UK-Germany Collaborative Innovation for Quantum Technologies 2026

Overview of the programme and its objectives

UK-Germany Collaborative Innovation for Quantum Technologies 2026 is a bilateral grant competition funded by Innovate UK (UKRI). UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £3 million to support collaborative R&D projects in quantum technologies. The competition aims to strengthen UK–Germany collaboration and accelerate the commercialisation of second generation quantum technologies.

Projects must demonstrate:

Co-innovation between UK and German partners
A clear technological challenge
A credible global market exploitation plan

What the programme supports

Projects must focus on the development, prototyping and testing of commercial quantum technologies in one or more of the following themes:

Technologies to scale practical quantum computing (qubit processors, switching, networking or control systems)
Commercial quantum computing software solutions and services
Industrial products, processes or services enabling scalable solutions, including chip scale quantum, photonic and optoelectronic systems
Quantum sensing applications (clocks, industrial instrumentation, clinical devices, imaging, resource mapping, geological or oceanographic survey applications)

Projects must:

Request £750,000 to £1 million in grant funding for UK organisations
Ensure the majority of project work is undertaken in the UK and Germany
Demonstrate balanced contribution between both countries

Who can apply

The UK project lead must be a UK registered business of any size and must submit the application through the Innovation Funding Service (IFS).

UK partners may include:

Businesses of any size
Academic institutions
Research and technology organisations (RTOs)

The consortium must include at least one German registered business as project co-lead, applying separately to BMFTR.

Funding and support available

UK partners grant funding request: £750,000 to £1 million
Total UK competition budget: Up to £3 million
German partners: Expected maximum request is the euro equivalent of £1 million (higher amounts may be agreed in exceptional cases)

German partners will be funded by BMFTR following a parallel application and assessment.

Key dates and timeline

Competition opens: Thursday 12 February 2026
Competition closes: Wednesday 15 April 2026 at 11:00am

How Inventya Can Help

Inventya supports ambitious UK businesses to secure collaborative international R&D funding.

Our team can help you:

Structure a strong UK - Germany collaboration strategy
Position your quantum innovation clearly within the eligible technology themes
Build a compelling commercialisation and global market plan
Ensure cost eligibility and compliance with funding rules
Coordinate consortium inputs and prepare a high-quality IFS submission

With structured proposal development and strategic insight, we help maximise your chances of securing funding and accelerating commercial quantum innovation.

UK-Germany Collaborative Innovation for Quantum Technologies 2026

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Innovate UK Business Growth (previously Innovate UK EDGE)

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