Funding opportunity

Intention to submit: UKRI Translation: Proof of Concept

• Opportunity status: Open
• Funders: Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Innovate UK
• Funding type: Grant
• Maximum award: £600,000
• Publication date: 26 March 2026
• Opening date: 26 March 2026 9:00am UK time
• Closing date: 7 May 2026 4:00pm UK time

Apply for funding to commercialise your technology or science, developed from the STFC particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN) and the solar and planetary science community. We welcome applications from the STFC quantum science and computing community that supports the PPAN community.

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for STFC funding.

This funding opportunity was formerly known as the Late-stage Commercialisation Scheme and will only aim to fund projects which are currently on the technology readiness scale (TRL) 5 to 7.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £600,000. STFC will fund 80% of the FEC.

This is the intention to submit stage and the information may change prior to the full scheme submission stage. It is anticipated that the funding opportunity will open in June 2026.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible.

The intention to submit (ItS) stage is open to the members of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) PPAN community, quantum scientists in receipt of STFC funding, solar and planetary science and the computing that supports the PPAN community. If you feel that you may be eligible but are unsure please contact STFC staff to discuss eligibility.

At the time of application, the lead investigator must be able to satisfy the eligibility of applicants criteria.

We are only accepting one application per individual project lead per round of this scheme and also request that individuals are only on one submitted proposal either as a project lead or a co lead.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new UKRI Funding Service.

For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual.

Full stage applications

Applications for the full stage of this scheme will be carried out through a managed process. This means that upon receipt of the ItS information a sift panel will be carried out to check eligibility for the grant. After this stage applicants who meet the criteria and successful at the sift panel will be invited by email to submit a full stage application through the Funding Service.

You can only apply for the full stage funding opportunity if we have invited you to do so following a successful ItS application.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

• career breaks
• support for people with caring responsibilities
• flexible working
• alternative working patterns

UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

What we're looking for

Scope

The main aim of the scheme is to support technology development addressing current challenges facing the PPAN community and the wider UK. This includes technologies or ideas originating from core Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) funding. This includes the areas of particle physics, particle astrophysics, astronomy, nuclear physics, accelerator physics, solar and planetary science and quantum science. It also includes computing that underpins these areas.

A secondary aim of the scheme, during the lifetime of the award, is to further develop products and technology (move them through the TRL) working with industry where appropriate. Please note, to be eligible for this scheme the science or technology in your project should be within TRL stages 5 to 7. The TRL must be stated in the ItS template and the full proposal.

This scheme is funded jointly with Innovate UK.

Working together to offer the scheme has given us the ability to give applicants and their teams the opportunity to take part in the Innovate UK ICURe Programme, which develops commercialisation skills and knowledge. The programme is designed to help explore the commercial application and potential of UK research. Within the ICURe Programme, Innovate UK have developed a range of funding and commercialisation training with industry experts, and this is delivered via four key programmes as follows:

• ICURe Engage
• ICURe Discover
• ICURe Explore
• ICURe Exploit

During the late-stage commercialisation scheme applicants must take part in the ICURe Engage and ICURe Discover programmes. Dates for attendance on the courses will be communicated following a successful result at the full stage panel.

The projects submitted for this scheme must have been developed from STFC-funded projects.

The projects must be submitted by members of the STFC PPAN community, quantum scientists and those scientists involved in computing that supports the PPAN community. You must have been in receipt of STFC funding to apply. If you feel that you may be eligible but are unsure, please contact STFC staff to discuss eligibility.

Duration

The duration of this award is a minimum of 24 months.

Projects have a fixed start date 1 April 2027

Funding available

The FEC of your project can be up to £600,000.

STFC will fund 80% of the FEC.

We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles TR&I set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.

See further guidance and information about TR&I including where applicants can find additional support.

How to apply

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. We will provide full details on how to apply when the full stage funding opportunity opens.

Submitting your intention to submit (ItS)

To apply for funding to the Proof of Concept scheme you must use the ItS template found on the additional information section of the Funding finder. The template must be submitted via email to kegroup@stfc.ac.uk prior to 4:00pm on 7 May 2026.

Please ensure that you send your email securely via password protect or encryption.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI using the ItS template.

Deadline

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) must receive your ItS by 7 May 2026 at 4:00pm UK time.

You will not be able to send in your ItS apply after this time.

Personal data

Processing personal data

STFC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications.

We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice.

Sensitive information

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email wendy.carr@stfc.ukri.org

Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information].

Typical examples of confidential information include:

• individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
• declaration of interest
• additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section
• conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection
• the application is an invited resubmission

For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice.

Institutional Matched Funding

There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations. Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged.

This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

Publication of outcomes

STFC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at Board and panel outcomes.

If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.

Contact details

Get help with your application

If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page

The helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue. Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility, content or remit of a funding opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.

Contact details

For help and advice on costings and writing your application please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.

For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact wendy.carr@stfc.ukri.org

Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.

Email: support@funding-service.ukri.org

Phone: 01793 547490

Our phone lines are open:

• Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm
• Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

To help us process queries more efficiently, we request that users highlight the council and opportunity name in the subject title of their email query, include the application reference number, and refrain from contacting more than one mailbox at a time.

For further information on submitting an application read How applicants use the Funding Service.

Additional info

Research and innovation impact

Impact can be defined as the long-term intended or unintended effect research and innovation has on society, economy and the environment; to individuals, organisations, and the wider global population.

Supporting documents

Equality impact assessment

ItS template (DOCX, 30KB)

Research disruption due to COVID-19

We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major interruptions and disruptions across our communities. We are committed to ensuring that individual applicants and their wider team, including partners and networks, are not penalised for any disruption to their career, such as:

• breaks and delays
• disruptive working patterns and conditions
• the loss of ongoing work
• role changes that may have been caused by the pandemic

Reviewers and panel members will be advised to consider the unequal impacts that COVID-19 related disruption might have had on the capability to deliver and career development of those individuals included in the application. They will be asked to consider the capability of the applicant and their wider team to deliver the research they are proposing.

Where disruptions have occurred, you can highlight this within your application if you wish, but there is no requirement to detail the specific circumstances that caused the disruption.