Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

SME Technology Adoption Accelerator

A government grant for one delivery partner (or one consortium with a single accountable lead) to run a one-year pilot, April 2027 to March 2028, of new digital adoption support for UK SMEs, starting with businesses of 50 or fewer employees in retail, hospitality and leisure. The partner builds an online offer (curated guidance, sector guides, case studies, webinars, e-learning, content for AI tools) and local in-person support (events, peer networks, mentoring), working with large industry partners and existing brands such as 'Backing Your Business', the Business Growth Service, the Business Academy and Growth Hubs. This is not a grant for an SME's own technology: it is for organisations already delivering SME business support. No grant value is published.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £1 – £999,000
Deadline: 39 days left; 11 December
Effort: Heavy; budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

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: not-for-profit, public and private sector organisations, and consortia
A consortium must name a lead organisation that completes the application and is accountable to the department for delivery, reporting and financial management
The department is looking for existing delivery infrastructure able to launch at pace, the standing to convene large businesses and government departments, demonstrable routes to smaller retail, hospitality and leisure SMEs nationally and locally, clear governance and resourcing to deliver online and in person across the UK, monitoring and evaluation capability, and data protection arrangements that meet public sector expectations
Applicants must be solvent and not subject to insolvency proceedings, and must declare any actual or potential conflict of interest, including commercial relationships with prospective industry partners
Only one delivery partner will be funded

What it funds

Delivering a one-year pilot of a coherent digital adoption support offer for UK SMEs, initially those with 50 or fewer employees in retail, hospitality and leisure:

Collating and curating information for SMEs: sector guides, case studies, targeted events and content suitable for an AI-powered support tool, integrated with the Business Growth Service
Tackling resource barriers: coordinating and integrating cost-related help from industry partners such as discounts, free trials, demos and vouchers
Developing a modular learning offer using expert content from industry partners, online (case studies, guides, e-learning, webinars) and in person (events, peer networking, mentoring), integrated with the Business Growth Service and Business Academy
Coordinating network partners to secure contributions from industry and government while staying vendor neutral
Marketing and promotion using 'Backing Your Business' branding and existing networks, including Growth Hubs
Monitoring, reporting and evaluation: monthly KPI reporting, a delivery dashboard and risk register, and interim and final evaluation products

Grant funding is expected to be supplemented by in-kind contributions from industry partners (venue space, mentoring hours, content, marketing) and existing government platforms.

How to apply

Follow the application link to the Grants Hub Portal and sign up
Complete the application, giving organisation details for every consortium partner, turnover and employee numbers, public funding received in the past 3 years and any conflicts of interest
Upload the attachments
Submit by 11:59pm on 11 December 2026

Have ready

Registered name and address, plus Companies House, VAT and charity numbers where applicable (for every partner in a consortium)
Annual turnover and employee count (combined figures for a consortium)
Details of public funding received in the past 3 years
Details of actual or potential conflicts of interest
A quarterly cost breakdown of how the grant would be spent across cost categories in FY 2027/28 (attachment)
A one-page organogram of the roles delivering the pilot, in FTE or subcontracted terms (attachment)
Up to two case studies evidencing relevant SME delivery experience (attachment)
Screenshots or graphics of the CRM or management systems you will use (optional attachment)

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