EPSRC Materials Innovation Partnerships
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) · United Kingdom
Funding to support ambitious collaborative research programmes co-created and co-delivered by business and academic partners focusing on high-growth opportunity themes from the National Materials Innovation Strategy.
Summary
Deadline
14 May 2026
Complexity
Medium
Time to apply
20-60 hours
Updated
9 Jun 2026
Funding to support ambitious collaborative research programmes co-created and co-delivered by business and academic partners focusing on high-growth opportunity themes from the National Materials Innovation Strategy.
Eligibility
Applicant types
Business, Research, Public Sector
Business size
SME, Large
Industries
Materials innovation areas aligned with National Materials Innovation Strategy themes including energy materials, healthcare materials, structural materials, surface technologies, electronics and telecommunications materials, and materials for consumer products, packaging and polymers.
Match funding
Yes — business cash contribution must match or exceed EPSRC funding
Requirements
Research organisations eligible to receive EPSRC funding including UK higher education institutions, research council institutes, UKRI-approved independent research organisations, public sector research establishments and NHS bodies with research capacity. Applications must involve a primary academic partner and a primary business partner. The primary academic partner must create and submit the...
Eligible applicants
Research organisations eligible to receive EPSRC funding including UK higher education institutions, research council institutes, UKRI-approved independent research organisations, public sector research establishments and NHS bodies with research capacity. Applications must involve a primary academic partner and a primary business partner.
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
Minimum £250,000 (80% FEC); FEC at least £312,500 per project
Total fund available
£7,500,000
Funding intensity
EPSRC funds 80% of the full economic cost (FEC).
Payment type
Grant (typically 80% FEC in arrears)
Eligible scope
Projects must align with one or more of the six high-growth opportunity themes in the National Materials Innovation Strategy and aim to accelerate materials research, translate materials innovation into industrial applications and address real-world challenges.
Eligible expenses
- Staff costs, impact related costs, travel and subsistence, equipment under £25,000 per item, equipment between £25,000 and £400,000 and other project resources required to carry out the research.
Ineligible costs
- Costs not eligible under UKRI FEC and EPSRC funding opportunity terms.
Application and risks
Application platform
UKRI Funding Service
Competitiveness
Closed / Not accepting applications
Decision timeline
Funding decisions expected in August 2026 following panel assessment and portfolio balancing.
Assessment process
Applications assessed by an EPSRC assessment panel using evidence-based judgement against defined assessment criteria.
Application sections
- Summary, core team, vision and approach, fit to Materials Innovation Partnerships opportunity, applicant and team capability to deliver, primary academic partner research organisation statement, project partners, facilities, resources and cost justification, partner contributions to costs, ethics and responsible research and innovation, trusted research and innovation.
Application components
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if they do not follow guidance, do not align with the opportunity scope or fail to meet eligibility requirements.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
3 Mar 2026
Project duration
Up to three and a half years
Project start
30 Sept 2026
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
Not specified
Collaboration rules
- Projects must be co-created and co-delivered by business and academic partners and must demonstrate an established partnership of at least one year.
- International researchers may participate as project co-lead (international) under specific agreements or as project partners.
Consortium requirements
- Projects must include a primary academic partner and a primary business partner. Business partners may form a consortium to collectively provide match funding.
Additional guidance
[{"label":"Research Category","value":"Fundamental research in advanced materials aligned with the National Materials Innovation Programme."},{"label":"Subcontractors","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Interview Stage","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Key Requirements","value":"Projects must involve an established academic and business partnership, align with National Materials Innovation Strategy themes and demonstrate business match funding."},{"label":"Renewal Rules","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Important Notes","value":"The primary academic partner submits the application but both the academic and business partners act as joint leads of the partnership."}]
Quick facts
- Status
- Closed
- Deadline
- 14 May 2026
- Funding amount
- Minimum £250,000 (80% FEC); FEC at least £312,500 per project
- Funding band
- Large (£5M+)
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Grant (typically 80% FEC in arrears)
- Audience
- Business, Research Innovation, Public Sector, Mixed
- Industry
- Materials innovation areas aligned with National Materials Innovation Strategy themes including energy materials, healthcare materials, structural materials, surface technologies, electronics and telecommunications materials, and materials for consumer products, packaging and polymers.
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2026
- Published
- 3 Mar 2026