Key Features
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £32.8 million for collaborations developing the supply chain for quantum enabled sensing.
Programme: Innovate UK
Award: Share of up to £32.8 million
Opens: 3rd Jun 2026
Closes: 8th Jul 2026
Innovate UK are investing up to £32.8 million from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The aim of this competition is to stimulate projects developing supply chains for sensing and position, navigation and timing applications using second generation quantum technologies. Projects must address the challenge of a quantum enabled system integrator or Original Equipment Manufacturer, relevant to quantum sensing or PNT, or address multiple cross platform challenges.
To be eligible for this competition, your project must have a total grant funding request of between £4 to £6 million with projects lasting between 36 and 41 months. Projects must not start before 1st November 2026 and end by 31st March 2030.
Lead Organisation: To lead a collaborative project, organisations must be a UK registered business of any size. Consortiums must contain at least one UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise claiming grant funding on this application. Academic institutions cannot lead.
Project Team: To collaborate with the lead, organisations must be a business of any size, academic institution, charity, not for profit, public sector organisation or research and technology organisation. Each partner organisation must be invited into the Innovation Funding Service by the lead to collaborate on a project.
Non-funded Partners: Projects can include organisations that do not claim funding for their work on the project. These costs must be covered from their own resources and can include UK, EU, and other non-UK organisations. Non-UK partners are permitted to carry out project work from within their home countries so long as results are exploited outside the UK.
Subcontractors: Subcontractors are allowed in this competition and can be from anywhere in the UK. Overseas subcontractors can be used, but you must state why UK subcontractors could not be used.
Number of applications: Eligible businesses can only lead on one application. Additional applications by the same organisation as lead will be made ineligible. Eligible businesses leading an application can be included as a collaborator in two further applications. Organisations not leading an application can collaborate in any number of applications.
Previous Applications: Previously submitted applications can be used in this competition.
Innovate UK will not fun the following projects:
Innovate UK has allocated up to £32.8 million to fund innovation projects in this Scaling Supply Chains for Quantum Enabled Sensing and PNT competition. Funding will be in the form of a grant.
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 for projects that are for the same or substantially the same activities or purpose within the last three financial years.
For industrial research projects, you can get grant funding for your eligible project costs of:
Category 2: Industrial research projects
Research participation
The research organisations undertaking non-economic activity as part of the project can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation undertaking non-economic activity, this maximum is shared between them. Of that 30% you can get funding for your eligible project costs of up to:
Eligibility criteria for claiming 80% of FEC funding
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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