Funding Competition: Women in Innovation Award 2024/25 (UK)

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is offering up to 50 Women in Innovation Awards to women entrepreneurs within SMEs across the UK.

The aim of this competition is to fund and support a diverse portfolio of Women in Innovation Award winners:

• who will be relatable role models for women from all backgrounds
• from regions across the UK
• who are solving a range of pressing societal, environmental and economic challenges
• in a variety of innovation areas

They are particularly encouraging applications from women who:

• are looking to develop a game changing novel idea or business innovation
• have the potential, capability, experience and personal drive to become leaders in business innovation
• want to be a role model for others, including in their region, sector and to young people
• have a clear vision for their business
• know what they are hoping to achieve from the award and how to measure success

As an award holder you will receive tailored business support, including but not limited to:

• funding and finance options and how to access these
• media and communications, for example, branding
• developing new business models
• evaluating market opportunities
• finding new partners
• growth and scale up
• developing international collaborations and accessing global markets
• business planning strategy

Funding Information

• The winners will receive a £75,000 grant and bespoke business support.

Projects they will not fund

They are not funding projects that:

• are not led by a woman founder, co-founder or senior decision maker within a UK registered SME
• have total project costs and a grant funding request over £75,000
• attribute more than 50% of their costs to subcontractors
• do not intend to use the full award package, for example, requesting just the funding and not the wider support package
• have a negative impact on the environment or society
• have a detrimental effect on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
• are unable to commit to two development days in 2025
• are not able to fulfil at least five days of Role Modelling during the 12-month Award
• have previously received Innovate UK funding from Women in Innovation, Young Innovators Next Steps follow on funding, or Innovate UK Award: Build

Who can apply?

• Your project
  • Your project must:
    • last for 12 months
    • carry out all of its project work in the UK
    • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
    • start on 1 December 2024
    • end on 30 November 2025
• Lead participant
  • To lead a project you must:
    • be a woman founder, co-founder or senior decision maker within a UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) that has been registered on Companies House for at least 12 months.
    • be a resident in the UK
    • attend two development days in 2025
    • be fully committed to volunteer as a role model for at least five days over the duration of the award
  • Applications from UK-registered social enterprises operating economically will be eligible if they meet all other criteria.
• Subcontractors
  • Subcontractors are allowed in this competition. Subcontracting costs must not exceed 50% of the grant funding amount.
  • Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.
  • They expect all subcontractor costs to be justified and appropriate to the total eligible project costs.
• Number of applications
  • You can only make one application for yourself. Only one woman working within an organisation can apply.
  • The awards are for individuals, but this does not prevent you from working on the project with others.

For more information, visit Innovate UK.