Free or subsidised online and in-person training in advanced manufacturing topics such as 3D printing, robotics and AI, for employed, self-employed and other learners in Lancashire.
Amount
Self-employed: fully funded. Employed: free to the learner, employer covers the cost. Small businesses: £360 per employee. Large organisations: £1,080 per employee. Prices exclude VAT.
Area
Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Lancashire, Liverpool City RegionRating 7/10Local Landscape rating 7 out of 10
For all of North West England, or the whole North 2 schemes
RTC North Ltd is a support provider that delivers publicly funded business support, expert advice and innovation programmes across the North of England, for start-ups, scale-ups, manufacturers and supply chains.
Area
The North of EnglandRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
National schemes 102 schemes
Open to businesses across England or the UK, including Cumberland.
Share of up to £110 million from UKRI for UK registered organisations to deliver research and develop future leaders, for business and non-academic applicants.
Amount
£100,000 to £3,000,000
Deadline
Closes 4 November 2026 at 11am (3 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 9/10Local Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Funding for industrial research solutions to strengthen supply chain resilience and onshore critical dual use capabilities in battery innovation. Open to organisations of any size.
Amount
Share of £2 million, inclusive of VAT (total fund £2,000,000)
Deadline
Closes 4 November 2026 at 11am (3 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £150 million to create scale up manufacturing facilities for zero emission vehicle technologies.
Amount
£2,500,000 to £20,000,000
Deadline
Closes 4 November 2026 at 11am (3 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 10/10Local Landscape rating 10 out of 10
DDepartment for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency, invites proposals for projects through the International Bilateral Fund (IBF) that will help strengthen the UK space sector’s international partnerships.
Amount
Up to £1,500,000
Deadline
Closes 4 November 2026 at 3pm (3 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 9/10Local Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Develop discreet, wearable stab-resistant body armour specifically designed for women, to a minimum technology readiness level 5. Funding available for time, materials, overheads and indirect expenses.
Amount
Total budget (ex VAT) up to £60,000. Up to two proposals may be funded.
Deadline
Closes 5 November 2026 (4 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 7/10Local Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Phase 1 expression of interest for late-stage climate tech businesses developing First of a Kind (FOAK) projects, offering technical assistance (in-kind support) and possible Phase 2 grant funding. Companies must be UK registered micro, small or medium enterprises working alone, or as a lead.
Amount
Up to £315,000
Deadline
Closes 5 November 2026 at 11am (4 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 9/10Local Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Beyond Blood Diagnostics, Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK Business Connect, Innovate UK
Beyond Blood Diagnostics seeks solutions to reduce particle loss and positional variability in its microfluidic blood analysis cartridges. The winning applicant can apply for up to £60,000 for a 3 month project.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 11am (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect
A challenge seeking an Android-based, scalable capability to detect, geolocate and map radio-frequency interference affecting PNT services such as GPS jamming, in near real time. Open to established businesses, start-ups, SMEs and individual entrepreneurs that are UK based or intend to set up a UK base.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Innovation Exchange programme, Innovate UK, Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK Business Connect
A challenge to develop a modern replacement electronics platform for the GeoSwath bathymetric sonar system, with a grant of up to £60K for a 3-month project. Open to established businesses, academic institutions, start-ups, SMEs and individual entrepreneurs that are UK based or intend to set up a UK base.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
iX programme, Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect, Innovation Exchange
A challenge set by Ethicronics Ltd seeking solution providers to develop a reusable test capability for physical tamper protection of electronic assets in transit and storage. Open to established businesses, start-ups, SMEs and individual entrepreneurs that are UK based or intend to set up a UK base.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
iX programme, Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect
A competition to find innovators who can build a configurable industrial software solution for MBSE simulation within openSPDM. Winners get a chance to pitch and then apply for a grant of up to £60,000 for a 3 month project.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
iX programme, Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK Business Connect, Innovate UK
A competition for solution providers to capture and verify social value delivery across defence supply chains, with up to £60,000 grant for a 3 month project. Open to businesses including SMEs and start-ups.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK Business Connect, VSS
VSS is seeking open-innovation solutions to extend blast mitigation protection for personnel in armoured vehicles under drone attack. The winning applicant, selected by VSS, can apply for grant funding for a 3-month project.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
iX programme, Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK Business Connect, Innovate UK
Tekh is seeking a hardware development partner to design and prototype a series of low SWaP-C computing boards for Edge AI inference. Open to established businesses, academic institutions, start-ups, SMEs and individual entrepreneurs that are UK based or intend to set up a UK base.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 9/10Local Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect
An Innovate UK Innovation Exchange challenge set by Advanced Integrated Technologies Ltd (AiT) seeking resilient communications, navigation and mission-connectivity technologies for a persistent high-altitude autonomous aircraft. Selected solution providers may be invited to apply for a grant of up to £60,000.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Innovation Exchange, Innovate UK Business Connect, Innovate UK
A challenge seeking a secure, cost-effective way to use cloud-based AI, engineering and manufacturing tools with sensitive customer and defence data. Open to established businesses, academic institutions, start-ups, SMEs and individual entrepreneurs.
Amount
Up to £60,000
Deadline
Closes 6 November 2026 at 5pm (5 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
A two-stage competition to develop Army tactical power solutions at TRL 4 to TRL 6, plus a market engagement strand (Immediate Power Problem) for technology at TRL 6 or above that can be commercialised within 12 months.
Amount
Funding of £2.45M is available for Innovative Tactical Power Solutions. No funding figure is stated for Immediate Power Problem, which is a market engagement activity.
Deadline
Closes 10 November 2026 at 12 noon (9 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 8/10Local Landscape rating 8 out of 10
A UK Defence Innovation challenge seeking proposals that will help the Army meet future electricity demand, run in partnership with Australia's ASCA. Two opportunities sit within it: Innovative Tactical Power Solutions (a two-stage competition, development from TRL 4 to TRL 6) and Immediate Power Problem (a market engagement activity).
Amount
£2.45 million (excluding VAT) total funding available for Innovative Tactical Power Solutions. A number of proposals may be funded.
Deadline
Closes 10 November 2026 at 12 noon (9 days)
Area
United KingdomRating 7/10Local Landscape rating 7 out of 10