Innovation pathways directory
Looking to progress your cleantech innovation? Whether you’re looking for funding, grants, accelerator programmes or mentoring, we’ve curated a few of the innovation pathways and support mechanisms to be found across the UK.
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Energy Systems Catapult
Energy Systems Catapult provides technical, commercial and policy expertise to drive innovation across the whole energy system.
- Support Types: Incubator Mentoring Accelerator
- TRL level: TRL 4 TRL 5+
Bethnal Green Ventures
BGV invest in ambitious founders using technology to tackle big social and environmental problems that aim to radically improve millions of lives. The Tech For Good Programme includes £60k investment and 6week programme.
- Organisation type: Venture Programme
- Support Types: Programme Funding Mentoring Accelerator Training Community
- TRL level: TRL 2 TRL 3 TRL 4
- Location: National
- Duration: 1-3 months
- Amount: £50k -£100k
Nucleate
Nucleate is a student-led organization to support bio-innovators. Offering an accelerator programme, training and a community for those studying and working in bio-tech.
- Organisation type: Venture Builder University partnership
- Support Types: Mentoring Accelerator Training Community
- TRL level: TRL 2 TRL 3 TRL 4
- Location: Global
- Duration: 3-6 months
Homeworld Collective
Climate biotech platform, supporting researchers and scientists with funding and a community platform to accelerate biotech for the planet. Support through community building, thought leadership and Grants in GGR and Protein Engineering.
- Organisation type: Funding platform
- Support Types: Funding Community
- TRL level: TRL 1 TRL 2 TRL 3
- Location: Global
- Amount: £50k -£100k
Zinc
Zinc empowers exceptional science talent to build ventures that tackle the most pressing and complex challenges facing the planet. Nurturing founders through two routes: Start-Up and Research Commercialisation.
- Organisation type: Venture Builder
- Support Types: Programme Funding Incubator Mentoring Accelerator Training Community
- TRL level: TRL 2 TRL 3 TRL 4
- Location: National London
- Duration: 3-6 months 6-12 months
- Amount: £50k -£100k
CO2RE
CO2RE is the UK’s national research hub on Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR). Pathfinder projects now closed. Sign up to be part of the innovation Platform and connect with other industry and research partners on GGR.
- Organisation type: University partnership
- Support Types: Mentoring Industry Access Community
- TRL level: TRL 1 TRL 2 TRL 3 TRL 4 TRL 5+
- Location: Regional National
StEP Ignite – Oxford University
Oxford's Student Entrepreneurs' programme. Open to University of Oxford students. It aims to help the participants take existing research (either their own or from our IP library) and convert it into impactful businesses.
- Organisation type: Venture Builder University partnership
- Support Types: Programme Incubator Mentoring Training Office Space
- TRL level: TRL 1 TRL 2 TRL 3
- Location: Oxford
- Duration: 1-3 months
- Amount: £0-£50k
Imperial Enterprise Lab
Imperial Enterprise Lab, a dedicated support service for students, staff and alumni who want to develop their entrepreneurial mindset, skills, and networks. Test new ideas and launch products, services and ventures.
- Organisation type: University partnership
- Support Types: Mentoring Training Office Space
- TRL level: TRL 1 TRL 2 TRL 3 TRL 4 TRL 5+
- Location: London
- Duration: 12-24 months
- Amount: £0
UKRI impact acceleration accounts
Impact acceleration accounts (IAAs) are strategic awards providing funding to research organisations to use creatively for a wide range of impact activities. Apply to a grant-holding institution directly for your project.
- Organisation type: Public funding
- Support Types: Funding
- TRL level: TRL 1 TRL 2
- Location: Regional
DT-Prime – Imperial
DT-Prime was created specifically for Imperial College London. Enabling researchers to turn deep tech and life science innovations into ventures that can scale, aligning the people, data, and strategy needed to attract top-tier capital.
- Organisation type: Venture Programme University partnership
- Support Types: Funding Industry Access Accelerator Training
- TRL level: TRL 2 TRL 3 TRL 4
- Location: London
- Duration: 6-12 months
- Amount: £50k -£100k £100k-£250k
ICURe – Explore
A fast-paced, full-time, 12-week market exploration programme. Up to £35,000 for Entrepreneurial Lead’s salary and costs. Aimed at helping research teams from across the UK to explore technology applications and test value propositions thro
- Organisation type: Venture Programme Public funding
- Support Types: Programme Funding Mentoring Accelerator Training
- TRL level: TRL 3 TRL 4
- Location: Regional National
- Duration: 6-12 months
- Amount: £0-£50k
ICURe – Discover
A part-time online market exploration programme for researchers and technicians, with up to £2,500 support for market discovery activities. It is a pre-requisite to attend ICURe Discover if you wish to apply for ICURe Explore or Exploit.
- Organisation type: Venture Programme Public funding
- Support Types: Programme Funding Mentoring Training
- TRL level: TRL 2 TRL 3 TRL 4
- Location: Regional National
- Duration: 1-3 months
- Amount: £0-£50k
ICURe – Engage
Innovate UK ICURe Engage is a 4-week, part-time programme open to students and technicians which helps you identify who could benefit from your research, and the benefits of entrepreneurship.
- Organisation type: Venture Programme Public funding
- Support Types: Training
- TRL level: TRL 1 TRL 2
- Location: National Online
- Duration: 1-3 months
- Amount: £0
Innovate UK Innovation Competitions
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency, helping companies to grow through their development and commercialisation of new products, processes and services. Grants (via innovation competitions) from £50k to £500k+ in various fields.
- Organisation type: Public funding
- Support Types: Funding
- TRL level: TRL 3 TRL 4 TRL 5+
- Location: National
- Duration: 6-12 months 12-24 months
- Amount: £50k -£100k £100k-£250k £250-£500k
Marble
Marble is the only deeptech venture studio in Europe focused exclusively on climate. Looking for scientists, engineers and operators with deep domain expertise related to their opportunity areas. 3 stages: Explore, Create, Build.
- Organisation type: Venture Builder
- Support Types: Large Support Funding Mentoring Industry Access Training Office Space
- TRL level: TRL 1 TRL 2
- Location: Paris Global
- Duration: 6-12 months 12-24 months
- Amount: £0-£50k £250-£500k
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