SNPN 5G Assured Integration (CR&D)

Document research last revised 2026-08-24.

Expected Next Opening

Not yet announced. Innovate UK has not confirmed a future round. Similar advanced connectivity competitions may be launched under the Advanced Connectivity Technologies (ACT) programme. (UK Research and Innovation)

International Collaboration Requirement

Non-funded partners from outside the UK, EU or other approved countries may participate where justified, but only UK registered organisations can claim grant funding.

Research Category

Industrial Research. Projects must involve integration and validation activity appropriate to Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 to 7 and must not focus on early-stage component research. (Innovation Funding Service)

Research Organisation Funding

Research organisations carrying out non-economic activities may receive up to 30% of total eligible project costs.

Subcontractors

Subcontractors are permitted. UK subcontractors should normally be used. Overseas subcontractors require a detailed justification, including evidence of potential UK contractors considered and why they could not undertake the work.

Interview Stage

Applicants that pass the initial assessment may be invited to an interview and required to give a presentation.

Key Requirements

Projects must deliver interoperable system-level integration, include a Systems Integrator, demonstrate technical assurance and security, generate reusable evidence and align with the UK's Advanced Connectivity strategy.

Important Notes

The competition was highly competitive and used a portfolio approach. Projects had to be collaborative, include a Systems Integrator and a small, medium or large business, request £2 million to £4 million in grant funding, run for 18 months, and focus on system-level integration rather than component development or large-scale deployment.

Next Opening Date

No next opening date has been officially announced. The current official sources do not state that another round will open, so no reopening date should be added unless Innovate UK announces one.

Expected Number of Projects

Innovate UK expected to support approximately 5 to 7 competitively selected collaborative projects, each involving a Systems Integrator. (Innovation Funding Service)

Lead Applicant Requirements

The lead organisation must be UK registered and must be a small, medium or large business, RTO, academic institution, charity, not-for-profit organisation, or public sector organisation.

Project Collaboration Requirement

The project must be collaborative. The lead and at least one other organisation must apply for funding. The application must explain the rationale for collaboration and describe the collaboration structure. (Innovation Funding Service)

Mandatory Business Participation

The project must include at least one small, medium or large business.

Mandatory Systems Integrator

The project must include a Systems Integrator with clear accountability for overall system design, multi-vendor interoperability, and achieving security and resilience assurance.

International Participation

Non-UK organisations can participate as non-funded partners. Non-UK partners can carry out project work from their home countries and exploit project results outside the UK. Overseas subcontractors are also permitted where the applicant provides a suitable justification for why a UK subcontractor cannot be used. (Innovation Funding Service)

UK Work Requirement

Funded organisations must carry out their project work in the UK and intend to exploit the project results from or in the UK.

Eligible Technology Areas

UK-anchored advanced connectivity components across Core, RAN and supporting hardware/software layers; secure 5G Standalone Non-Public Network (SNPN) architectures; multi-vendor systems; IT/OT integration; interoperability and system assurance.

Eligible Project Activities

Integration of multi-vendor components, interface alignment, system-level engineering, interoperability testing, performance validation, security and resilience assurance, energy-efficiency optimisation, development of reference architectures and engagement with end users/adopters.

Testing & Validation

Testing must be carried out in representative or operationally relevant environments, such as the Digital Catapult SNPN Lab, industrial infrastructure or recognised testbeds capable of providing appropriate assurance. (Innovate UK Business Connect)

Eligible Themes

Multi-vendor system integration; interoperability and interface alignment; security and resilience; energy efficiency and system performance optimisation; industrial and infrastructure connectivity architectures; integration of IT/OT technologies using Wi-Fi or 5G; and engineering approaches that reduce deployment and procurement risks. (Innovation Funding Service)

Partner Funding Limit

No single partner can account for more than £3 million or 70% of total eligible costs, whichever is lower. (Innovation Funding Service)

Non-Funded Partners

Projects can include UK, EU and other non-UK organisations that do not claim grant funding. Their project costs are covered from their own resources.

