Welcome to the October 2024 issue of Grants Watch, GrantTree’s monthly summary of the grant competitions open to UK organisations working on innovative technologies.
In this issue, we explore funding opportunities for the following areas:
- Agriculture and food
- Civil aviation
- Mental health
We’re also looking at two Innovate UK schemes – Smart and Innovation Loans – that are open to all innovation areas.
If you want a free, expert assessment of whether you’re eligible for any of the competitions below, just get in touch!
My colleagues and I in GrantTree’s grants team would be happy to:
- Give you a candid assessment of your eligibility
- Tell you how strong your project is
- Suggest alternative sources of funding if you’re not suitable for the grants below
Never miss an opportunity
Stay up to date with the latest funding opportunities for your business by
signing up for GrantTree’s newsletter.
Agri-tech and food technology, Eastern England – round 3 CR&D
Funding available: Up to £300,000
Application deadline: 6 November 2024, 11 am
Agritech companies in Eastern England can apply for up to £300,000 to fund outstanding, business-led agritech projects.
For this competition, Eastern England encompasses the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership area, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Norfolk and Suffolk.
You can apply for a grant covering up to 70% of your project costs.
To qualify for funding, your project must:
- Last 6 to 18 months
- Start on or after 1 April 2025
- End by 31 December 2026
You must collaborate with other UK organisations. Your consortium must include at least one micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).
This competition is funded by Innovate UK’s Launchpad programme, which supports local economic growth.
Find out if you’re eligible. Request an eligibility assessment.
ATI Programme strategic batch: EoI - October 24
Funding available: N/A
Application deadline: 23 October 2024, 11 am
The ATI programme is designed to make the UK civil aerospace sector more competitive.
The competition has two phases. This is phase one, expression of interest. There is no funding available in this phase. However, successful applicants are invited to phase two, full-stage application, where funding is awarded.
Your proposal must align with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, Destination Zero, which has four pillars:
- Zero-Carbon Emission Aircraft Technologies
- Ultra-Efficient Aircraft Technologies
- Cross-cutting Enabling Technologies
- Non-CO2 Technologies
To lead a project, you can be a business of any size or a non-commercial organisation such as a university, academic institution, or research organisation.
The ATI programme is funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and Innovate UK.
Find out if you’re eligible. Request an eligibility assessment.
Innovate UK Innovation Loans Future Economy: Round 17
Funding available: Up to £2 million
Application deadline: 30 October 2024, 11 am
Innovate UK’s Innovation Loans scheme isn’t a grant competition. However, it can be an excellent source of non-equity funding for late-stage R&D projects.
The competition offers loans of between £100,000 and £2 million with attractive terms such as a deferred, below-market interest rate of 3.7% during project execution.
Unlike many grant competitions, Innovation Loans will cover up to 100% of your project costs.
To apply, you must be a UK-registered SME and in a position to take out a loan.
Find out if you’re eligible. Request an eligibility assessment.
Innovate UK’s Smart grants: July 2024
Funding available: Up to £700,000
Application deadline: 23 October 2024, 11 am
The July 2024 round of Innovate UK’s Smart grant is now open.
This £25 million Innovate UK competition helps UK SMEs develop “world-leading ideas designed for swift, successful commercialisation.”
One of the key benefits of Smart is that it’s open to innovations from all areas, not just traditionally innovative sectors like biotechnology.
The downside is that Smart’s inclusive scope makes it extremely competitive, with just three to seven per cent of companies receiving companies.
To qualify for Smart, your project must:
- Have between £100,000 and £1 million in qualifying costs
- Start by 1 April 2025
- End by 31 March 2027
Find out if you’re eligible. Request an eligibility assessment.
Mental Health Award: Accelerating scalable digital mental health interventions
Funding available: Up to £7 million
Application deadline: 5 December 2024, 5 pm
Run and funded by the Wellcome Trust, this international competition offers sizable grants to “fund research to evaluate and further develop scalable digital interventions to advance early intervention in depression, anxiety and psychosis.”
This call is open to the following types of organisations, which can be based anywhere except mainland China:
- Higher education institutions
- Research institutes
- Non-academic healthcare organisations
- Not-for-profit or non-governmental research organisations
- Company or not-for-profit organisation
This competition is focused on “proposals that target symptoms of anxiety, depression and psychotic disorders”. This includes:
- All types of anxiety and depressive disorders (including obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder)
- All forms of psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia, postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder)
Find out if you’re eligible. Request an eligibility assessment.
Mindset extended reality (XR): Digital therapeutics for mental health
Funding available: Up to £210,000
Application deadline: 15 January 2025, 11 am
This competition offers funding for digital therapeutic extended reality (XR) solutions to provide mental healthcare services.
Solutions must “have the potential to be adopted at scale to form part of the UK’s formal mental healthcare ecosystem.”
This competition is open to UK businesses of any size and other organisations, such as universities and not-for-profits, as partners.
Projects must:
- Have £200,000 – £300,000 in eligible costs
- Last 12-18 months
- Start by 1 July 2025 and end by 31 December 2026
As a business, you can apply for a grant covering up to 70% of your project costs.
You’ll need to fund the remainder with revenue, investment, or a debt financing solution like grants advance funding.
Find out if you’re eligible. Request an eligibility assessment.
Let's Find You Funding
If you’re looking for funding, you’ve come to the right place.
GrantTree’s grants experts can tell you exactly what competitions you’re eligible for, both now and in the future.
If you’re not eligible for grants, we can help you explore other forms of non-equity funding, including tax relief and debt financing, to help you develop your innovation and accelerate your success.
For a free, no-commitment consultation of your funding options, just get in touch.
