Growth Catalyst Early Stage: New Innovators

Summary

The Innovate UK Growth Catalyst is a new pilot scheme offering UK-registered micro and small businesses up to £50,000 in grant funding, alongside expert business support. It targets early-stage start-ups with high growth potential, aiming to help them develop innovative products, services, or business models that align with one or more of the UK’s five critical technologies. Funding is delivered through the New Innovators model, and successful applicants also receive tailored support from Innovate UK Business Growth and Business Connect. Total project costs must fall between £25,000 and £50,000.

Scope

The aim of this competition is to provide a package of targeted support to enable ambitious UK registered micro and small businesses to develop highly innovative ideas that have a clear route to commercialisation and business growth across one or more of the five critical technologies.

Your project must focus on at least one of the following critical technologies:

Artificial intelligence

• Develop novel AI tools, technologies or services across the AI stack
• Delivering clear, game-changing interventions that will contribute towards the development of trusted and responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Leaning (ML) solutions

Semiconductors

• supporting developments in semiconductor design, materials and manufacture within the UK
• identifying or delivering a clear, game-changing intervention and address an identified industrial requirement or improvement
• Realistically and significantly meeting and providing a long-term commitment to supporting the UK semiconductor industry

Advanced connectivity technologies

Projects that accelerate the development of advanced connectivity technologies. Projects must focus on one or more of the following key technology domains as they apply specifically to the telecoms sector:

• Compound Semiconductors & Photonic Integrated Circuits – design and fabrication for advanced connectivity applications
• Advanced Radio Frequency (RF) & Optical Wireless – wireless technologies across the electromagnetic spectrum, from RF to visible light
• AI, Network Management & Design – AI-driven approaches to optimise, automate, and secure network infrastructure
• Secure, Resilient & Quantum-Safe Communications – innovations to protect critical infrastructure and ensure future-proof security

Projects should demonstrate openness (e.g. use of open standards), embed cyber security best practices, and consider quantum-safe readiness. Contributions to open standards and Open Radio Access Network (RAN) development are strongly encouraged.

Quantum technologies

• Industrial products, processes or services to advance scalable solutions such as chip scale quantum, photonic and optoelectronic systems for applied quantum technologies
• Technologies (such as qubit processor, networking, switching or control systems) for scaling quantum computers
• Commercial hybrid quantum – classical software applications and services

Engineering Biology

Synthetic Biology is the design, engineering and re-engineering of biologically based parts, devices and systems. As an emerging technology it has the potential to transform many sectors and help address major economic and societal challenges. Engineering Biology encompasses the wider capabilities and ecosystem that supports the exploitation of synthetic biology for economic and public benefit.

• Develop new engineering biology tools, technologies or services
• Use innovation in engineering biology to develop new products or processes, including more sustainable manufacturing processes

Your innovation can lead to new products, processes or services that are significantly ahead of others currently available, or propose an innovative use of existing products, processes or services. It can also involve a new or innovative business model.

In your application, you must demonstrate that you:

• have an innovative idea
• need public funding
• have the capability to deliver the project

State how your proposal will help you:

• develop both your ambitious idea and your business
• create a new revenue stream, for example new products, services or IP
• evidence and enable your market, funding and commercialisation plans
• show what is feasible, in helping you decide whether to pursue your idea further
• catalyse further innovation on your path to commercial success
• respond to changing market conditions

Specific themes

Your project must focus on one or more of the five critical technologies:

• artificial intelligence (AI)
• semiconductors
• advanced connectivity technologies
• quantum technologies
• engineering biology

Project Duration

Between 3-6 months

Award Value

Between £25,000-£50,000

Funding Rates

Your total project costs will be 100% funded. Total project costs detailed within your application must not exceed the maximum project size. If your total project costs are below the minimum of £25,000 or exceed the maximum of £50,000 then your application will be made ineligible.

Your grant funding request must match your total project costs. If your grant funding request is not 100% of your total project costs then your application will be made ineligible.

Innovate UK will aim to pay:

• 70% of your grant request within a month of your agreed project start date
• a further 20% in arrears, after approval of your 70% claim and the evidence of spend made, submitted with your claim
• the remaining 10% of the grant 10 to 14 days after Innovate UK approve your final claim

Eligibility

• Projects must have a total grant funding request of between £25,000 and £50,000
• Projects must last between 3 and 6 months
• Projects must not start before 1 November 2025
• Projects must end by 30 April 2026
• Projects must be collaborative and led by a UK registered business of any size
• Projects must include at least one grant claiming SME
• Collaborators can be a UK registered business of any size; an academic institution; a charity; a not for profit; a public sector organisation; or a research and technology organisation (RTO)
• Subcontractors must be preferably UK-based with fully justified and appropriate costs
• All funded project work must be carried out within the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
• Grant funding in this competition is awarded as Minimal Financial assistance (MFA)