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About Innovate UK

Invest NI is a proud partner of Innovate UK. An executive, non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency.

Innovate UK understand that taking a new idea to market is a challenge. They fund, support and connect innovative businesses through a unique mix of people and programmes to accelerate sustainable economic growth.

Explore and apply for funding for innovation projects on gov.uk

Innovate UK Manager

Paul Malcolmson is the Innovate UK Manager for Northern Ireland. Paul is based in Invest Northern Ireland's Belfast HQ and works closely with the Innovation, Research and Development team.

Innovation loans

Innovation loans are for UK businesses that want to scale up and grow through innovation, developing new or improved products, processes or services. Innovation loans are aimed at UK-based micro, small or medium sized enterprises. Businesses will need to show that they will be able to afford the interest and repayments on the loan and that they cannot obtain appropriate finance from other sources, such as banks and equity investors.

Download an overview of Innovate UK’s loan programme for SMEs involved in late-stage innovation projects (PDF)

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund supports research and innovation. Its aim is to strengthen UK science and business innovation and take on the biggest challenges that society and industries face today.

Find out more about the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

Discover more

Watch our case studies on how Innovate UK has helped Northern Ireland business grow.