Funding competition National Materials Innovation Programme: Feasibility Studies

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £2 million for feasibility studies. These studies aim to speed the translation of advanced materials innovations in six key high growth themes and one strategic opportunity theme.

• Competition opens: Monday 3 November 2025
• Competition closes: Wednesday 17 December 2025 11:00am

This competition is now closed.

Competition sections

Description

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will invest up to £2 million into materials innovation projects. This is subject to a sufficient number of high quality applications being received.

This funding is part of the National Materials Innovation Programme, which was announced as part of the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan in the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy. This is the initial competition under the programme, designed to prime the materials community, support collaboration and accelerate the translation of new material innovations across the seven thematic areas.

The aim of this competition is to speed the translation of advanced materials innovations toward industrial adoption in the six key high growth themes and one strategic opportunity theme.

It is your responsibility to ensure you submit your application to the correct theme for your project.

In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition has a funding limit, so we may not be able to fund all the proposed projects. It may be the case that your project scores highly but we are still unable to fund it.

Our experience from similar competitions suggests that you could have 20% chance of success.

We consider a range of factors when determining whether to provide funding to applicants. This includes an assessment of prior conduct, such as any outstanding payments owed to Innovate UK or UKRI. Such factors may influence the funding decision, potentially resulting in a refusal of funding or an award subject to additional scrutiny.

We also reserve the right to adjust funding allocations for any of our competitions. This may be in response to changes in policy, portfolio funding considerations or broader government funding decisions.

This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated in this Innovate UK competition brief. We cannot guarantee other government or third party sites will always show the correct competition information.

Funding type

Grant

Project size

Your project’s total eligible grant funding request must be between £50,000 and £100,000.

Accessibility and Inclusion

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.

You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.

We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline.

You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Who can apply

Your project

Your project must:

• have a grant funding request of between £50,000 and £100,000
• start by 1 May 2026
• end by 31 January 2027
• be no more than nine months in duration
• provide a letter of support for the project from an end user working within one of the eight growth driving sectors identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (IS-8) sectors

Any funded organisation needs to carry out their project work in the UK and must intend to exploit the project results from or in the UK.

Projects must always start on the first of the month, even if this is a non-working day. You must not start your project until your Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK. Any delays within Project Setup may mean we need to delay your project start date.

You must only include eligible project costs in your application. See our overview of eligible project costs. For specific guidance, see the eligibility section in this competition.

If your project’s duration falls outside of our eligibility criteria, you must provide justification by email to support@iuk.ukri.org at least 10 working days before the competition closes. We will decide whether to approve your request.

If you have not requested approval or your application has not been approved by us, you will be made ineligible. Your application will then not be sent for assessment.

Lead organisation

To work alone or lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.

Academic institutions, research and technology organisations (RTO), charities, not for profit or public sector organisations cannot lead or work alone.

More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.

Project team

To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:

• business of any size
• academic institution
• charity
• not for profit
• public sector organisation
• research and technology organisation (RTO)

Each partner organisation must be invited into the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) by the lead to collaborate on a project. Once partners have accepted the invitation, they will be asked to login or to create an account in IFS. They are responsible for entering their own project costs and completing their Project Impact questions in the application.

To be an eligible collaboration, the lead and at least one other organisation must:

• apply for funding when entering their costs into the application
• include rationale for the collaboration and describe the structure in your application
• ensure any one partner does not account for more than 70% of the total eligible costs

Non-funded partners

Your project can include organisations who do not claim any funding for their work on the project. Their costs will be covered from their own resources. These can include UK, EU and other non-UK organisations. Non-UK partners are permitted to carry out project work from within their home countries and exploit the results outside the UK.

Where non-funded partners have been invited to the application on IFS, their costs will count towards the total eligible project costs.

Subcontractors

Subcontractors are allowed in this competition and are limited to no more than 30% of the project’s total eligible costs.

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 cannot use subcontractors 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.

All subcontractor costs must be justified and appropriate to the total project costs.

Number of applications

A business can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in two further applications.

If a business is not leading any application, it can collaborate in any number of applications.

