Key Features
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £3 million for innovative projects in quantum. This funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.
Programme: Innovate UK
Award: Share of up to £3 million
Opens: 12th Feb 2026
Closes: 15th Apr 2026
Innovate UK will invest up to £3 million for innovative projects in quantum technologies.
The competition aims to strengthen collaborative research and development towards commercialising quantum technologies, though UK and German partnerships.
Proposals must demonstrate co-innovation, high potential for commercialisation, address a technological challenge and global market exploitation plan.
The following themes are in scope:
Grant funding of between £750,000 and £1 million will be allocated to UK organisations for projects lasting between 18-24 months. Projects must on 1st November 2026 and end by 31st October 2028.
Most of the project work must be undertaken in the UK and Germany. Projects must not start until your Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK. Consortiums must include one business registered in Germany as the project co-lead and one that is not linked to the UK. No one country or project partner can represent more than 70% of the total project cost.
Lead: Organisations must be a UK registered business of any size and work with at least one German registered business applying for the BMFTR.
UK project teams: To collaborate with the lead, organisations must be a UK registered business of any size, academic institution or research and technology organisation
Germany based partners: Germany based partners do not need to be invited into Innovate UK’s application on IFS.
Non-funded partners: Projects can include organisations who do not claim any funding for their work on the project. Costs will be covered from their own resources and can include UK, EU and other non-UK organisations.
Subcontractors: Subcontractors are allowed in the competition but are limited to no more than 20% of the total eligible costs of the UK participation. Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK. Overseas subcontractors can be used but you must make the case in your application as to why UK subcontractors could not be used
Number of applications: UK business can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in one further application. UK businesses not leading an application can collaborate on a maximum of two applications. Academic institutions or RTO’s can collaborate in any number of applications
The following projects are excluded from funding:
Second generation quantum technologies that exploit superposition and entanglement phenomena in applications.
Projects that cannot be funded are:
Up to £3 million in grant funding has been allocated to fund innovation projects. Funding will be in the form of a grant.
Each country will fund its eligible participants according to their national procedure and funding rules. The balance between total eligible project costs and the amount of grants awarded must be funded by the organisation receiving the grant.
Feasibility studies and industrial research projects can receive funding for eligible project costs of:
Research and Development
Research organisations undertaking in non-economic activities as part of the project can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs. Consortiums containing more than one research organisation undertaking non-economic activity. Of that 30% you can get funding for 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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