Funding Opportunities – Luca Budello, Innovate UK Business Growth

Posted on May 28, 2025

At the recent Space4Cimate workshop with Airbus, entitled ‘Collaboration Earth’, we were treated to a presentation on a range of funding opportunities from Luca Budello, Knowledge Transfer Manager – Geospatial from Innovate UK Business Growth.

He has kindly allowed us to share his slides Funding Opportunities Q22025_

Below is a quick overview of each fund:

Innovate UK Growth Catalyst for late-stage startups: Clean Energy and Climate Technologies.

  • For UK late stage start-ups. Support of up to 70% of project costs, Bespoke business growth action plan
    developed with Innovate UK specialist support. Project Costs: Varied based on themes.

Farming Futures R&D Fund: low emissions farming

  • For UK-registered businesses, universities and RTOs. Part of Defra’s Farming
    Innovation Programme, funding: Up to £2.5 mil per project. Projects must commence on 1 Jan 2026
    and last between 30 and 36 months

Unlocking space for business

  • supporting companies to deliver operational, customer and environmental benefits through the use
    of innovative satellite data and services. Specific themes in Financial Services and Transport.

Transport Accelerator: Maritime 2025

  • For early-stage UK-registered companies with solutions at TRL 5-8. Specific themes Autonomous Operations, Storage and Distribution of Future, People’s Safety Experience, Open Challenge. Support £10-20K, Bespoke business support.

Horizon Europe Opportunities:

Horizon Europe 2025 work programme Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space

  • Various topics in 6 destinations, European consortium requirement, varied funding support per topic up to €75m funding for a single project

Horizon Europe 2025 EU Missions: Restore Our Oceans and Waters

  • Various calls, up to €15m per project, which can fund up to 100% of project costs depending on call type.

Horizon Europe 2025 EU Missions: 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030

  • Single stage calls ending in September 25 and Jan 26. Up to €15m per project, which can fund up to 100% of project costs depending on call type.

Horizon Europe 2025 EU Missions: Adaptation to Climate Change

  • Up to €25m per project, which can fund up to 100% of project costs depending on call type. Call ends Sept 25.

Horizon Europe 2025 EU Missions: Soil Deal for Europe

  • Up to €11m per project, which can fund up to 100% of project costs depending on call type. Calls end Sept 25

Horizon Europe 2025 work programme Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility

  • 5 destinations with varied themes. The indicative amount of EU funding contributions for most projects in this cluster ranges from €500k to €15m. This can cover up to 100% of costs depending on the call.

Horizon Europe 2025 work programme Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

  • 7  destinations with varied themes. The indicative amount of EU funding contributions for most projects in this cluster ranges from €3m to €12m. This can cover up to 100% of costs depending on the call.

European Space Agency Calls

European Space Agency: Space For Intermodal Transport

  • Feasibility studies – maximum of €500,000; demonstration projects, no maximum, case by case assessment. This can cover up to 80% of costs depending on business size.

European Space Agency: Space For Sustainable, Connected and Liveable Cities

  • Up to 80% of project costs can be covered, depending on business size and project type.

European Space Agency: Space For Insurance Technology

  • Closes 06/06/2025. Kick-Starts are funded at 75% by ESA, up to a maximum of €75K per contract.

European Space Agency: Integrated Digital Solutions For The Energy Sector

  • Closes 30/06/25. Maximum total cost for feasibility studies is €500,000 per study: ESA will fund up to 80% of this for SMEs, or up to 50% for larger companies. Demonstration projects will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

 

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