SME Technology Adoption Accelerator

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade (BIST) is looking for a single delivery partner (or one consortium with a single accountable lead) to run a one‑year pilot in FY 2027/28 of a new package of digital adoption support for UK small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs). Total funding: £999,000 Maximum award: £999,000 Location: National Who can apply: Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector, Local authority Closing date: 2026-12-12 (UK time) Eligibility We welcome applications from organisations that already operate in the SME digital adoption or SME business support space, with an existing record of support activity, expertise and delivery infrastructure. This includes not‑for‑profit, public and private sector organisations, and consortia. If applying as a consortium, you must identify a lead organisation that must complete the application, and will be accountable to BIST for overall delivery, reporting and financial management. We are looking for: - Existing delivery infrastructure: the ability to launch and deliver at pace, building on existing capabilities rather than building from scratch. - Convening credibility: the standing to coordinate contributions from multiple large businesses and government departments into a coherent offer. - Reach into the target group: demonstrable routes to smaller SMEs in Retail, Hospitality and Leisure, nationally and locally. - Delivery capacity and governance: clear governance structure, named leads, and resourcing sufficient to deliver online and in-person across the UK within pilot timelines. - Monitoring and evaluation capability: the ability to collect, manage and report data, and to produce credible interim and final evaluation products. - Data protection capability: information management arrangements that meet public sector expectations. Applicants must be solvent and not subject to insolvency proceedings. Any actual or potential conflict of interest — including commercial relationships with prospective industry partners — must be declared at application. Summary Basic digital technology is a proven driver of firm-level productivity, yet UK adoption lags international competitors, particularly among SMEs. SMEs face three barriers: limited awareness and information, resources and skills. A fragmented support landscape fails to address them. The industry-led SME Digital Adoption Taskforce recommends a new public-private initiative with large businesses and No.10 to boost SME digital and AI adoption. The Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade (BIST) will fund one delivery partner (or one consortium with a single accountable lead) for a one-year pilot to create a coherent support offer, initially for UK SMEs with 50 or fewer employees in Retail, Hospitality and Leisure, with scope to expand following evaluation. The pilot will provide online support, including curated guidance, sector guides, case studies, webinars, e-learning and content for AI-powered tools, alongside local, in-person support, including events, peer networks and mentoring. It will combine industry and government contributions and use existing brands, networks and platforms, including ‘Backing Your Business’, the Business Growth Service, the Business Academy and Objectives - Coordinate a fragmented landscape. Link a new, curated service to recognised brands, networks and platforms — ‘Backing Your Business’, Growth Hubs, the Business Growth Service and the Business Academy — so that support reaches SMEs through channels they already recognise and trust, and so that grant funding buys delivery rather than infrastructure. - To address three key digital adoption barriers. SMEs face barriers of lack of awareness and information, resources and skills. The pilot will be Dates The pilot will run from April 2027 to March 2028. Application Opening Date: 2 November 2026 10:00Application Closing Date: 11 December 2026 23:59Application Outcomes: Early February 2027 How to apply Follow the A