Deadline: November 03, 2025
Innovate UK is offering UK registered businesses the opportunity to apply for a share of up to £1.1 million in funding for innovative feasibility studies in novel, sustainable, low carbon materials and manufacturing.
The focus areas for this competition are resource efficient and sustainable materials and manufacturing, and seaweed processing innovation aiming to deliver a significant improvement in the yield, efficiency or value per tonne of seaweed processed using material that has either been harvested or cultivated in the UK and its territorial waters.
The aim of this competition is for UK materials and manufacturing organisations to be net zero and resource efficient, while also encouraging simultaneous demonstrations on how the sectors will be more resilient, sustainable or technologically advanced. Projects can focus on resource efficient and sustainable materials and manufacturing, including increasing the use or re-use of bio-based feedstocks, chemical replacements, and circular products. Applicants are encouraged to target areas such as materials for the future economy, smart design, resilient supply chains, world class production, and longer in use and reuse. For seaweed processing, projects should aim to test new technologies, modify existing technologies, improve product quality or range, or develop new products or co-products using UK-sourced algae. Only lab-scale or small volume processing for testing or R&D purposes is eligible.
Projects will not be funded if they focus on incremental improvements in resource efficiency, energy reduction technologies, carbon capture and storage, biopharmaceuticals for diagnostics or therapeutics, microbiomes for human health, sustainable aviation fuel, alternate protein sources, or processing algae not commonly found in UK waters. Primary production in fisheries, aquaculture, or agriculture is not eligible, nor are projects dependent on export performance or domestic input usage conditions. Captured carbon as a feedstock is in scope for both themes.
The competition will fund projects with total costs between £10,000 and £25,000, with grants covering up to 100% of eligible project costs. Projects must last between 1 and 2 months, starting on 1 February 2026 and ending by 31 March 2026. Lead organisations must be UK registered businesses of any size. Subcontractors are allowed up to 50% of project costs, and overseas subcontractors require justification and evidence that UK contractors cannot be used. Applicants can only lead on one application, and funding will not be provided to organisations or individuals subject to UK sanctions. Projects involving animals must comply with UKRI guidance on animal welfare.
Innovate UK encourages applications from people of all backgrounds and provides accessibility support for applicants with disabilities or long-term conditions. The competition operates under Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) and De minimis subsidy rules, and applicants must ensure cumulative funding does not exceed £315,000 in the relevant three-year financial period.
A portfolio approach will be adopted to fund a variety of projects across different themes, locations, technologies, markets, and technological maturities. Funding is subject to sufficient high-quality applications, and Innovate UK reserves the right to adjust allocations under exceptional circumstances.
For more information, visit GOV.UK.
