Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £2.5 million for Inclusive Innovation Awards across the UK.

The aim of this competition is to support micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SMEs), who have a track record and demonstrable positive impact for the target audience. This must be in developing innovations centred on equality, diversity and inclusion in their design and development.

We are looking for SMEs that can be role models for inclusive innovation, encouraging other businesses to see the many benefits. The awards are for businesses that have been operating for at least one year.

Your project can come from any area of technology and be applied to any part of the economy such as, digital and technologies, net zero, healthy living and agriculture. This list is not exhaustive.

Your proposal must be business focused and demonstrate how your previous innovations have supported equality, diversity and inclusion. You must highlight how an award will further develop your work on inclusive innovations.

In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated.

Your project

Your project must:

• have a total grant funding request of £50,000
• start on 1 April 2023
• end on 31 March 2024
• last 12 months
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Your company must be able to commit to:

• provide at least 5 days over the duration of the award to be a role model for inclusive innovation, expenses for these activities can be included in the project costs
• spend up to two days supporting development of the Innovate UK partners resources to support inclusive innovation

You must only include eligible project costs in your application.

Under current restrictions, this competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian or Belarusian entity as lead, partner or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian or Belarusian source.

You will be made ineligible if you exceed the Minimal Financial Assistance limit. You must submit a complete declaration as part of your application.

Lead organisation

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise
• be a business that has been operating for at least 12 months from the competition close date
• not have exceeded your £315,000 limit of de minimis or minimal financial assistance funding during the current and previous two fiscal years
• have a track-record delivering an inclusive innovation

Subcontractors

Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.

Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.

You can use subcontractors from overseas but must make the case in your application as to why you could not use suppliers from the UK.

You must provide a detailed rationale, evidence of the potential UK contractors you approached and the reasons why they were unable to work with you. We will not accept a cheaper cost as a sufficient reason to use an overseas subcontractor.

We expect all subcontractor costs to be no more than 25% of total costs, unless in exceptional circumstances, and justified as appropriate within the application.

Number of applications

A micro, small or medium-sized enterprise can only lead on one application.