-ai.png)
Innovate UK Growth Catalyst is an integrated package designed to accelerate UK start-ups and scale-ups by combining grant funding, private investment and specialist business support. Round 2 of the Investor Partnerships programme invites innovation led SMEs to apply for matched funding that unlocks growth across key UK strategic sectors.
What the Competition Supports
Projects must align with one of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy sectors:
Advanced manufacturing: Including automotive technologies, battery innovation and energy storage, aerospace systems, advanced materials such as composites, metals, polymers, ceramics and glass, agri-tech manufacturing technologies, and space sector engineering. This sector also covers essential industrial inputs like steel, cement, ceramics, chemicals and critical minerals, and innovations that strengthen supply chains, improve productivity and modernise manufacturing infrastructure.
Clean energy industries: Including onshore, offshore and floating wind, hydrogen production and storage systems, fusion and nuclear technologies, carbon capture and greenhouse gas removal, heat pumps, electricity networks, smart grid integration and digital energy management. This sector also supports energy supply chain localisation, cost reduction technologies and innovations that enhance UK energy security.
Digital and technologies: Including artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum technologies, semiconductors, cyber security, advanced connectivity such as 5G, 6G, IoT and satellite communications, engineering biology, automation systems and secure data infrastructure. This sector also covers digital solutions that improve industrial productivity, predictive maintenance, supply chain interoperability and digital transformation.
Defence: Including autonomous systems and robotics, advanced propulsion, maritime and aerospace platforms, defence supply chain innovations and frontier engineering technologies such as sensors, composites and advanced materials. Where relevant, applicants must show evidence of defence sector traction and potential for dual-use commercialisation.
Creative industries: Including advertising, marketing, film, television, video games, music, performing arts and visual arts, as well as emerging createch applications that combine creativity with digital technologies. The aim is to strengthen the UK’s leadership in creative production, design innovation and digital content creation.
Life sciences: Including pharmaceuticals, therapeutic discovery across all modalities, advanced manufacturing of medicines, medical technologies such as diagnostics, wearables and minimally invasive devices, and digital health solutions using multi-omics, health data and AI. Projects addressing conditions that disproportionately affect women are particularly welcomed.
Foundation industries: Including innovations across steel, glass, ceramics, cement, paper and chemicals, focusing on low carbon processes, recycling technologies, industrial efficiency, resource optimisation and shared infrastructure development that enables sector-wide decarbonisation and resilience.
Cross-sector enabling technologies: Including advanced manufacturing tools, AI and digitalisation approaches, net zero technologies, supply chain optimisation, resilience solutions and responsible innovation practices that apply across multiple sectors and accelerate industrial transformation.
Battery Innovation Programme: Including raw materials, advanced cell materials, cell design, components, manufacturing tools, quality control, diagnostics, testing, simulation and digital tools. Projects may support battery applications across automotive, motorsport, aerospace, defence, maritime, rail, mobility and stationary energy storage systems.
R&D activity must address a clear market need and present a strong route to commercialisation. Projects must fall within one of the following research categories:
Investment Requirements
Applicants must:
Grant percentage varies by project type and organisation size:
For experimental development, the aligned investment must be at least twice the grant amount.
Subcontractors
What Innovate UK Assesses
A project can only start once the investor partner confirms the aligned investment.
Key Dates
How Inventya Can Help
Inventya works with ambitious start-ups and scale-ups to secure both public funding and private investment. We help you:
With Inventya, your application stands out as investment ready, growth focused and strategically aligned with the aims of Innovate UK’s Growth Catalyst programme.