An academic institution, charity, not for profit, public sector organisation or RTO can collaborate on any number of applications.

Sanctions

This competition will not fund you, or provide any financial benefit to any individual or entities directly or indirectly involved with you, which would expose Innovate UK or any direct or indirect beneficiary of funding from Innovate UK to UK Sanctions. For example, through any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any entity as lead, partner or subcontractor related to these countries, administrations and terrorist groups.

Use of animals in research and innovation

Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.

Applicants must ensure that all of the proposed work within projects, both that in the UK and internationally, will comply with the UKRI guidance on the use of animals in research and innovation.

Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.

Previous applications

You can use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.

If you have previously submitted an application that reached our assessment stage, you can re-apply once more with the same proposal.

If there are minor differences to the proposal, but it is judged by us to be ‘not materially different’, the same rule applies.

We will not award you funding if you have:

• failed to exploit a previously funded project
• an overdue independent accountant’s report
• failed to comply with grant terms and conditions

Innovate UK may withhold a grant payment at any time if you have any outstanding sums due to us in relation to other projects.

Subsidy control (and State aid where applicable)

This competition provides funding to enterprises using the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme.

The Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Scheme can be viewed on the subsidy database here: SC10780.

This is in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Further information about the Subsidy requirements can be found within the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk).

Innovate UK is unable to award organisations that are considered to be in financial difficulty. We will conduct financial viability and eligibility tests to confirm this is not the case following the application stage.

EU State aid rules now only apply in limited circumstances. See the Windsor Framework to check if these rules apply to your organisation.

In the ‘Project details’ section of your application you will be asked questions to indicate if State Aid or Subsidy applies to your organisation.

Further Information

If you are unsure about your obligations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 or the State aid rules, you should take independent legal advice. We are unable to advise on individual eligibility or legal obligations.

You must not do anything which could cause a breach of Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom.

This aims to regulate any advantage granted by a public sector body which threatens to, or distorts competition in the United Kingdom or any other country or countries.

This award is classified as a Subsidy which does not form part of your Minimal Financial Assistance or De Minimis allowance.

Funding

A maximum of £2 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition. This is subject to us receiving a sufficient number of high quality applications. Funding will be in the form of a grant.

We reserve the right to adjust funding allocations for any of our competitions under exceptional circumstances, for example, in response to changes in policy, portfolio funding considerations, or broader government funding decisions.

If your organisation’s work on the project is commercial or economic, your funding request must not exceed the limits below. These limits apply even if your organisation normally acts non-economically but for the purpose of this project will be undertaking commercial or economic activity.

The balance between your total eligible project costs and the amount of grant awarded must be funded by the organisation receiving the grant.

For feasibility studies in the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:

Category 1: Feasibility studies

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation
• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

For more information on company sizes, refer to the company accounts guidance.

If you are applying for an award funded under State aid Regulations, the definitions are set out in the European Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003.

Innovate UK may revoke our decision to provide funding without notice if government commitment for this initiative is withdrawn.

Research participation

The research organisations undertaking non-economic activity as part of the project can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation undertaking non-economic activity, this maximum is shared between them. Of that 30% you can get funding for your eligible project costs of up to:

• 100% of your eligible project costs if you are an RTO, charity, not for profit organisation, public sector organisation or research organisation
• 80% of full economic costs (FEC) if you are a Je-S registered institution such as an academic

Eligibility criteria for claiming 80% of FEC funding

1. Research organisations using the Je-S system must submit their costs through the Je-S system which calculates the 80% FEC figure.
2. On IFS, only the 80% FEC output should be entered at 100% funding.
3. Applicants do not need to show the remaining 20% on the finance table.

To find out more see our: Cost Guidance for Academics.

Your proposal

The aim of this competition is to speed the translation of advanced materials innovations toward industrial adoption in the six key high growth themes and one strategic opportunity theme.

Your project must focus on one of the six high growth opportunity theme areas from the National Materials Innovation Strategy or the strategic opportunity theme area; metamaterials and metasurfaces.

