Innovate UK Business Connect is the new name for Innovate UK KTN. We connect innovators with new partners and new opportunities beyond their existing thinking – accelerating ambitious ideas into real-world solutions.
Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network
Decarbonising Ports & Harbours
Electrical Energy Systems
Energy Catalyst
Hydrogen Innovation Network
Innovation Exchange
Nuclear
Offshore / Renewables
Solar
Thermal Energy Systems
Hydrogen Supply Chain Directory
Enabling smart local energy systems
Explore the diverse range of UK industries supported by Innovate UK Business Connect.
Science Secretary Michelle Donelan unveiled plans to invest over £1.1 billion to upskill millions of individuals across the UK.
KYMIRA Ltd will use an Innovate UK Advancing Precision Medicine grant for a project it hopes will help diagnose heart disease earlier, with the aim of preventing some of the 100,000 deaths from arrhythmia every year in the UK.
Innovate UK is pleased to announce the formation of the Concrete Commitment Cohort (CCC) alongside the launch of a funding competition to accelerate commercial adoption of lower carbon concrete.
In a groundbreaking convergence of minds, the UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network was officially launched on 13 March 2024 in Nairobi.
On 5-9 February 2024, Innovate UK hosted delegates from Nigeria to the UK on a circular economy knowledge exchange mission with a focus on sustainable construction and circular fashion with site visits, a sustainable construction networking event, workshops and a UK-Africa showcase session. This explored innovation transfer as well as opportunities for innovation exchange between Nigeria and the UK.
Meet eight academic teams converting research into commercialisation ahead of the 2024 Demo Day.
On 15 February 2024, we celebrated the innovative partnership between Innovate UK and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), marking a year since the co-signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Innovate UK and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority formalise their Innovation collaboration with a new co-created West of England Local Action Plan.
In 2010 a low carbon HGV technology roadmap predicted by 2050 the use of a hydrogen and low carbon fuel mixture. From 2025 the UK’s large-scale demonstrator aims to deploy almost 400 electric vehicles and hydrogen powered, zero emission trucks on the road. But what will things look like at the halfway mark, in 2038?
Innovate UK Business Connect helps organisations interested in AgriFood innovation access the expert information, funding and connections needed to drive change. Our experts work with businesses of all sizes; locally, nationally and globally.
The Biotechnology team at Innovate UK Business Connect focuses on Industrial Biotechnology (IB), Engineering Biology (EB, commonly referred to as Synthetic Biology) and Microbiomes.
By 2050 our industry will have embraced a circular economy and be using different feedstocks, technologies and energy sources to produce chemicals. The Innovate UK Business Connect Chemistry team can help you navigate these changes and identify innovation that will ensure your business, research or service remains sustainable.
The Innovate UK Business Connect Creative team helps organisations interested in innovation in the Creative Industries to access funding, expert knowledge and to make powerful and diverse connections.
Human-centred design is for businesses of any size who are interested in early-stage innovation strategy. For start-ups, strategic design helps get brilliant ideas to the right market. For established businesses, it helps reposition or expand their offering.
The Innovate UK Business Connect Digital team helps organisations interested in Digital innovation to access funding, expert knowledge and to make powerful and diverse connections.
Electronics is the enabler of all things digital. It is the hardware and embedded software that allows products and processes to communicate, have power, have intelligence and awareness, be controlled, be automated and operate safely. It’s built into many sectors, including health, aerospace, manufacturing and retail.
Innovate UK Business Connect’s Energy Team is at the centre of our work contributing to delivering the UK’s ambitious Net Zero targets. With specialists in Nuclear, Offshore Wind, Thermal Energy Systems, Batteries, Water, Hydrogen, Sustainable Energy, Grid and Distributed Systems, Electrical Energy Systems and Solar, the team has deep expertise, powerful connections and a track record of successful projects delivering environmental and societal impact.
The world is powered by data; turning data into information helps us make decisions across all sectors of the economy. Innovate UK Business Connect hosts an innovation network that focuses on connecting the data holders and data processors with the people that can benefit from the insight geospatial data can provide.
Health is critical to our wellbeing as individuals, plays a key role in societal and economic advances, and presents many opportunities for environmental impact. Innovations in health & care allow us to alleviate suffering, increase quality of life and life expectancy, and manage the needs of a changing and ageing population.
Innovate UK Business Connect’s Industrial Maths team harnesses the power of mathematics to meet the needs of business, government and not-for-profit organisations, helping a wide range of sectors express problems and challenges in an accessible way. We also facilitate new partnerships with an extensive network of mathematical science practitioners and diverse institutions across the UK.
Against an overarching low carbon agenda, our mission is to support the development of UK innovation to deliver clean, accessible and secure energy & water systems through a digitally enabled construction sector and so provide smart, resilient and successful cities and communities.
Innovate UK Business Connect’s Manufacturing team helps manufacturers to innovate, and innovators to manufacture. We work with a broad spectrum of organisations, sectors and technology areas, advising on innovation and connecting to partners, experts, facilities and funding.
The Materials Team at Innovate UK Business Connect covers a broad scope of the materials life cycle, from feedstock, processing techniques, design and manufacture, testing, standardisation, resource efficiency and circularity.
