UK-Germany Bilateral Collaborative R&D: Round 5
Innovate UK (UKRI) · Innovation grant (bilateral R&D)
$469KUK grant request of £100,000–£350,000 per project (~$469k max), up to 70% of costs for micro/small firms; £2.4M pot
Innovate UK grant for a UK SME that runs a joint industrial research project with a German SME, which applies in parallel for German ZIM funding.
Key terms
- Lead must be a UK-registered SME working with at least one German SME applying to ZIM
- UK grant request £100,000–£350,000; projects last 12–24 months
- Industrial research funded up to 70% (micro/small) or 60% (medium) of eligible costs
- No single partner may claim more than 70% of total project costs
- Closes 1 Dec 2026, 11:00 UK time
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
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- German SME partner applying to ZIM required
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
- 2026-12-01
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-11-05 · source
More: Government grants for startups · Startup programs in the United Kingdom
Guide: Startup grants in the UK (2026): open Innovate UK competitions, R&D tax relief and EU calls