We recognise that the metamaterials and metasurfaces theme has overlap with the six high growth opportunity themes. As guidance, if your material innovation is based on a metamaterial or metasurface technology then you should apply under theme 7.

In your application you must demonstrate how the project helps enable your materials innovation to translate more rapidly to industrial adoption.

You must:

• identify the specific sector and applications being targeted
• clearly describe the opportunity for the technology to be applied
• describe any future barriers and challenges you foresee to adoption

Additionally you must demonstrate how adoption of your materials innovation contributes to broader UK net zero targets, for example, through reduction in energy consumption, emissions reduction and resource efficiency.

In your application you must upload a signed letter of support, on headed paper, from a potential end user of your materials innovation. The end user must be operating within one of the eight growth driving sectors identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (IS-8) sectors. The letter must explain the potential application of your material innovation.

Portfolio approach

We want to fund a variety of projects across different themes, technologies, markets, applications of materials, technological maturities, business size and regions. We call this a portfolio approach

Specific themes

Your project must focus on one of the following:

High growth opportunity themes

1. Net zero energy solutions

We are seeking material innovation projects enabling:

• next generation battery chemistries or materials to improve performance and diversify supply chains
• large scale electrochemical energy generation and conversion, including hydrogen, such as electrode, catalysis and membrane material innovations to improve performance and reduce environmental impacts
• widespread hydrogen deployment, including barriers, coatings, materials to enable deployment in extreme environments, and materials to enable hydrogen to X.
• industrial or domestic heat exchange, heat storage and waste heat recovery
• energy harvesting solutions for higher efficiency solar PV and specialist applications, including health, battery-less mobile electronic devices, and sensors
• advanced nuclear fuels

2. Future healthcare

We are seeking material innovation projects enabling:

• biocompatible materials with specific properties, such as structural or scaffolding, porous, conductivity, patient derived, injectable, 3D printable, patient specific and drug eluting materials for targeted therapies
• bioelectronic and biocompatible materials leading to long term implantable (over 10 years) solutions
• bioelectronic and biocompatible materials with mechanical properties, similar to tissue, for interfacing electronics with the body
• bioelectronic and biocompatible materials which improve sensor performance in vivo

3. Structural innovations

We are seeking material innovation projects enabling:

• low carbon construction such as low carbon cement or concrete, construction materials for improved energy efficiency, improved occupier health or extended in-use lifetime
• sustainable composite systems designed and optimised for multiple applications, longer lifecycles, recycling and re-use
• metallic materials that are strong, durable, and compatible with circular economy principles, as well as enhanced performance and tailored properties for application in new and emerging high volume applications
• speciality high performance metallic materials to enable capability in key UK priority technologies, such as clean energy and health
• advanced technical ceramics for a diverse range of applications in high value ceramic market segments, such as electronics, healthcare and structural

4. Advanced surface technologies and materials durability

We are seeking material innovation projects enabling:

• improved surface protection performance or tribological material solutions to extend technology or infrastructure lifetime
• material systems and functional materials for extreme conditions, especially thermal and radiation extremes, as well as multi-extreme environments

5. Next generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors

We are seeking material innovation projects enabling:

• wide and ultrawide bandgap materials for power electronics
• solutions across; quantum computing and communications, quantum sensing and imaging, and quantum positioning, navigation and timing (PNT)
• higher e­fficiency communication systems, for example, 5G, optical, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), radio detection and ranging (RADAR)

6. Consumer products, packaging and specialist polymers

We are seeking material innovation projects enabling:

• bulk sustainable plastic packaging
• bio-based, biodegradable, sustainable packaging
• high value, specialist sustainable elastomeric materials to support high growth IS-8 sectors
• sustainability through extended in life service, end of life processing or recyclability of high volume elastomeric materials

Strategic opportunity theme

7. Metamaterials and metasurfaces

We are seeking material innovation projects enabling:

