Deadline Date: December 10, 2025
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £25 million through the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst programme to fund innovation projects that address key health and healthcare challenges.
The focus areas include disease prevention and proactive management of health and chronic conditions, earlier and better detection and diagnosis of disease leading to better patient outcomes, tailored treatments that either change the underlying disease or offer potential cures, transforming the delivery of healthcare, the development of digital health technologies, and consumer focused self care.
The industry-led R&D competition is designed to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing innovative solutions to address pressing healthcare issues. The Biomedical Catalyst programme supports pre-market research and development projects that demonstrate existing evidence of both commercial and technical feasibility. Each proposal must show how the project will enhance the competitiveness and productivity of at least one UK SME partner involved in the collaboration.
Funding under the Biomedical Catalyst 2025: Industry-led R&D large projects strand offers grants of over £500,000, with total eligible project costs of up to £4 million and total grant requests not exceeding £2 million. Projects must last between six and thirty-six months, start by 1 July 2026, and end by 30 June 2029. At least 50% of the total project costs must be shared by SME partners if the project is collaborative in nature.
Eligible project activities include experimental evaluation at laboratory scale, the use of in vitro and in vivo models to assess proof of concept or safety, exploring potential production mechanisms, prototyping, product development planning, intellectual property protection, demonstration of clinical utility and effectiveness, demonstration of safety and efficacy including phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials, and regulatory planning.
All funded organisations must carry out their project work in the UK and intend to exploit the results from or within the UK. Projects must start only after the Grant Offer Letter has been approved by Innovate UK, with all projects beginning on the first day of the month. Any delays during project setup may result in an adjustment of the start date.
For more information, visit GOV.UK.
