Manufacturing Scale-up Research and Innovation: Automotive and Aerospace

Apply for funding to address manufacturing scale-up challenges for new technologies and processes, accelerating innovation and driving UK business growth in the automotive and aerospace sectors. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding. The full economic cost (FEC) of your project for large grants can be between £4.5 million and £5.8 million up to four years duration, small grants up to £600,000 up to two years duration. UKRI will fund 80% of the FEC. To apply your research organisation must complete the Intent to submit survey by 11 November 2026 – see What we are looking for section. Demand management Demand management is not currently being applied to this funding opportunity. However, should the level of interest exceed what can be managed within the assessment process, UKRI may introduce limits on the number of applications that can be submitted. Further details will be clearly communicated where this is the case. UKRI encourages organisations to support applicants in preparing well-planned, high-quality applications that are competitive for funding relative to the funding opportunity. Aim This funding opportunity is part of the UKRI IS8+ Priority Programme for Advanced Manufacturing. The aim of this funding opportunity is to support research projects that will convert world-class research into repeatable, cost-effective and flexible manufacturing capabilities, delivering tangible impact for UK industry, accelerating innovation and enabling business growth. For companies to scale and grow they must produce and incorporate new technologies and processes at scale and pace. Projects supported through this funding opportunity will research how to overcome technical challenges and barriers to enable UK businesses to scale up and implement the manufacture of new technologies and embed new processes that will enable UK industry ‘to win’ in internationally ambitious markets. It is not the aim of this funding opportunity to develop new technologies or products; it is to scale up the production of recently developed new technologies or processes. Successful scaling requires an integrated approach spanning materials, processes, systems and manufacturing. Success depends on bridging the lab-to-factory gap, embedding digital tools, cutting edge process technologies and designing technologies for manufacturability, flexibility, and sustainability from the outset. Broader manufacturing system integration issues must be addressed including successful routes into and integration with supply chains to ensure outcomes are adopted by industry. This funding opportunity seeks to support projects that target real industrial barriers and create a seamless pathway from research to production to bridge the ‘industrialisation gap’, enabling the UK to move from world-leading discovery to world-leading manufacturing at scale. To aid this, applications must show that they have access to industrial scale manufacturing environments to ensure real world applicability, either in the research environment or in a company. The industry project partners must be central to the framing of the research challenge as well as in the application of the research outputs. This must be evidenced with appropriate letters of support. All applications must have matched funding committed by project partners from the beginning. Applications must state the national, regional and local implications of their research on UK industry. The UK has set ambitious manufacturing growth targets across frontier industries. Achieving these and other UK growth ambition will require the rapid, large-scale deployment of new technologies, digital, materials and manufacturing processes within an intensely competitive global landscape. This funding opportunity focuses on two of the frontier industries; Aerospace and Automotive. Leverage and industry engagement On 30 October 2025, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) published more detail on its plans to allocate its budget for the SR period. Including a new more agile model, and set out three research and development priorities supporting: • curiosity-driven, foundational research • strategic government and societal priorities • innovative companies As part of this directive at portfolio level, investments must target an average leverage ratio of at least £3 of private investment for every £1 of public investment, with higher ratios when investing to support innovative companies, supporting increasing long-term benefits to society. We therefore expect, at application, a leverage ratio in the order of 1:1, that is, matching non-public money to UKRI money. Additionally, your application must include a credible and realistic plan for unlocking additional leverage of non-public money over the lifetime of the grant contributing towards the 3:1 overall portfolio target. The plan must also include provision for how the grant will lead to further

This funding opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility, and organisations who are based overseas. Check if your organisation is eligible . UKRI individual eligibility rules apply. For full details, visit UKRI’s eligibility page . Resubmissions We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UKRI. Find out more about UKRI’s resubmission policy . Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers. We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes: • career breaks • support for people with caring responsibilities • flexible working • alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Click https://funding-service.ukri.org/OPP1323/apply/1352 in the UKRI Funding Service to apply. Intent to submit You must complete an Intent to submit (ItS) form by 4:00pm on 11 November 2026 to be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity. Applications from applicants who have not previously submitted an ItS will not be considered. ItS information will not be formally assessed and is only required by UKRI for planning purposes. You are not required to have finalised the details of your application when the ItS form is completed and submitted to UKRI. We recognise that information provided in the proposal, including the names of the project co-leads, may differ from the information provided in the ItS form. The form will ask you to provide the following information: • name of project lead • name(s) project co-lead(s) at the time of ItS submission. This list can change prior to outline submission deadline • project lead email address • project lead UK academic host institution • project partner organisation name(s). This list can change prior to submission deadline • proposed project draft title • the UKRI Funding Service application reference number. You will need to begin an application on the Funding Service to get this number but will not be required to complete the submission process until the closing date stipulated on the Funding Service We are running this funding opportunity on the new Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application. Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI. To apply Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page. • Confirm you are the project lead. • Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. • Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page. • Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office. • Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing. • Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI. Please be aware that research office and finance teams undertake checks on hosting arrangements and financial eligibility. The ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with all opportunity requirements lies with the applicant. Where indicated, you ca