Commercialising Knowledge Assets Fund (CKAF) Winter
- Funding
- £50,000 – £250,000
- Deadline
- 1 December 2026
- Location
- UK-wide
- Applications
- Deadline: 1 December 2026
Overview
The Department for Business Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) funds the Commercialising Knowledge Assets Fund (CKAF) Winter round, run by the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) and administered by Innovate UK. UK registered government research organisations can apply for £50,000 to £250,000 per project to move a public sector knowledge asset towards commercial readiness. Eligible project costs are funded at 100%. The competition is open to applicants across the UK and closes at 11am on 1 December 2026. Projects run for 6, 12 or 18 months and must start between 1 March 2027 and 1 April 2027. A knowledge asset is an intangible asset your organisation holds, such as know how, intellectual property, design rights, research and development outputs, source code or creative outputs. You must own the asset and describe a plausible commercial market for it. Lead applicants are Public Sector Research Establishments, UKRI wholly owned institutes, or other public bodies such as arm's length bodies that do research as a primary function. Universities, local government and NHS trusts cannot apply.
Requirements to check
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- Total grant request must be between £50,000 and £250,000; 100% of eligible project costs are funded
- Projects must last 6, 12 or 18 months and start between 1 March 2027 and 1 April 2027
- Must be based on a pre-existing identified knowledge asset that the lead organisation owns
- Project work must take place in the UK and results must be exploited from or in the UK
- Awards are made on a no subsidy basis; you must not be acting economically
- 18-month projects must spend at least 65% of funding by 31 March 2028
- Only one application per knowledge asset in each call
- Annual funding distribution threshold of £800,000 per organisation applies in assessment
- Do not start the project until GOTT receives your signed Grant Offer Letter
Who it is for
- Public Sector Research Establishments
- UKRI wholly owned institutes
- Other public sector bodies meeting GOTT standard criteria, such as arm's length bodies that undertake research as a primary function
- Organisations that own the identified knowledge asset and hold the rights to exploit any intellectual property the project creates
- Organisations that can provide a signed letter of support from a senior level
- Projects that carry out their work in the UK and intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
Who it is not for
- Universities and academic institutions
- Local government and their organisations, and Local Enterprise Partnerships
- Devolved administrations and bodies overseen by the Scottish Government, Welsh Government or Northern Ireland Executive
- Public corporations and NHS trusts
- Privately owned companies, including spin-out companies
- Projects for fundamental research to create new knowledge assets
- Projects already engaged in economic activities, such as offering goods or services on the market
You can apply if you are a UK Public Sector Research Establishment, a UKRI wholly owned institute, or another public sector body meeting GOTT's standard criteria, such as an arm's length body whose primary function is research. You must own the knowledge asset and hold the rights to exploit any intellectual property the project creates. You need a signed senior letter of support. Universities, local government, Local Enterprise Partnerships, devolved administrations and their bodies, public corporations, NHS trusts and privately owned companies, including spin-outs, are not eligible. You also cannot apply if you are already acting economically.
This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.
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Start freeWho is this for?
UK government research organisations, such as Public Sector Research Establishments and UKRI wholly owned institutes, that want to take an existing knowledge asset towards commercial use.
Regions
Full details from Department for Business Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST)
UK registered government research organisations can apply for grants from £50,000 up to £250,000 to move viable public sector knowledge assets towards commercial readiness. This funding is provided by the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT)
How to apply
Apply online through the 'Start new application' link on the Find a grant page. Read the CKAF Applicant Guidance first. Your application has three parts: project details, application questions and finances. Do not include any web links in your answers. You can reopen and resubmit before the deadline. If you need support, Innovate UK recommends contacting them on 0300 321 4357 at least 15 working days before the closing date. Support may be limited if you contact them closer to the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Can a university apply to the Commercialising Knowledge Assets Fund (CKAF) Winter?
No. The funder lists universities and academic institutions as not eligible. Local government, public corporations and NHS trusts are also excluded.
How much can I get from the Commercialising Knowledge Assets Fund?
Each project can request between £50,000 and £250,000. Your total eligible project costs are funded at 100%.
When is the CKAF Winter deadline?
The competition closes at 11am UK time on 1 December 2026. You can reopen and resubmit your application until then.
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Create free accountLast updated: 9 November 2026