This funding round has closed.

Future Leaders Fellowships: Round 11, business and non-academic

Applications closed

Funding: £100,000 – £3,000,000
Deadline: 4 November 2026
Location: England
Applications: Applications closed

Overview

Future Leaders Fellowships Round 11 backs talented individuals with the potential to become future leaders in research and innovation. This strand is for fellows hosted by business and non-academic organisations. It is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and run by Innovate UK. Up to £110 million is available across the round, and a proportion of that supports this strand, subject to enough high quality applications being received.

You can request a grant of between £100,000 and £3 million. Up to 70% of costs can be covered, depending on project type and business size. Projects last four years, with an option to extend for a further three years, and must not start before October 2027. Fellows also get access to tailored opportunities to build their leadership skills.

Proposals are welcome from all areas of research and innovation. That includes arts, humanities and social sciences, the five critical technologies in the UK's Science and Technology Framework, and multidisciplinary work. Your project must go beyond business as usual and show clear novelty. It needs a clear leadership development plan and explicit host commitments, such as protected time, access to facilities and senior mentorship. You do not need a PhD, and researchers from outside the UK can apply with an eligible UK host.

Applications close at 11:00am on 4 November 2026. Competition is tough. Innovate UK says experience from similar competitions suggests a 13% chance of success. If your total project cost is likely to exceed £1.4 million, you should email the fellowship team before applying.

Official source: https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/opportunities/future-leaders-fellowships-round-11-business-and-non-academic/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

Requirements to check

Who can apply:

limited company

Key requirements:

Grant request must be between £100,000 and £3 million, covering up to 70% of costs depending on project type and business size.
Projects last four years, with an option to extend for a further three years, and must not start before October 2027.
Project work must be carried out in the UK, with results exploited in the UK and most funding spent in the UK.
Proposals must include a leadership development plan and explicit host commitments such as protected time, facilities access and senior mentorship.
Partner involvement is limited to a maximum of six months over the lifetime of the fellowship.
If total cost is expected to exceed £1.4 million, email fellows@ukri.org with the subject 'Application over £1.4 million'.

The host organisation must be a UK registered business of any size, a charity, a not-for-profit, a public sector organisation, an agri-tech centre or an eligible research organisation. Research organisations eligible for UKRI funding must apply through the UKRI funding service instead, except Catapult centres, which use this form. Fellows need the skills and experience to lead the project. A PhD is not required. A fellow can lead only one application. Partners are limited to a maximum of six months of involvement.

This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.

Who is this for?

Researchers and innovators with the potential to lead, hosted by UK businesses, charities, not-for-profits, public sector bodies or other non-academic organisations.

Sectors

Professional & Scientific Services

Regions

England National (UK-wide)

No published award history for Innovate UK Business Connect. Some funders do not publish their grants data.

Full details from Innovate UK Business Connect

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £110 million to deliver ambitious research and innovation and develop future leaders. This funding is from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

How to apply

Use the "Find out more and apply" link on the Innovate UK Business Connect opportunity page. Applications close at 11:00am on 4 November 2026. For questions about scope, email support@iuk.ukri.org or call 0300 321 4357 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays). If your total cost may exceed £1.4 million, email fellows@ukri.org first.

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