Photonics is the science and technology of light. This includes lasers, optical systems and components, as well as fibre optics. Photonics is a £13.5 billion industry in the UK, with the technology used across various UK industries and in society, from optical communications and data storage to laser sensors for autonomous vehicles.
Quantum-enabled devices present a huge market opportunity for the UK. These technologies could transform a range of sectors including transport, healthcare, infrastructure, ICT, telecommunications and defence.
From Healthcare to Legaltech, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence are significant globalised technologies that can be applied in many sectors. The extensive industrial and academic research base in the UK can support both the national and global markets in addressing key challenges impacting societies today.
The UK is committed to spending a minimum 2% of GDP on defence over the next decade, and at least 20% of that spending on equipment. This commitment represents spending some £186bn on defence equipment and support in the 10 years from 2018/19. The UK is also the second largest defence exporter, winning defence orders worth £14bn in 2018.
Sensor technologies create measurements and convert them into digital data. This data can then be analysed to inform decision making. What’s being measured could be chemical, biological, physical, mechanical or any other quantities such as chemicals, proteins, weight, dimensions and more.
Space is one of the fastest growing industries in the UK, with the ambition to capture 10% of the world market by 2030. Currently, the UK manufactures over 20% of the satellites in orbit and has established a path towards launching satellites from UK soil by 2021.
Innovation in transport has the potential to benefit our economy, society and environment. The transport system of the future will be more efficient, cleaner and smarter, through utilising enhanced digital, communication and automated technologies.
The water sector impacts every person, business and industry type in the UK. We turn on the tap and expect clean water. We rely on the water infrastructure, the pipes, the sewerage treatment, the rapid fixing of leaks. And we expect environmental issues to be a cornerstone of the industry and its operations.
We want the very best of the world connected to the very best of the UK. That’s why we built this programme; to form international collaborations with governments, societies, enterprises, institutions and people from every corner of the globe. It is innovation diplomacy at its best.
We are driving positive economic, societal, and environmental change through innovation.
We work with public innovation funding and private finance providers where investment can create a positive change.
For over 45 years Knowledge Transfer Partnerships have been helping businesses innovate for growth by accessing the UK’s world-leading knowledge base.
The world is changing at an ever greater pace. Industry and innovators are responding, working together to create the products, services and businesses of the future. Innovate UK Business Connect is here to help.
Featured Sector Information
Science Secretary Michelle Donelan unveiled plans to invest over £1.1 billion to upskill millions of individuals across the UK.
KYMIRA Ltd will use an Innovate UK Advancing Precision Medicine grant for a project it hopes will help diagnose heart disease earlier, with the aim of preventing some of the 100,000 deaths from arrhythmia every year in the UK.
Innovate UK is pleased to announce the formation of the Concrete Commitment Cohort (CCC) alongside the launch of a funding competition to accelerate commercial adoption of lower carbon concrete.
In a groundbreaking convergence of minds, the UK-Kenya Health Global Innovation Network was officially launched on 13 March 2024 in Nairobi.
On 5-9 February 2024, Innovate UK hosted delegates from Nigeria to the UK on a circular economy knowledge exchange mission with a focus on sustainable construction and circular fashion with site visits, a sustainable construction networking event, workshops and a UK-Africa showcase session. This explored innovation transfer as well as opportunities for innovation exchange between Nigeria and the UK.
Meet eight academic teams converting research into commercialisation ahead of the 2024 Demo Day.
On 15 February 2024, we celebrated the innovative partnership between Innovate UK and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), marking a year since the co-signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Innovate UK and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority formalise their Innovation collaboration with a new co-created West of England Local Action Plan.
In 2010 a low carbon HGV technology roadmap predicted by 2050 the use of a hydrogen and low carbon fuel mixture. From 2025 the UK’s large-scale demonstrator aims to deploy almost 400 electric vehicles and hydrogen powered, zero emission trucks on the road. But what will things look like at the halfway mark, in 2038?
Innovate UK Talent & Skills Connect is your one-stop destination for accessing Products and Services designed to support the Talent & Skills pipeline for innovative businesses.
Innovate UK’s 50 Emerging Technologies report takes a bite-size look at technologies likely to be important for the UK economy in 20 years’ time.
Innovate UK has launched a new digital platform, No Limits, to support innovative talent across the UK by connecting innovators and businesses to talent and skills opportunities.
In 2022/23 we reached and supported more innovators across the UK than ever before, and we continue to extend that reach through building and improving our portfolio of opportunities.
Innovate UK’s 50 Emerging Technologies report takes a bite-size look at technologies likely to be important for the UK economy in 20 years’ time.
Innovate UK has launched a new digital platform, No Limits, to support innovative talent across the UK by connecting innovators and businesses to talent and skills opportunities.
In 2022/23 we reached and supported more innovators across the UK than ever before, and we continue to extend that reach through building and improving our portfolio of opportunities.
Science Secretary Michelle Donelan unveiled plans to invest over £1.1 billion to upskill millions of individuals across the UK.
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £5m to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address business challenges and opportunities.
Innovate UK system
The Innovate UK system is an ecosystem of expertise, funding, and powerful connections. Learn about how we can each uniquely help you achieve your innovation goals.
