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The DRIVE35 Scale Up Fund is a major investment programme delivered by Innovate UK, the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) as part of the UK's long-term strategy to strengthen domestic manufacturing of zero emission vehicle technologies.
With up to £150 million available, the programme supports businesses that are ready to move beyond research and development by establishing pilot-scale and demonstration-scale manufacturing facilities capable of delivering commercial production. The objective is to strengthen the UKs automotive supply chain, attract private investment, and accelerate market entry for innovative clean mobility technologies.
Key Dates and Funding
Competition Opens: 17 June 2026
Competition Closes: No submission deadline (applications accepted on an ongoing basis)
Funding Available: Grant requests between £2.5 million and £20 million (projects must have total eligible costs exceeding £5 million)
Programme Overview
The DRIVE35 Scale Up Fund supports projects that develop manufacturing facilities and production processes capable of validating commercial manufacturing readiness for zero emission vehicle technologies.
Projects should demonstrate how government funding will unlock significant private investment while enabling businesses to establish commercially viable manufacturing operations capable of serving domestic and international automotive markets.
The programme is specifically designed to bridge the gap between successful R&D and full-scale commercial manufacturing.
Technology Scope
Projects should focus on one or more strategically important technologies for zero emission vehicles, including:
The programme also supports projects involving manufacturing automation, quality assurance, process optimisation, workforce training, and manufacturing facility development.
Eligible Activities
Funding can support activities such as:
Projects should demonstrate a clear pathway towards commercial production and long-term manufacturing growth.
Who Can Apply
The competition is open to UK registered businesses of any size, either applying individually or as the lead organisation within a collaborative consortium. Collaborative partners may include:
Projects must be undertaken primarily within the UK and demonstrate clear plans to exploit the resulting manufacturing capability from the UK.
Co-Investment Requirement
A key feature of the DRIVE35 Scale Up Fund is its emphasis on leveraging substantial private investment.
Applicants must demonstrate that public funding will unlock private co-investment worth at least twice the value of the grant requested. This investment may include equity, debt, corporate investment, or other private financing and should support the wider commercial expansion of the business.
This requirement ensures that funded projects have strong commercial backing and a crediblepathway to sustainable manufacturing growth.
How Inventya Can Help
Securing funding through the DRIVE35 Scale Up Fund requires more than a strong technology. Successful applications must demonstrate manufacturing readiness, commercial viability, economic impact, and a compelling investment case.
At Inventya, we help organisations develop competitive applications by combining technical expertise with commercial and strategic insight.
Our support includes:
With extensive experience supporting advanced manufacturing, automotive, clean technology, and Innovate UK funding competitions, Inventya helps businesses maximise their chances of securing investment and accelerating the commercial scale-up of transformative technologies.
