There is no funding available at stage 1 of this competition. Successful applicants from stage 1 will be invited to submit a stage 2 application which, if successful, companies will match fund their own contribution to the project, and will have NPL’s support fully funded.

In stage 2, NPL have allocated up to £1.5 million to support innovation projects within this competition. Your total project costs will be eligible for NPL funding support subject to MFA subsidy rules.

This is subject to us receiving a sufficient number of high quality applications.

Innovate UK reserve the right to adjust funding allocations for any of our competitions under exceptional circumstances, for example, in response to changes in policy, portfolio funding considerations, or broader government funding decisions.

You can make reference to any additional voluntary contribution in your application answers. It must not be detailed in the finance section.

For more information on company sizes, please refer to the Company accounts guidance.

If you are applying for an award funded under European Commission Regulations, the definitions are set out in the European Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003.

Innovate UK may revoke our decision to provide funding without notice if government commitment for this initiative is withdrawn.