• reduced SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power): metamaterials or metasurfaces which enable the reduction in the SWaP demands of systems, reducing need for traditional trade offs
• future telecommunications: metamaterials or metasurfaces enabling advances in communication technologies, healthcare, for instance, applications in 6G and satellite communications
• energy security and net zero: metamaterials or metasurfaces enabling advances in renewable energy sources through, for instance, reduced system power consumption through acoustic and thermal management
• healthcare: metamaterials or metasurfaces enabling advances in healthcare through, for instance, reduced cost biosensors, real time biomonitoring, point of care diagnostics, advanced prosthetics or acoustic management in clinical settings

For the purposes of the strategic opportunity theme, projects must demonstrate they meet the definition of a metamaterial as developed by the metamaterials community:

• a metamaterial is a 3D structure with a response or function due to the collective effect of meta-atom elements that is not possible to achieve conventionally with any individual constituent material
• a metasurface is a 2D version of a metamaterial where the structural elements are confined to a 2D plane

Note: The response or function of a metamaterial results from the ensemble effects of designed and engineered meta-atom elements.

These can take many forms, for example:

• the response or function may be electromagnetic; photonic, RF and microwave, terahertz (THz)
• acoustic; audio, ultrasonic, vibrational
• magnetic, mechanical or structural, thermal, or chemical

Research categories

We will fund feasibility projects, as defined in the guidance on categories of research.

Projects we will not fund

We are not funding projects that:

• are not described by any of the themes listed
• are focused on chemical or raw materials synthesis, rather than adoption of materials innovations in an end application
• are focused solely on the defence sector, but we will recognise dual use material innovations providing the primary focus is on civil applications
• do not show a clear and realistic sector and application opportunity for later adoption
• do not provide a letter of support as described in the eligibility and scope sections

We cannot fund projects that are:

• dependent on export performance, for example, giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country
• dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example, giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product

• 3 November 2025: Competition opens
• 5 November 2025: Briefing event: watch the recording
  Briefing slides available to download from Supporting Information.
• 17 December 2025 11:00am: Competition closes
• 10 February 2026 3:53pm: Applicants notified
• 1 May 2026: Project start from

Before you start

You must read the guidance on applying for a competition on the Innovation Funding Service before you start.

Before submitting, it is the lead applicant’s responsibility to make sure:

• that all the information provided in the application is correct
• your proposal meets the eligibility and scope criteria
• all sections of the application are marked as complete
• if collaborative, that all partners have completed all assigned sections and accepted the terms and conditions (T&Cs)

You can reopen your application once submitted, up until the competition deadline. You must resubmit the application before the competition deadline.

What we ask you

The application is split into four sections:

1. Project details.
2. Application questions.
3. Finances.
4. Project Impact.

Accessibility and Inclusion

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.

You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.

We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline.

You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

1. Project details

This section provides background for your application and is not scored.

Application team

Decide which organisations will work with you on your project and invite people from those organisations to help complete the application.

Application details

Give your project’s title, start date and duration.

Project summary

Describe your project briefly and be clear about what makes it innovative. We use this section to assign the right experts to assess your application.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Public description

Describe your project in detail and in a way that you are happy to see published. Do not include any commercially sensitive information. If we award your project funding, we will publish this description. This can happen before you start your project.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Scope

Describe how your project fits the scope of the competition. If your project is not in scope, it will not be sent for assessment. We will tell you the reason why.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

2. Application questions

The assessors will score all your answers apart from questions 1 to 8. You will receive feedback for each scored question. Find out more about how our assessors assess and how we select applications for funding.

You must answer all questions.

You must not include any website addresses or links (URLs) in your answers. If you do, your application will be made ineligible.

Question 1. Applicant location (not scored)

You must state the name and full registered address of your organisation and any partners or subcontractors working on your project.

We are collecting this information to understand more about the geographical location of all applicants.

Your answer can be up to 100 words long.

Question 2. Animal testing (not scored)

Will your project involve any trials with animals or animal testing?

You must select one option:

• Yes
• No

We will only support innovation projects conducted to the highest standards of animal welfare.

Further information for proposals involving animal testing is available at the UKRI Good Research Hub and NC3R’s animal welfare guidance.

Question 3. Permits and licences (not scored)

Will you have the correct permits and licences in place to carry out your project?

We are unable to fund projects which do not have the correct permits or licences in place by your project start date.

