Deadline Date: March 04, 2026
The Innovate UK is requesting applications to deliver high-quality accelerator programmes for innovative UK-registered micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
The focus areas of this competition include Biomedical Catalyst or wider health and life sciences accelerator themes, delivering tailored support to SMEs across a wide range of biomedical and healthcare R&D topics, supporting 10-15 participants per programme, and managing total programme costs of up to £500,000.
Applicants must clearly outline how they will deliver structured, high-quality accelerator programmes in line with the requirements of the Biomedical Catalyst Accelerator Programme. This includes detailing the accelerator to be delivered and the strand being applied for, explaining the approach to programme design and delivery including format, intensity, and duration, ensuring high-quality delivery through governance, quality assurance, and continuous improvement, and demonstrating how delivery outputs and outcomes will be monitored, evaluated, and reported to Innovate UK.
Applications must be submitted by a single organisation, as consortia are not permitted. Providers must be capable of delivering a Biomedical Catalyst Accelerator Programme if selected, operate at arm’s length from Innovate UK and UK Research and Innovation, and demonstrate a proven track record of designing and delivering structured accelerator programmes for innovative SMEs. Evidence of previous programme delivery, including scale, duration, and measurable outcomes, must be provided.
Providers should have the capacity and capability to deliver support services over the lifetime of the approved provider pool, carry out delivery activities primarily in the UK, and intend to support UK-registered innovative SMEs throughout the accelerator programmes.
For more information, visit GOV.UK.
