LCR Seed Fund
A new £10m Seed Fund designed to accelerate the growth of innovative early-stage businesses across the Liverpool City Region was officially unveiled on 17 June 2025.
With investment opportunities ranging from £250,000 to £2m, the fund will target businesses that can demonstrate innovative products or services, a clear route to market, and strong potential to scale.
Find out more
Open date
- 17/06/2025
Closing date
- 22/04/2030
Made Smarter Innovation: SME Resource and Energy Efficiency Competitions
A unique opportunity for UK-based industrial digital technologists and manufacturing organisations to secure grant funding for projects that drive resource and energy efficiency through digital innovation.
What’s on offer?
Up to £15.5 million in grant funding available across two strands
- Feasibility studies (£25,000–£150,000)
- Industrial research (£200,000–£1,000,000).
Grants cover up to 70% of eligible costs for micro/small organisations, and 60% for medium enterprises.
Find out more
UK registered micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating as technology developers or manufacturers. Technology developers must lead the project. For industrial research projects, they must collaborate with a minimum of two manufacturing businesses. Collaborative projects may include academic institutions and research & technology organisations (RTOs). Register for a drop-in session to find a project partner.
Key dates: Competition opens: 22 October Online briefing webinar: 27 October Application deadline: 10 December Project start: 1 April 2026
Projects should address resource or energy efficiency in manufacturing, including: Reducing raw material, process, packaging, or maintenance waste Improving energy use in boilers, compressors, motors, ovens, and more
If you need help finding a project partner, join our drop-in sessions or contact the Innovate UK Business Connect team at madesmarter@iukbc.org.uk
For any questions on scope and eligibility, or accessibility support, email support@iuk.ukri.org or call 0300 321 4357 (Mon–Fri, 9am–12pm & 2pm–5pm).
More details can be found here: https://web-eur.cvent.com/event/ed72b40e-63ef-4d76-ba41-384e53c63506/summary?utm_campaign=2693794_Made%20Smarter%20Innovation%3A%20SME%20Resource%20and%20Energy%20Efficiency%20Competitions&utm_medium=email&utm_source=dotdigital&dm_i=2VFU%2C1LQJM%2C84J7CE%2C6I2AU%2C1
Open date
- 17/06/2025
Closing date
- 22/04/2030
past funding opportunities
Maritime and Last Mile Net Zero, Place-based Impact Accelerator Account
MaLaMi aims to realise the co-creation and impact acceleration of the applied research base across maritime and last mile in Liverpool City Region, and develop the foundations for future innovation-based growth that translates new advances in research and technology into commercial applications and non-academic impact.
Find out more
The theme for Round 1 applications for funding is Maritime Decarbonisation.
MaLaMi aims to support the development and maturation of a regional cluster in Maritime and Last Mile. This aligns strongly with the LCR CA’s recognition of an emerging regional strength in Maritime and Net Zero. As such the themes for MaLaMi funding rounds will be set by research and impact priorities as discussed with academics, local government and business stakeholders at network- and cluster-building events.
For full details of the MaLaMi project, together with an application form, visit:https://bit.ly/3ZkPE2m
For an informal discussion, please contact Zaili Yang at z.yang@ljmu.ac.uk or Andy Plater at gg07@liverpool.ac.uk
Open date
- 20/05/2025
Closing date
- 12/08/2026
UK SHORE have announced the latest rounds of decarbonisation funding support for industry in the form CMDC7 and ZEVI2
CMDC7 will see £121m of funding deployed for feasibility studies, pre-deployment testing, and real-world trials of clean maritime technologies for UK vessels, infrastructure, and/or skills.
- CMDC7 full details here: Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition 7 – Innovate UK Business Connect
The ZEVI2 competition will focus on Energy Efficiency, Electric Power and Alternative Fuels. £150m total funding will be available across 3 strands – see links here:
- ZEVI2 – Energy Efficiency strand: Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Energy Efficiency – Innovate UK Business Connect
- ZEVI2 – Electric Power strand: Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Electric Power – Innovate UK Business Connect
- ZEVI2 – Alternative Fuels strand: Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure 2: Alternative Fuels – Innovate UK Business Connect
Find out more
Open date
- 11/03/2026
Closing date
- 15/07/2026
Supply Chain Accelerator – A £50million fund to help catalyse UK supply chain capacity and capability for offshore wind
Our £50m Supply Chain Accelerator fund was established to catalyse the capacity and capability of the UK supply chain in order to support a thriving offshore wind industry.
The Accelerator provides early-stage development funding for offshore wind supply chain projects, supporting them to be investment-ready. Two successful rounds ran consecutively in 2024 and 2025 and we launched a third round in May 2026. Future rounds will be subject to an annual review of sector needs.
Find out more
Initial Round
In December 2024, we announced nearly £5m in funding to 13 organisations following the conclusion of the Accelerator’s initial funding round, which focused on developing a new UK supply chain capability for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea.
Projects receiving funding include those enabling floating wind platforms, anchoring and mooring systems, operations and maintenance facilities, test facilities, and those supporting the skills transition.