You must select one option:

• Yes
• No
• In the process of being applied for
• Not applicable

Question 4. International collaboration (not scored)

Does your proposed work involve any international collaboration or engagement?

You must provide details of any expected international collaboration or engagement.

You must include a list of the names and the countries, any international project co-leads, project partners, visiting researchers, or other collaborators are based in.

You must also include details of any subcontractors or service providers.

If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration or engagement, your answer must confirm this.

Your answer can be up to 100 words long.

Question 5. Export licence (not scored)

You must indicate whether an export control license is required for this project under the academic export control guidance.

You must select one option:

• Yes
• No

Question 6. Trusted Research and Innovation (not scored)

You must explain if your proposed project work relates to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) Principles, including:

• a list of any dual-use (both military and non-military) applications to your research
• a list of the areas where your project is relevant to one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act
• whether an export control license is required for this project under the academic export control guidance and the status of any applications
• a list of any items or substances on the UK Strategic Export Control List

If your proposed work does not relate to UKRI’s TR&I Principles, your answer must confirm this.

We may ask you to provide additional TR&I information at a later date, in line with UKRI TR&I Principles and funding terms and conditions.

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 7. Project theme (not scored)

You must select which theme your project is covering:

• Net zero energy solutions
• Future healthcare
• Structural innovations
• Advanced surface technologies and materials durability
• Next generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors
• Consumer products, packaging and specialist polymers
• Strategic opportunity theme: metamaterials and metasurfaces

Question 8. Letter of support (not scored)

You must upload your letter of support from an end user working within one of the eight growth driving sectors identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (IS-8) sectors.

You must type ‘letter of support attached’ as your response to this question.

You must upload your letter of support as an appendix for this question. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 9. Need or challenge

What is the business need, technological challenge, or market opportunity behind your innovation?

Explain:

• the main motivation for the project
• the business need, technological challenge or market opportunity
• whether you have identified any similar innovation and its current limitations, including those close to market or in development
• any work you have already done to respond to this need, for example, if the project focuses on developing an existing capability or building a new one
• the wider economic, social, environmental, cultural or political challenges which are influential in creating the opportunity, such as incoming regulations

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 10. Approach and innovation

What approach will you take and where will the focus of the innovation be?

Explain:

• how you will respond to the need, challenge or opportunity identified
• how you will improve on any similar innovation that you have identified
• whether the innovation will focus on existing technologies in new areas, the development of new technologies for existing areas, or a totally disruptive approach
• the freedom you have to operate
• how this project fits with your current product, service lines or offerings
• how it will make you more competitive
• the nature of the outputs you expect from the project, for example, reports, demonstrator, know-how, new process, product or service design, and how these will help you to target the need, challenge or opportunity identified

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

You can submit one appendix to support your answer. It can include diagrams and charts. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 11. Team and resources

Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Explain:

• the roles, skills and experience of all members of the project team that are relevant to the approach you will be taking
• the resources, equipment and facilities needed for the project and how you will access them
• the details of any vital external parties, including any subcontractors who you will need to work with to successfully carry out the project
• if your project is collaborative, the current relationships between project partners and how these will change as a result of the project
• any roles you will need to recruit for

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

You can submit one appendix, with a short summary of the main people working on the project to support your answer. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 12. Market awareness

What does the market or markets you are targeting look like?

Describe:

• the target markets for the project outcomes and any other potential markets, either domestic, international or both
• the size of the target markets for the project outcomes, backed up by references where available
• the structure and dynamics of the target markets, including customer segmentation, together with predicted growth rates within clear timeframes
• the target markets’ main supply or value chains and business models, and any barriers to entry that exist
• the current UK position in targeting these markets
• the size and main features of any other markets not already listed

If your project is highly innovative, where the market may be unexplored, describe or explain:

• what the market’s size might be
• how your project will try to explore the market’s potential

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 13. Outcomes and route to market

How are you going to grow your business and increase long term productivity as a result of the project?

