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Funding opportunity: Collaborative R&D Creative Catalyst for micros and SMEs

26/11/2024

UK registered fashion, design and craft businesses can apply for a share of up to £2 million for projects that develop new innovative products and tools for the UK creative industry, as part of funding from Innovate UK’s Creative Catalyst.

The aim of this CR&D competition is to advance the development of collaboration with innovators in the creative industries.

Projects must:

  • support the growth of the UK creative industries
  • demonstrate a clearly innovative and ambitious idea which addresses an industry challenge
  • be a significant improvement on what is currently available, with a demonstrable impact to your growth plan
  • create a new revenue stream, for example, new products, tools or intellectual property (IP)
  • be market ready within 12 months after project completion
  • demonstrate value for money

They must also:

  • have a grant funding request between £150,000 and £200,000
  • last between six and nine months
  • carry out all of its project work in the UK
  • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
  • start by 1 July 2025
  • end by 31 March 2026

To lead a project your organisation must:

  • be a UK registered micro or small business
  • collaborate with other UK registered organisations
  • fall within one of the creative industries subsectors
  • involve at least one grant claiming business from outside the Greater London area

The project team must have a least one grant claiming business outside of the Greater London area.

FIND OUT MORE AND APPLY