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 UKRI funding. Total funding: £17.6 million Maximum award: £17.6 million Location: National Who can apply: Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector Closing date: 2026-12-09 16:00 (UK time) Eligibility 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. Summary 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. Objectives 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 fundin Dates Assessment process We will assess your application using the following process. Applications will be assessed by an expert peer review panel only. There will be no postal peer review. In the event of this funding opportunity being substantially oversubscribed as to be unmanageable, UKRI reserve the right to modify the assessment process. Expert review We will invite an expert panel to review your application independently, against the specified criteria for this funding opportunity. You will not How to apply 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