Bridging the gap between late-stage R&D and commercialisation can be difficult. It typically requires significant financial resource, which can often be hard to secure. Loans are one option, but another is a new grant funding scheme launched by Innovate UK, which is designed to help start-ups and scale-ups with late-stage R&D projects of up to £2m in size.
Aimed at businesses aligned to six of the government’s Industrial Strategy sectors, as well as the industries that support them, Growth Catalyst is a significant £100 million programme. Successful applicants will benefit from grant funding of up to £900k, as well as aligned private investment from one of Innovate UK’s approved Investor Partners.
This holistic funding package is designed to enable businesses to propel their product to market readiness in quicker time, enabling them to grow faster.
Here’s how they work in practice:
What is the Innovate UK Growth Catalyst?
Growth Catalyst is a significant £100 million funding package aimed at UK-registered start-ups and scale-ups with late-stage R&D projects. It aims to help businesses progress their project to commercialisation, secure aligned private investment and strengthen their business model, operations and investment readiness.
Which businesses are eligible?
The scheme is suited to businesses that are seeking a mix of grant funding and private investment. You must be able to demonstrate that you’re planning to grow rapidly, as well as providing evidence of high growth potential. Additionally, you must have an established relationship with an Innovate UK Investment Partner.
Businesses must have a relevant project in one of the following high growth areas identified in the Industrial Strategy:
- Advanced manufacturing (including batteries)
- Clean energy industries
- Creative industries
- Defence and security technologies
- Digital and technologies
- Life sciences
Late-stage innovative companies working in foundation industries that support these industries are also eligible.
Which projects are eligible?
Eligible projects fall into one of three categories:
- Feasibility studies;
- Industrial research; and
- Experimental development.
Each have different criteria for projects costs and duration, as well as grant funding levels. For feasibility studies and industrial research, grant funding can be up to 70% of costs. Aligned private investment must be at least equal to the grant amount. For experimental development projects, the available grant funding is up to 45% of costs and aligned private investment must be at least twice the grant amount.
In all three instances, the private sector investment does not need to directly fund the project, but must be committed to the business before the grant can be made.
How can I apply?
Funding windows will open on a re-occuring basis, with the current round open from 10 December 2025 to 3 February 2026.
All applicants must have a confirmed relationship with one of Innovate UK’s approved Investor Partners and will need to detail them in the application. Innovate UK’s Directory of Investment Partners holds details of relevant organisations that can be approached for private sector investment and businesses such as Innovate UK Business Growth and Innovate UK Business Connect can support with this process.
To help assess suitability, businesses can use the Growth Catalyst Suitability Checker. It is not part of the application process, but if your submitted answers suggest that your business and project is a good fit, you will be connected with the application pages.
How ForrestBrown can support you
ForrestBrown’s experienced grants team, led by Karim Budabuss, can support you with applications to the Innovate UK Growth Catalyst. Depending on your needs, we can offer full project management or support with a particular element of the process such as pre-submission application review or post-offer-in principle due diligence.
Our strong track record of securing funding for clients across the government’s high growth sectors, coupled with preparing applications for Innovate UK funding, means that we are ideally placed to support your application.
Ready to start your Growth Catalyst application?
If you’re a high growth startup or scaleup with a late-stage R&D project in one of the sectors outlined above, then get in touch to find out how we can support your application.
