UK-Germany Bilateral Collaborative R&D: Round 5
- Funding
- £100,000 – £350,000
- Deadline
- 1 December 2026
- Location
- England
- Applications
- Deadline: 1 December 2026
Overview
Innovate UK, working with Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), is investing business-led collaborative R&D between UK and German SMEs. UK lead applicants ask for £100,000 to £350,000, which can cover up to 70% of project costs depending on business size. Applications close at 11am on 1 December 2026. Projects must focus on industrial research in Clean Energy, Life Sciences or Engineering Biology. The UK lead must be a UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise. It must work with at least one German SME that is a separate legal entity and applies to the German ZIM programme. Projects last 12 to 24 months, start on 1 August 2027 and end by 31 June 2029. Innovate UK funds only the UK side. AiF Projekt GmbH funds the German partner, and both funders must select the project. Innovate UK suggests a 10% chance of success.
Requirements to check
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- Closes 1 December 2026
- £100,000 to £350,000
Who it is for
- UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprises leading the project
- Businesses of any size, academic institutions or research and technology organisations (RTOs) joining as UK partners
- Projects in Clean Energy, Life Sciences or Engineering Biology
- Teams with at least one German registered SME applying to ZIM, not linked to the UK partners
- Projects asking for £100,000 to £350,000 and lasting 12 to 24 months
Who it is not for
- Lead applicants that are not UK registered SMEs
- Projects with a German partner linked to a UK partner, as linked companies count as one entity
- Projects where one country or partner has more than 70% of total project cost
- Projects outside Clean Energy, Life Sciences and Engineering Biology
- Projects starting before 1 August 2027 or ending after 31 June 2029
- Applications that list German partners in the IFS Project Partner section
The lead must be a UK-registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) working with at least one separate, unlinked German SME that applies to the ZIM programme. Other UK partners can be businesses of any size, academic institutions or research and technology organisations (RTOs).
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?
The lead must be a UK-registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) working with at least one separate, unlinked German SME that applies to the ZIM programme. Other UK partners can be businesses of any size, academic institutions or research and technology organisations (RTOs).
Regions
No published award history for Innovate UK. Some funders do not publish their grants data.
Full details from Innovate UK
UK registered SME’s can apply for a share of up to £2.4 million for the purpose of developing innovative proposals with Germany. You must collaborate with at least one German SME applying under the equivalent German ZIM programme.
How to apply
The UK side applies through Innovate UK's Innovation Funding Service using the Find out more and apply link, before 11am on 1 December 2026. Your German partner applies separately to AiF under ZIM. List only UK partners in the IFS application. For scope questions, email support@iuk.ukri.org or call 0300 321 4357.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I get from the UK-Germany Bilateral Collaborative R&D Round 5?
Your grant request must be between £100,000 and £350,000. This can cover up to 70% of project costs, depending on business size.
When is the UK-Germany Bilateral Collaborative R&D Round 5 deadline?
The competition closes at 11am on 1 December 2026. It opened on 28 September 2026.
Can a German partner get money from the Innovate UK UK-Germany competition?
No. German partners receive nothing from Innovate UK. They apply to AiF Projekt GmbH under the German ZIM programme, and both funders must select the project.
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Create free accountLast updated: 9 November 2026