Innovate UK Growth Catalyst – Investor Partnerships Round 2

Innovate UK Growth Catalyst offers funding and specialist support to help high-potential start-ups progress toward scale-up. The programme is aimed at growth-focused SMEs from seed to Series A and provides backing through the Investor Partnerships model, which combines Innovate UK’s grant funding with aligned investment from selected partners.

Participants can also access guidance from Innovate UK Business Growth specialists, Innovate UK Business Connect and the Catapults.

The competition supports research and development activities and helps businesses secure investment needed to develop and commercialise new products or services. Eligible applicants must be SMEs with clear potential to grow and scale and must propose a project linked to sectors and technologies in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy ‘Invest 2035’. These include advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, digital and technologies, defence, creative industries and life sciences.

Proposals must show a defined route to market, demonstrate innovation and provide evidence of a team capable of delivering the planned activities.