Explain:

• your current position in the markets and supply or value chains outlined, and whether you will be extending or establishing your market position
• your target customers or end users, and the value to them, for example, why they would use or buy your product
• your route to market
• how you are going to profit from the innovation, including increased revenues or cost reduction
• how the innovation will affect your productivity and growth, in both the short and the long term
• how you will protect and exploit the outputs of the project, for example, through know-how, patenting, designs or changes to your business model
• your strategy for targeting the other markets you have identified during or after the project

If there is any research organisation activity in the project, describe:

• your plans to spread the project’s research outputs over a reasonable timescale
• how you expect to use the results generated from the project in further research activities

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 14. Wider impacts

What impact might this project have outside the project team?

Describe and, where possible, measure the economic benefits from the project such as productivity increases and import substitution, to:

• external parties
• customers
• others in the supply chain
• broader industry
• the UK economy

Describe and, where possible, measure:

• any expected impact on government priorities
• any expected environmental impacts, either positive or negative
• any expected regional impacts of the project

Describe any expected social impacts, either positive or negative, on, for example:

• quality of life
• social inclusion or exclusion
• jobs, such as safeguarding, creating, changing or displacing them
• education
• public empowerment
• health and safety
• regulations
• diversity

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 15. Project management

How will you manage your project effectively?

Explain:

• the main work packages of your project, indicating the lead partner assigned to each and the total cost of each one
• your approach to project management, identifying any major tools and mechanisms you will use to get a successful and innovative project outcome
• the management reporting lines
• your project plan in enough detail to identify any links or dependencies between work packages or milestones

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

You must submit a project plan or Gantt chart as an appendix to support your answer. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 16. Risks

What are the main risks for this project?

Explain:

• the main risks and uncertainties of the project, including the technical, commercial, managerial and environmental risks
• how you will mitigate these risks
• any project inputs that are critical to completion, such as resources, expertise, and data sets
• any output likely to be subject to regulatory requirements, certification, ethical issues and other requirements identified, and how you will manage this

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

You must submit a risk register as an appendix to support your answer. It must be a PDF no larger than 10MB. It can be up to two A4 pages and must be legible at 100% zoom.

Question 17. Added value

How will this public funding help you to accelerate or enhance your approach to developing your project towards commercialisation? What impact would this award have on the organisations involved?

Explain:

• what advantages public funding would offer your project, for example: appeal to investors, more partners, reduced risk or a faster route to market
• the likely impact of the project outcomes on the organisations involved
• what other routes of investment or means of support you have already engaged with and why they were not suitable
• how any existing or potential investment or support will be used in conjunction with the grant funding
• what your project would look like without public funding
• how this project would change the R&D activities of all the organisations involved

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

Question 18. Costs and value for money

How much will the project cost and how does it represent value for money for the team and the taxpayer?

In terms of your project goals, explain:

• your total eligible project costs
• the grant you are requesting
• how each partner will finance their contributions to your project
• how this project represents value for money for you and the taxpayer
• how it compares to what you would spend your money on otherwise
• the balance of costs and grant across the project partners
• any subcontractor costs and why they are critical to your project

Your answer can be up to 400 words long.

3. Finances

Each organisation in your project must complete their own project costs, organisation details and funding details in the application. Academic institutions must complete and upload a Je-S form.

For an overview on what costs you can claim, see our project costs guidance. Note this is general guidance, for specific guidance see the eligibility section in this competition. You can also view our application finances video.

4. Project Impact

This section is not scored but will provide background to your project.

Each partner must complete the Project Impact questions before being able to submit the application.

More information can be found in our Project Impact guidance and by viewing our Impact Management Framework video.

Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.

Assessment

Your application will be reviewed by three independent assessors based on the content of your application and their skills or expertise relevant to your project. All of the scores awarded will count towards the total score used to make the funding decision unless you are notified otherwise.

You can find out more about our assessment process in the General Guidance.

Your submitted application will be assessed against these criteria:

National Materials Innovation Programme - Assessor guidance for applicants .pdf (opens in a new window)

Background and further information

As part of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy advanced materials were recognised as a priority growth sector in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan.

This call represents initial funding ahead of the launch of the National Materials Innovation Programme, a key intervention to accelerate the translation and adoption of material innovations.

