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Local Landscape

Funding and business support in Sunderland

Open to businesses in Sunderland, including schemes for the wider region and the whole country.

Sunderland's page: people to ring, events nearby and what is only for Sunderland

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Local to Sunderland 17 schemes

Open all yearMembership or network

North East Automotive Alliance

North East Automotive Alliance

An industry-led cluster group supporting growth and competitiveness of the automotive sector in the North East of England, offering networking, skills, innovation and promotion. Membership gives promotion of member capabilities and connections to supply chain opportunities.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

IP: Research, Protect & Commercialise

North East Growth Hub, Business & IP Centre North East

Free on-site research resources, free one-to-one intellectual property surgeries and free business workshops and advice to help start-ups and existing businesses research, protect and commercialise ideas.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, NorthumberlandLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Enterprise & Innovation, University of Sunderland

University of Sunderland

Access to business advice, short courses, apprenticeships, start-up support, managed offices, research services and funding and collaboration opportunities from the University of Sunderland. Aimed at organisations working with the university.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Hope Street Xchange

University of Sunderland

Serviced office and meeting space in Sunderland City Centre for innovation-led businesses, start-ups and SMEs, run by the University of Sunderland's Centre for Enterprise and Innovation.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
SunderlandLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Internet of Caring Things

Internet of Caring Things, National Innovation Centre for Ageing

A 5-year innovation programme helping companies develop products and services for the ageing population using Internet of Caring Things technologies.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Innovation Pathway

Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria

Support for SMEs and innovators to develop and market products to the NHS and care sectors, covering the entire innovation lifecycle.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Arrow – Innovation Support for North East Businesses

Arrow, Arrow Innovation

Access to expertise and facilities from four universities for innovation projects including research and development, proof of concept, and data science support.

Amount
Arrow short innovation projects are fully-funded
Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearGrant

North East Supplier Readiness and Transformation (SRT) Scheme

North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, North East Growth Hub

Capital grants to help businesses in the North East automotive and EV supply chain invest in productivity, innovation and the transition to electrification. Backed by the Department for Business and Trade and delivered by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority.

Amount
£250,000 to £3,000,000
Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Enterprising Sunderland

North East BIC

Support for future entrepreneurs and businesses in all sectors to grow and innovate, including free advice, workshops, events and innovation grants.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
SunderlandLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Northern Accelerator

Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside and York Universities, Northern Accelerator, North East Growth Hub

Support for academics and business leaders to create spin-out businesses from university research, including training, funding, investment and business growth support.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Sunderland Innovate and Grow

University of Sunderland

A programme bringing together complementary activities to support innovation and business growth in Sunderland, including technology promotion, business capacity building, commercialisation support and creative sector engagement.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
SunderlandLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Open all yearGrant

BIC Innovation Grant Sunderland

Enterprising Sunderland

40% grant towards innovative projects valued between £5,000 and £25,000 for trading businesses based in Sunderland.

Amount
£5,000 to £25,000
Deadline
Open all year
Area
SunderlandLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
OpenSupport programme

Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria

Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria

Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria supports the health and care system to accelerate innovation which improves people's health and the regional economy. It works with NHS Trusts, universities and industry to identify, evaluate, adopt and disseminate innovation.

Area
Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, County DurhamLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
OpenSupport programme

Health Innovation Network

Health Innovation Network

The NHS innovation network that works with healthcare organisations and businesses to spread innovation within the NHS and social care.

Area
Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, County DurhamLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
OpenSupport programme

Digital Catapult Centre North East and Tees Valley

Digital Catapult, Digital Catapult North East Tees Valley (NETV)

Innovation support from Digital Catapult North East Tees Valley to help businesses explore and adopt advanced digital technologies, including fully-funded innovation residentials, workshops, one-to-one coaching and open innovation challenges. Open to startups and large businesses.

Area
Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, County Durham, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, NorthumberlandLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
OpenSupport programme

Design for Business

Design Network North

Workshops and research methodologies to help business owners design better products and reach new customers. Membership of Design Network North offers access to workshops, expert advice, events and mailshots.

Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
OpenSupport programme

Newcastle University - Working with Business

Newcastle University

A range of specialist services and facilities, including research, consultancy, clinical trials, studentships, equipment and Business Innovation Centres, to help businesses find solutions to real-world challenges.

Area
North East Combined AuthorityLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10

For all of North East England, or the whole North 5 schemes

Open all yearSupport programme

5G Immersive Lab

Digital Catapult

Access to a 5G Immersive Lab with co-working space, workshops and expert-led demonstrations to help businesses develop expertise in 5G and immersive technology.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East EnglandLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Open all yearInvestment

North East Accelerate Fund

Mercia Ventures

Equity investment of £50,000 to £1 million in innovative, early stage companies from start-up to scale-up stages.

Amount
£50,000 to £1,000,000
Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East EnglandLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

RTC North business support programmes

RTC North

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 EnglandLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

Immex City

Sunderland Software City

Project shaping the future of immersive technology in the North East of England.

Area
North East EnglandLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Open all yearInvestment

North East Spinout Inspire Fund

North East Fund, Northstar Ventures

Equity investment in companies spinning out from Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside universities to commercialise research and innovation.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
North East EnglandLocal Landscape rating 6 out of 10

National schemes 102 schemes

Open to businesses across England or the UK, including Sunderland.

Closing soonGrantUK-wide

Engineering Biology Collaborative R&D: Round 3

Innovate UK, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £8.5 million to develop and scale Engineering Biology platforms, products and services.

Amount
£750,000 to £2,500,000
Deadline
Closes 3 November 2026 at 11am (2 days)
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10

Email me more like this

We will email you when new funding appears for a business in Sunderland, working on new products, research or innovation.

How often

We send nothing else, and every email has a link to stop. How we use your address

Or save these answers in a free business profile: your alert then follows them whenever you change them.