News article
Innovate UK improves their path to funding: making it easier, faster and more inclusive
02/09/2025
This new approach is designed to fix that. By removing unnecessary complexity, improving turnaround times, and tailoring support where it’s needed most, we aim to give more businesses (from every part of the UK) the opportunity to succeed.
Innovate UK has announced a major overhaul of its funding application process to make it simpler, faster, and more inclusive for businesses across the UK. This initiative, launched in response to feedback from applicants and partners, aims to remove unnecessary complexity, reduce turnaround times, and tailor support to the needs of each project. The goal is to ensure that more businesses—especially first-time applicants and those from underrepresented backgrounds—can successfully access innovation funding.
The improvements are centred around four key changes:
- Simplified Application Process: Forms are being redesigned using a tested framework to focus on essential information, such as how an idea meets a specific need, without overwhelming applicants with administrative burden. This makes the process more intuitive and time-efficient.
- Faster Decision Timelines: Innovate UK is targeting a 90-day window from competition close to Grant Offer Letter issuance. This accelerated timeline helps businesses plan and act more confidently, while enabling more agile programme delivery.
- Diverse Assessor Pool: The assessor network is being expanded to include a broader range of technical and commercial experts from across the UK. This diversity aims to reduce bias and improve the quality of funding decisions.
- Tailored Monitoring and Support: Monitoring will now be based on the specific needs of each project. Some will receive hands-on support, while others will be given more autonomy. This flexible approach ensures better outcomes and value for public money.
To support applicants, Innovate UK has introduced practical tools including simplified question sets, behind-the-scenes videos, expert guidance, and articles on their “How We Help” page. The organisation encourages applicants to focus on relevance—clearly showing how their innovation solves real problems and delivers societal or customer value.
Over the next 6–12 months, Innovate UK hopes to see increased participation from first-time applicants, broader regional representation, improved feedback, and stronger advocacy from funded businesses. The overarching vision is to create a faster, fairer, and more open route to innovation funding, built collaboratively with applicants, partners, and advisers.