When coupled with match funding this will contribute to a combined development investment of over £9m which, if the opportunities successfully conclude their respective development stages, could lead to more than £400m of capital investment.
Click through to read case studies about successful projects including NPTC Group of Colleges and Marine Power Systems.
Second Round
Following the passing of The Crown Estate Act 2025, we launched an expanded second round of the Accelerator in April 2025.
Each successful applicant was able to access up to £1.5 million of match funding, and we increased the scope to include projects facilitating the deployment of both fixed and floating offshore wind.
Ports which can support offshore wind (including through wet storage and the fabrication of operations & maintenance vessels) were also included within the scope, given the role that ports can play as important hubs for the construction, operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms.
In December 2025, we announced that sixteen projects across England, Wales and Scotland were set to share over £13m through the Accelerator, including those focusing on low-carbon reef scour protection, automated mooring system solutions, wet storage, manufacture of fixed and floating offshore wind foundations and anchoring strategies.
Third Round
We launched a third funding round of our Supply Chain Accelerator on Tuesday 12 May with an additional £15m available to support UK offshore wind supply chain projects and related port infrastructure.
This round is open to projects UK-wide that support the deployment of fixed and floating offshore wind, including relevant port and port-related infrastructure.
Projects must align with opportunities identified in the Industrial Growth Plan (IGP) and/or the ports and port-related infrastructure required to support these priorities.
Examples of eligible project types include:
- New or expanded manufacturing facilities for fixed, floating, or deep-water offshore wind components
- Ports and wet storage infrastructure supporting construction, assembly, operations & maintenance (O&M), and supply chain support
- Vessel fabrication and maintenance facilities
- Testing and demonstration capability for offshore wind components
- Portside logistics equipment where linked to developing or expanding a physical facility and supporting clear UK offshore wind deployment needs
- Manufacturing equipment where it creates new/expanded capacity linked directly to a physical facility
- Repurposing, upgrading or expansion of existing facilities where this adds offshore wind supply chain capacity and demonstrates a clear UK use case
Key Dates
Applications: Open now and due to close on 3rd July 2026 (portal closes at 18:00). Register here.
Applicant support: A series of webinars will take place in May and June to present key information and answer questions.
- 14 May | 11:00–12:00: Webinar on eligibility criteria and application process
- 21 May | 14:00–15:00: Repeat webinar of 14 May
- 3 June | 11:00–12:00: Webinar outlining Funding and Commitment Agreements and Q&A
- 17 June | 11:00–12:00: Repeat webinar of 3 June
- 29 June | 10:00–11:00: Final webinar for additional questions
Outcome: Successful projects will be chosen following an assessment process and announced by the end of the year.
For any questions: Please email supplychainaccelerator@uk.gt.com and copy accelerator@thecrownestate.co.uk. A member of the team will be in touch.
Open date
Closing date
- 03/07/2026
Royal Academy of Engineering – Research Fellowships
The Royal Academy of Engineering offers Research Fellowships each year to outstanding early-career researchers to support them to become future research leaders in engineering. The scheme’s objectives are to:
- Support the best early-career researchers in establishing their independence and international reputation
- Provide long-term support enabling the pursuit of an ambitious programme of engineering research and impact
- Develop ambassadors for the Academy and advocates for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines
Find out more
Open date
- 24/03/2025
Closing date
- 17/09/2025
HORIZON EUROPE – ZERO EMISSION WATERBORNE TRANSPORT (ZEWT)
Summary
- UK is fully eligible to take part and be funded by the EU in this scheme as we are an Associated Country.
- Eight competitions, sharing €76m – opening May 2025 for a September 2025 submission deadline
- Scope is not yet published, but a very early draft is available.
- Must be an international consortium of at least three different entities from three different eligible countries.
Find out more
Open date
- 01/05/2025
Closing date
- 01/09/2025
LCR Freeport Skills Infrastructure Grant
The LCR Freeport Skills Infrastructure Grant is a £750,000 capital grant programme designed to support skills equipment/infrastructure projects and purchases that:
- Increase student capacity
- Support development of new curriculum
- Future-proof existing provisions
The fund is applicable to HE / FE / ITPs that provide education and training relevant to Freeport target sectors: Logistics, Maritime, Advanced Manufacturing, Green Energy.
More details HERE
Find out more
Funding Available
- Grants between £100,000 and £150,000
- Up to 90% intervention rate (minimum 10% match funding required)
- Capital expenditure only
Who Can Apply
- Eligible applicants include:
- HE providers
- FE providers
- Independent Training Providers
- Consortia and cross-sector partnerships
- Applicants must be based in one of the six Liverpool City Region local authorities: Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, or Wirral.
- Read the LCR Freeport Skills Infrastructure Grant FAQs here: https://api.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/LCR_Freeport_Skills_Infrastructure_Grant_FAQs.pdf
Key Dates
- Applications open: 16 June 2025s
- Deadline for submission: 31 July 2025 at 5:00pms
- Projects must start: September 2025 onwardss
- Funding must be spent by: April 2026
Open date
- 16/06/2025
Closing date
- 31/07/2025
