GrantRadar

Innovate UK (UKRI)

Climate Tech FOAK Builder: Programme Entry Expression of Interest

Phase 1 of Innovate UK's Climate Tech FOAK Builder pilot, for UK SMEs approaching the first commercial-scale deployment of a climate technology project (TRL 7 or above). This phase gives no cash: successful companies get a dedicated mentor, a FOAK Development Plan and in-kind expert advisory and technical assistance worth up to £315,000, delivered by a Technical Assistance Supplier, to move the project towards Final Investment Decision. Only companies with an agreed Development and Support Plan can be invited to apply for Phase 2 development-cost grants (£4 million in total), which are not guaranteed. Projects must be in sustainable fuels, grid technologies, engineered carbon removals or low carbon materials, and Innovate UK expects about a 10% chance of success; it closes at 11am on 5 November 2026.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£1,000 – £315,000
Closes in
18 days left
5 November
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • A UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), working alone; subcontractors are not allowed and an organisation can lead only one application
  • The company must be developing a climate tech FOAK commercial project in one of the four themes, using technology at TRL 7 or above with real-world demonstration evidence, beyond FEL stage 1 across technical, commercial, financial, project management and team, and Innovate UK anticipates supporting companies aiming to raise between £10 million and £100 million of capital for the project
  • Work must be done in the UK with results exploited in the UK
  • The support is Minimal Financial Assistance, so previous MFA and de minimis support in the current and two previous financial years plus this award must not exceed £315,000
  • Companies must commit staff time (the briefing says at least 20 hours of C-suite time a month), aim to reach FID within 18 months of completing Phase 2, and are excluded if they have failed to exploit a previous Innovate UK project, have an overdue accountant's report or breached grant terms

What it funds

In-kind support (not cash) to move a climate tech First of a Kind (FOAK) commercial project towards Final Investment Decision (FID), worth up to £315,000 if a FOAK Support Plan is agreed:

  • A dedicated mentor (a FOAK project development expert) and a full diagnostic to build a FOAK Development Plan: stage-gate framework, project tracker, budget, schedule, risk register, stakeholder register and financial model
  • Technical and engineering support, for example developing engineering, procurement and construction plans
  • Financial support, for example developing the project's investment case and planning how the project will be financed
  • Commercial support, for example supply chain mapping, feedstock and offtake agreements
  • Project development support, for example legal advice on all project aspects, including environmental, planning, insurance strategy, risk identification and mitigations
  • Team and governance support, for example recruitment, including finding senior leaders and core project team members
  • Guidance from investors and insurers, access to a wider investment and FOAK advisory network, networking, events and workshops
  • Projects must focus on one of: sustainable fuels (excluding those relying on fossil carbon or municipal solid waste as an input); grid technologies, including energy storage or hardware that improves grid efficiency or operations; engineered carbon removals, including direct air capture and innovative point source carbon capture; low carbon material production and recycling (for example concrete, steel, chemicals, critical materials)

The FOAK Builder does not fund projects directly and this EOI phase has no grant funding; funding of Support Plan activities needs Innovate UK approval. Successful companies may be invited to apply for Phase 2 grants for eligible project development costs, with no guarantee of funding.

What it will not fund

  • Early stage research and development, initial pilots or small scale technology demonstrations
  • Projects that do not fit the scope or the four climate technology themes
  • Technology below TRL 7, or projects not yet beyond Front-End Loading (FEL) stage 1 for all components
  • Technologies, processes or configurations that have already operated successfully at commercial scale anywhere in the world
  • Primary production in fishery, aquaculture or agriculture
  • Projects not allowed under de minimis restrictions or not eligible for Minimal Financial Assistance
  • Projects dependent on export performance or on using domestic inputs
  • Subcontractors
  • Previously submitted applications

How to apply

  1. Read the competition brief and the Innovation Funding Service guidance, and watch the recorded briefing (12 October 2026)
  2. Create an account on the Innovation Funding Service as a UK registered business using Companies House lookup, and start a new application
  3. Complete project details: summary and public description (400 words each) and a scope answer (up to 1,000 words) on what you will build, why it is first of a kind, how it differs from earlier pilots and why it is replicable
  4. Answer questions 1 to 10 (not scored), including the Minimal Financial Assistance declaration and mandatory PDF appendices on technology readiness, customer agreements, project maturity and project financing, plus a financial model spreadsheet; missing appendices make the application out of scope
  5. Answer scored questions 11 to 22 (up to 400 words each) on technical, commercial, environmental and project management risks, milestones, regulation, skills, skills gaps, benefits, public funding, market growth and differentiation
  6. Submit by 11am on 5 November 2026; three independent assessors score the application
  7. If invited (2 December 2026), send an attendee list and a PowerPoint presentation (up to 20 minutes, 21 slides), with an optional two-page response to feedback, and attend an interview between 14 and 18 December 2026
  8. Applicants are notified on 5 January 2027; successful companies complete project setup, then work with Innovate UK and the Technical Assistance Supplier on the Development and Support Plans, with support starting by 1 March 2027

The Finances section asks for no grant costs, as this EOI has no grant funding; awarded in-kind support must be reported to Innovate UK. Contact support@iuk.ukri.org or 0300 321 4357 for help, ideally 15 working days before the deadline for reasonable adjustments.

Have ready

  • Minimal Financial Assistance declaration (Innovate UK template) as a PDF
  • Technology readiness appendix with quantitative evidence of real-world demonstration (PDF, up to 4 pages)
  • Customer agreements appendix, such as letters of intent, MoUs or offtake agreements (PDF, up to 4 pages)
  • Project maturity appendix showing the project is beyond FEL stage 1: site, high level designs, potential EPC partners, supply chain requirements and a FEL self-assessment (PDF, up to 10 pages)
  • Project financing description (PDF, up to 4 pages)
  • Preliminary project-level financial model with P&L, sensitivity analysis and cash flow (ODS spreadsheet)

Interview presentation slides and an attendee list are needed only if invited to interview.

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