Innovate UK Frontier AI: SME Champions, Phase 1
Innovate UK (UKRI) · Innovation grant (AI)
$235KProjects with £150,000–£250,000 total costs; grant up to 70% for micro/small firms (≈£175k max). £3.1M pot. Phase 2 (up to £1M) by invitation.
Grant for UK SMEs to validate the technical feasibility of state-of-the-art AI/ML (new architectures, training methods, learning or control algorithms); first step of a three-phase AI champions pipeline.
Key terms
- Lead must be a UK-registered SME; one application per SME; no subcontractors
- Projects 1–3 months, start by 2027-04-01
- Advance must come from model architecture, training methodology, learning or control algorithms
- ~2% historical success rate; technical whitepaper required at end
Eligibility
- Where
- United Kingdom
- Stages
- pre-seed, seed, series-a
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- Yes
- AI focus required
- Yes
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
How to apply
Apply on the Innovation Funding Service before 11:00 UK time on the closing date.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- 2026-11-11
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-10-23 · source