Deadline Date: June 1, 2026
Applications are now open for the Freight Innovation Fund to support SMEs in developing and testing innovative solutions for challenges in the UK’s freight and logistics sector.
The programme focuses on four key areas: renewable energy supply to decarbonise and stabilise energy use in freight spaces such as depots and ports, autonomy in freight and logistics to advance safety, efficiency, and low-carbon operations, supply chain resilience through adaptive and innovation-driven systems, and an open challenge for solutions that improve environmental impact, efficiency, and safety in inter-modal freight.
The accelerator will support up to 12 SMEs in its first phase, providing each with up to £10,000 in grant funding to develop a detailed trial proposal. From this group, up to 8 SMEs will be selected for the second phase, where they can receive up to £100,000 (inclusive of VAT) to deliver their solution through a real-world pilot and trial.
Applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria to be considered. They must be a micro, small, or medium-sized enterprise with a registered UK company address and active operations in the UK. They must be VAT registered and have an innovative solution at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or above.
Their solution must align with one of the programme’s challenge areas, and they must be prepared to test it in a real-world environment through an 8-week trial. Additionally, they should be willing to participate in programme activities, including occasional in-person engagements, and must not have exceeded £315,000 in public funding under Minimum Financial Assistance limits over the past financial years.
For more information, visit Catapult.
