Future Leaders Fellowships: Round 11, business and non-academic

Future Leaders Fellowships Round 11 is a UK Research and Innovation grant for people who want to lead their own research or innovation work. Innovate UK runs the part of the round for hosts that are businesses or other non academic organisations. The round offers a share of up to £110 million, if enough strong applications come in.

A host must be a UK registered business of any size, a charity, a not for profit, a public sector organisation, an agri tech centre, or an eligible research organisation. Universities and research organisations that already get UKRI funding use a different form. Catapult centres use this form. The fellow does not need a PhD. People from outside the UK can apply if a UK host supports them. The funded work must happen in the UK, and the host must plan to use the results in the UK.

The grant request is between £100,000 and £3 million. The fellowship lasts at least four years, with an option to extend for three more years. It must not start before October 2027. If the expected cost is over £1.4 million, the applicant emails fellows@ukri.org with the subject "Application over £1.4 million" before sending the form. Where the host's work is commercial, the grant covers a share of eligible costs: up to 70 percent for a micro or small organisation on industrial research, 60 percent for a medium organisation, and 50 percent for a large organisation. Organisations that are not doing economic activity can receive 100 percent of eligible costs.

UKRI wants people who are ready to lead an independent programme and who include a plan for how they will grow as leaders. It will not fund senior innovators who already run large programmes, or work that is only business as usual. People invited on 30 April 2027 interview between 1 May and 31 May 2027.

Applications opened on 22 June 2026 and close at 11:00am UK time on 4 November 2026. You apply with Start new application on the Innovate UK competition page.