Venture top ups

RAI UK  

1. Call overview 

This call invites applications from researcher-led ventures emerging from designated RAi partner accelerator programmes. The purpose of the follow-on award is to provide targeted support for ventures that have progressed through accelerator activity and can now demonstrate a credible route from research and innovation activity to external validation, adoption or investment, which is aligned with the government’s 8 industrial strategy sectors:
 

• Advanced Manufacturing 

• Clean Energy Industries 

• Creative Industries 

• Defence 

• Digital & Technologies 

• Financial Services 

• Life Sciences 

• Professional & Business Services 

Awards will be made under the applicable Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) Rules. Applicants should demonstrate a clear use of funds and the capacity to deliver a measurable, externally evidenced outcome within the award period. 

2. Objectives 

• Accelerate the translation of research-led innovation into demonstrable products, services, technologies or validated evidence. 

• Enable ventures to reach a material technical, product or market-readiness milestone following participation in a partner accelerator. 

• Strengthen the evidence base for external investment, procurement, licensing, partnership or customer adoption. 

• Create a clear, auditable link between public prize-fund support and subsequent venture progress. 

3. Eligibility 

Applications are invited from researcher-led ventures that: 

• Can demonstrate alignment with the the UK Government’s IS8 areas of research 

• have emerged from, or participated in, an eligible partner accelerator programme, including AIR24/25, UCL CDI, Queen’s University Belfast, or Swansea University; 

• can evidence progression through the relevant accelerator or associated venture-development activity; 

• have a defined follow-on milestone that can reasonably be achieved with the proposed award; 

• can demonstrate a credible pathway to an external investment or customer outcome; and 

• are eligible to receive support under the applicable MFA framework and can provide the required declarations and information. 

4. Required deliverable 

Each successful venture must deliver the following combined outcome by the end of the funded activity: 

1. A tangible innovation output: a demonstrator, product release or validated data set. 

1. External commercial or investment validation: evidenced follow-on investment or a customer commitment. 

The two elements are complementary: the innovation output demonstrates technical, product or evidence-based progression, while the investment or customer commitment demonstrates external validation and a credible route towards further development or adoption. 

5. Eligible outputs and evidence 

6. Application requirements 

• Venture and team: venture name, originating accelerator, research/innovation basis, team and relevant capabilities. 

• Progress to date: key milestones achieved through previous RAi aligned or partnered accelerator participation. 

• Proposed follow-on activity: the specific technical, product or validation milestone to be achieved. 

• Use of award: itemised expenditure and explanation of how each cost contributes to the milestone. 

• External validation pathway: identified investors, customers or partners and the proposed route to securing the commitment. 

• Evidence and measurement: baseline position, target outcome, delivery timetable and evidence to be submitted at completion. 

• MFA compliance: required declarations concerning previous MFA received and any other information required by the fund administrator. 

7. Assessment criteria 

The weighting is indicative and may be adjusted to reflect the governing programme terms. Assessment will also consider eligibility, MFA compliance, availability of funds and the overall quality and completeness of the application. 

8. Award conditions and monitoring 

• Awards will be subject to formal acceptance of the applicable prize-fund terms and MFA requirements. 

• Successful applicants will be required to provide an agreed delivery plan, milestone timetable and budget. 

• Recipients must retain appropriate records supporting expenditure, outputs and external validation. 

• Payment arrangements may include staged payment against agreed milestones, subject to programme rules. 

• At completion, each venture must submit evidence of the required innovation output and evidence of follow-on investment or customer commitment. 

• Material changes to the proposed activity, budget or delivery timetable must be agreed with the programme administrator in advance. 

9. Expected impact 

The follow-on mechanism is intended to create a measurable bridge between accelerator participation and the next stage of venture development. Successful awards should increase the maturity and credibility of participating ventures while generating tangible evidence that research-led innovation has progressed towards investment, customer adoption or commercial deployment. 

10. Indicative application timetable 

11. Submission 

Applications should be submitted using the designated application form and by the deadline published by the programme. Applicants should ensure that all required supporting evidence and MFA declarations are included. Incomplete applications may be excluded from assessment where missing information prevents eligibility or quality assessment. 

12. Success measure 

The defining success measure for this call is demonstrable venture progression: each supported venture should produce a tangible innovation output and secure credible external evidence of market or investment validation.