Area of investment and support

National Materials Innovation Programme

The National Materials Innovation Programme (NMIP) aims to establish a nationally coordinated approach to the UK advanced materials sector, driving the translation and adoption of materials across key industrial sectors.

• Duration: 2026 to 2030, to be completed March 2030
• Partners involved: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Innovate UK, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

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The scope and what we're doing

Advanced materials permeate nearly every technological aspect of modern society, impacting diverse growth-driving sectors from healthcare, to aerospace, automotive, defence, emerging technologies, and energy.

The National Materials Innovation Programme (NMIP) is part of the UK government’s Industrial Strategy. It sits within the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, where advanced materials is one of the frontier industries. The primary delivery partner for the programme is UKRI.

NMIP builds on the work of the Henry Royce Institute’s National Materials Innovation Strategy, published in January 2025, which had the input of over 2,000 experts.

This programme is still under development and is expected to be formally launched in early 2026.

An initial competition was launched in November 2025 by Innovate UK to prime the community.

Why we're doing it

The overarching objective of NMIP is to establish a new nationally coordinated approach to the UK advanced materials sector. This will advance the translation and adoption of materials across key industrial sectors to deliver national priorities.

The programme aims to accelerate pull-through for the most impactful materials innovations, while addressing fragmentation within the sector. It will drive growth across the UK, while also addressing resilience and security needs through targeted materials innovation support.

Opportunities, support and resources available

Funding opportunities

• EPSRC Materials Innovation Partnerships

  Total fund: £7,500,000

  Minimum award: £250,000

  Closing date: 14 May 2026

Who to contact

David Elson, Head of Materials and Manufacturing, Innovate UK

Email: david.elson@iuk.ukri.org

Include ‘National Materials Innovation Programme’ in the subject line.

We aim to respond within two working days.

Last updated: 16 February 2026