Thank you to Innovate UK & Tara Gillam (Manager of Innovate UK Business Growth Operations | South West) for this guest blog post.
If your innovative business is facing research and development challenges and needs access to specialist equipment and expertise, Innovate UK Business Growth is here to help.
We can offer applicants with a suitable project a grant for 100% of eligible costs (to a maximum of £15,000) to access the resources and facilities of the Catapults and Research & Technology Organisations (RTOs).
RTOs are specialised not-for-profit knowledge organisations dedicated to the development and transfer of science and technology to the benefit of the economy and society. They include hubs, laboratories, testbeds, factories and offices for cutting edge R&D.
The Catapult network of technology and innovation centres established by Innovate UK supports businesses to transform great ideas into valuable products and services.
Businesses that are looking to grow & scale through innovation can use this grant funding to access Catapults and RTOs to:
– Explore and test new product ideas
– Seek technical expertise and specialist sector knowledge
– Gain advice on regulatory and government processes as well as access networks of customers, services and funders
– Receive sector-specific expert advice and support with market analysis; cost modelling; business‐case support; creation of industry‐relevant R&D project plans
– Identify opportunities for R&D, collaboration, and partnership building
– Receive support to commercialise innovation, including improving efficiency, making business operations more sustainable, or investigating market gaps
Applicants must first be in receipt of the Innovate UK Business Growth service, which provides bespoke, specialist-led support for ambitious businesses.
I head up this service here in the South West, managing a team of Innovation and Growth Specialists (IGS) that’s spread across the whole region, from Cheltenham to Land’s End and across to the New Forest, delivering localised, hands-on support.
We help innovators to sharpen their commercial strategy, create tangible market value, overcome barriers to growth and accelerate their potential.
Our IGSs will work closely with your leadership team and once they have assessed your business needs as part of the action planning process, they can progress your application for an RTO Catapult grant.
Businesses across our region have unlocked game-changing results through this scheme. Here’s just a few examples:
Sora Aviation
Bristol-based Sora Aviation is developing a new means of air mobility, carrying 30 passengers short distances at affordable rates with zero emissions.
The company was awarded a £15,000 RTO Catapult grant to work with The Welding Institute (TWI) on developing battery modules and testing different methods of welding battery cells together.
In March this year, the company announced that it had successfully built its first battery module prototypes for its S-1 eVTOL aircraft.
Furqan, CEO of Sora Aviation, said: “TWI had the equipment and the expertise to make this possible, and acquiring either of those as a small business is just not economically feasible. So being able to leverage that support from Innovate UK was great.”
NanoScope
NanoScope Services, a high-tech innovator based in Bristol, is transforming the semiconductor industry through its advanced microscopy and nano-engineering services.
The company used its RTO Catapult Grant to refine a concept product developed with Bristol University.
“The grant enabled us to partner with the National Composites Centre, which designed an installation tool for us and we can now install the product in about five minutes,” says Lloyd Peto, Commercial Director at NanoScope Services.
“We’re just now at the point where we can enter the market with that product – it’s quite exciting.”
SoundView Media
Plymouth-based production company SoundView Media is transforming TV and cinematic experiences for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, through its innovative smart glasses application.
The company applied for an RTO Catapult grant to better understand its users’ needs and was awarded £15,000 to work with a researcher in the North of England.
The research included focus groups with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who provided invaluable feedback on their prototype.
Gareth Allen, Managing Director of SoundView Media, says: “The focus groups were key in terms of understanding customer needs and how we could inject person-centred design into our product.”
“Overall, the support from Innovate UK Business Growth has made a world of difference to our project.”
Getting started on your RTO Catapult Journey
We’re now accepting expressions of interest for RTO Catapult grants for 2025-26, so now is a great time to get in touch and find out how we can help you scale.
Our Innovation and Growth Specialists are on hand, ready to understand your specific challenges and make targeted recommendations to help you go further, faster.