The National Materials Innovation Programme aims to transform materials potential into materials progress, ensuring the UK remains a global leader in materials innovation.

You can review the following documents:

• the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and Sector Plans, which includes the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan
• Industrial Strategy Sector Definitions
• Henry Royce Institute-led National Materials Innovation Strategy, which includes the six high growth opportunity themes
• UK Metamaterials Network website

The focus of the National Materials Innovation Programme is on the translation and adoption of key advanced materials innovations for the eight growth driving sectors identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy (IS-8 sectors).

Applicants attention is drawn to a number of specific government requirements relating to the investment and activities of businesses in certain advanced materials technology areas and in some of the IS-8 sectors.

All applicants should familiarise themselves with the following:

• National Security and Investment Act’s :17 sensitive sectors including advanced materials
• Science and Technology Framework: 5 critical technologies
• Strategic Export Control - consolidated list

There may be specific information in these links to support applicants, their projects and beyond.

Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Scheme Information

This award is being offered under the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme in accordance with section 10(4) of the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

Projects funded must meet the following definition:

Category 1: Feasibility study

The evaluation and analysis of the potential of a project, which aims at supporting the process of decision-making. This is done by objectively and rationally uncovering its strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as identifying the resources required to carry it through and ultimately its prospects for success.​

Briefing recording and slides

Briefing event: watch the recording

Briefing slides are available to download:

Rev2_APPLICANT BRIEFING_National Materials Innovation Programme Feasibility Studies1.pdf (opens in a new window)

What happens if you receive a grant offer

If you have passed your initial assessment and have received an email with a grant offer, you will be asked to complete the project setup process on the Innovation Funding Service (IFS). Watch our video on what steps are there before a project starts.

We will ask for information that will allow us to undertake mandatory checks on your organisation and the eligibility of your costs, as well as review the documentation for your project.

You must follow the unique link embedded in your email notification. This takes you to your project's dedicated IFS Set Up portal, where we gather the information required to set up your project, for example your bank details. Watch our video on how successful applicants receive their funding.

If your application is unsuccessful

If you are unsuccessful with your application this time, you can view feedback from the assessors. This will be available to you on your IFS portal following notification.

Sometimes your application will have scored well, and you will receive positive comments from the assessors. You may be unsuccessful as your average score was not above the funding threshold or your project has not been selected under the portfolio approach if this is applied for this competition.

We would like to remind you that eligible non-funded business can still benefit from fully funded and bespoke support from the Innovate UK Business Growth service.

Find a project partner

If you want help to find a project partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect.

Support for SMEs from Innovate UK Business Growth service

Innovate UK Business Growth helps innovation focused businesses make the best strategic choices and access the right resources, in order to grow and ultimately achieve scale.

Our innovation and growth specialists provide our fully funded and bespoke support to clients nationwide. Visit the service’s website to discover whether you could benefit from this advisory support, which is available to Innovate UK funded and non-funded businesses alike.

Protecting your innovation

A Secure Innovation campaign has been developed to help founders and leaders of innovative startups protect their technology, competitive advantage, and reputation.

This was developed by UK’s National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

Data sharing

This competition is operated by Innovate UK.

Innovate UK is directly accountable to you for its holding and processing of your information, including any personal data and confidential information. Data is held in accordance with our own policies.

Innovate UK may also share any relevant information submitted and produced during the application process concerning your application with Innovate UK’s national and regional UK third parties and partners who may contact you. For more information see how we handle grant applicant and grant holder data.

Innovate UK and Innovate UK Business Connect will be data controllers for personal data submitted during the application.

Innovate UK’s Privacy Policy

Innovate UK Business Connect Privacy Policy

Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.

The Information Commissioner’s Office also has a useful guide for organisations, which outlines the data protection principles.

Contact us

If you need more information about how to apply or you want to submit your application in Welsh, email support@iuk.ukri.org or call 0300 321 4357.

Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Innovate UK or any of our partners will not tolerate abusive language in any written or verbal correspondence, applications, social media or any other form that might affect staff.

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