Applications open for Techstart Proof of Concept Grant Fund (UK)

Funding Information

• Concept Grant
  • Funding: up to £15k.

Eligible Activities

• Eligible activities for support include but are not limited to:
  • Concept/Prototype Development;
  • Market Research – i.e. Activities around further understanding and sizing of the addressable market, such as Focus Groups, Domain Expert Consultancy and/or Attendance to relevant Trade Shows;
  • Market Validation – i.e. Costs associated with testing the concept with potential customers and end-users.
  • Market Testing Activities – i.e. Expenditure incurred in testing the best way to take the product to market.
  • Assessment of uniqueness of IP; and
  • Employment costs where a clear output will be delivered.

Ineligible Activities

• Non-eligible activities include but are not limited to:
  • Costs of Company Registration/legal incorporation;
  • IP Protection costs including trademarks;
  • Product Development activities beyond the core product;
  • Marketing and costs of selling;
  • Costs incurred before the award of the grant and outside of the agreed project timeframe;
  • VAT – if you are VAT registered;
  • Costs not directly connected with the project;
  • Tablets, laptops or similar equipment;
  • Trading stock/stock for resale;
  • Rent/Office Space
  • Administration time, project management time and similar overhead activities will not be eligible employment cost activities; and
  • Subsistence (including food, taxis, trains, car hire, mileage).

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants can apply as a Sole Trader, Partnership or Limited Company. Applications from Community Interest Companies and Social Enterprises will not be considered.
• You (i.e. Sole Trader, Partnership, Limited Company) must have an innovative/novel concept to prove.
• The principal applicant must be the founder, and if applying through a Limited Company then the Company then the principal applicant must be a Director and majority shareholder in the Limited Company.
• The principal applicant must be resident in Northern Ireland, and Limited Companies must be registered in Northern Ireland. (please note that Techstart may ask for copy of a recent utility bill for proof of address)
• If you are applying for some of the grant to cover the employment costs, then the application must be made by a Limited Company.
• For independent third-party costs, at application stage you must identify your proposed supplier. If your proposed supplier has provided you with a quotation, you should append it to your application form.
• Successful applicants will be required to provide formal quotations from the proposed Suppliers in advance of a Letter of Offer being issued.
• If applying as a Limited Company, up to 30% of the Grant awarded is available to cover the employment costs of the founders who will complete a portion of the work internally, with a set daily rate of £200. For such costs to be approved, your application must clearly detail what work will be done during the PoC project under these costs and what the output will be. Please note that Administration Time, Project Management Time and similar Overhead activities will not be eligible activities to be covered within employment costs.
• Applicants can have no more than two unsuccessful applications within the current Grant Fund period (2025-2030), irrespective of the entity applying or the concept applied for. If you have been unsuccessful previously and are unsure if you are eligible to reapply, please contact Techstart directly to check.
• Applicants can only have one submission per application round.
• Applicants who have previously been awarded a Catalyst Co-Founders’ Proof of Concept Grant cannot use the Techstart Grants to cover the same costs. Double-funding must not occur.
• University related companies are not eligible to apply for a Techstart Grant where the University has an ownership stake in the company and/or any associated IP.

For more information, visit Techstart Ventures.