Project Details

Applicants provide the project title, start date, duration, research category, project summary, public description and explanation of how the project fits the competition scope.

Application Questions

Applicants must answer the required scored and unscored questions. Each application question can contain up to 400 words.

Financial Information

Each organisation must enter its own project costs, organisation details and funding information. Academic organisations must also complete and upload a Je-S form where applicable.

Project Impact

Each partner must complete the Project Impact questions before the application can be submitted. This section provides background information about the project's expected impact.

Interview Dates

Interviews were scheduled between 27 May 2026 and 1 June 2026.

Invite to Interview

6 May 2026

Interview Panel

27 May 2026 to 1 June 2026

Applicant Notification

Applicants were notified on 3 June 2026.

Portfolio Approach

Innovate UK intended to create a portfolio covering different technologies, markets, technology maturities, integration approaches and industrial SNPN use cases. The approach is intended to reduce technical risk and broaden learning.

Objectives

To close the system-level integration gap for UK advanced connectivity, accelerate market availability of assured 5G SNPN solutions, improve system security, resilience, performance and energy efficiency, strengthen UK systems integration capability and provide a credible route to market.

Expected Outputs

Integrated system prototypes, technically assured system solutions, technical reference architectures, interoperability evidence, performance reports, security reports and other technical evidence supporting future adoption.

Market Focus

Projects should demonstrate relevance to real-world end users and adopter stakeholders and establish market alignment. Potential use cases include advanced manufacturing, defence, ports, nationally significant infrastructure and other operational technology environments.

Industrial Use Cases

The competition supports secure, resilient and real-time connectivity for operational technology environments through Standalone Non-Public Networks (SNPNs).

IT/OT Integration

Projects may integrate enterprise IT or operational technology with Wi-Fi or 5G technologies through an SNPN architecture.

Technology Readiness

Projects should address TRL 4 to 7 integration and validation rather than early-stage component research.

Technical Evidence Requirement

Projects must generate reusable technical evidence, including examples such as Technical Reference Architectures, interoperability reports, performance reports and security reports.

Environmental & EDI Requirements

Innovate UK encourages applications from people of all backgrounds and commits to an accessible application process, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with disabilities or long-term conditions. Environmental and societal considerations can form part of project impact and system performance considerations.

Animal Research Requirements

Applicants had to state whether their project involved animal trials/testing. Any work involving animals must comply with UKRI guidance and appropriate welfare and ethical standards.

Permits & Licences

Applicants had to confirm that required permits and licences would be in place by the project start date, where applicable.

Subsidy Control

Funding is provided under the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme. The award is classified as a subsidy and does not form part of Minimal Financial Assistance or de minimis allowance. (Innovation Funding Service)

Success Rate

Innovate UK's experience from similar competitions suggested approximately a 30% chance of success. This is an indicative estimate, not a guaranteed success rate. (Innovation Funding Service)

Important Notes: Application Limit

A business, academic institution, RTO, charity, not-for-profit or public sector organisation could lead only one application, but could participate as a collaborator in two additional applications. (Innovation Funding Service)

Important Notes: Partner Limit

No single partner could account for more than £3 million or 70% of total eligible costs, whichever was lower.

Important Notes: Project Start

Projects were required to start on 1 August 2026 and end on 31 January 2028. Applicants could not start work until their Grant Offer Letter had been approved.

Important Notes: Competition Status

Closed as of 24 August 2026. The official IFS confirms that applications closed on 1 April 2026 and applicants were notified on 3 June 2026. (Innovation Funding Service)

Important Notes: Next Round

No official next round/opening date has been announced. Do not state a future opening date unless Innovate UK publishes one.

Application deadline in source document

1 April 2026, 11:00 AM UK time

Official source

Read the funding authority guidance