Description

This competition is part of Energy Catalyst Round 11, delivered by Innovate UK (part of UKRI) and funded through the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) under the UK’s Ayrton Fund commitment. It supports mid‑stage research and development (R&D) projects that contribute to clean energy access in Official Development Assistance (ODA)‑eligible countries in sub‑Saharan Africa, South Asia, the Indo‑Pacific region and Latin America.

Funding amount

• Total funding available: Up to £7 million across all three strands of Energy Catalyst Round 11 (early, mid, late).
• Per project:
  • Total eligible project costs must be between £50,000 and £1.5 million.
  • Grant funding: Projects are delivered as grants with coverage based on organisation size and research category (following Innovate UK intervention rates: up to ~70% for micro/small, ~60% for medium, ~50% for large organisations on industrial research).

Submission Deadlines

• Competition opens: Monday 5 January 2026.
• Competition closes: Wednesday 25 March 2026 at 11:00 am UK time.
• Project start: Projects must start from 1 August 2026.
• Project duration: Projects must last between 6 and 24 months and complete by 31 March 2030.

Submission conditions

Applicants must:

• submit through the Innovation Funding Service by the deadline;
• ensure all partner organisations are invited and have accepted before submission;
• ensure project work complies with ODA eligibility and impact requirements (clear benefits for eligible regions);
• ensure all work begins only after a Grant Offer Letter is active;
• adhere to Innovate UK’s subsidy control, eligibility and financial viability policies.

Eligible types of organisations

This competition supports collaborative projects. Eligible participants include:

• UK‑registered lead organisations of any size (businesses, charities, NGOs, research institutions) that claim grant funding;
• At least two legally separate organisations must be involved;
• Projects must involve at least one micro, small or medium‑sized enterprise (SME) claiming funding;
• Additional partners can include: academic institutions, other UK businesses, research organisations, NGOs, public sector bodies and international partners (non‑funded or funded where eligible).

Eligible countries

• Lead and funded collaborators must be UK‑registered or have a UK administrative lead;
• Project results must be exploited from the UK, but primary benefits and work should target eligible ODA regions in sub‑Saharan Africa, South Asia, the Indo‑Pacific and Latin America;
• International partners may participate but must align with UKRI and ODA compliance requirements.