Opportunity status:
Open
Funders:
UK Research and Innovation
Funding type:
Grant
Total fund:
£500,000,000
Publication date:
6 October 2025
Opening date:
6 October 2025 9:00am UK time
Closing date:
3 February 2026 4:00pm UK time
A minimum of £30 million of funding is earmarked to 10 regions selected by the UK government through the Local Innovation Partnership Fund (LIPF) to unlock regional economic growth.
This invitation only funding opportunity invites applications from triple helix partnerships between civic leadership institutions, businesses and universities. Through co-creation with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), your partnership needs to identify and assemble a compelling portfolio of activities that draw upon local research and innovation strengths and support the high potential ‘innovation clusters’ within your region, empowering innovation leadership and delivering impact at scale.
Who can apply
This is a closed funding opportunity, for applications from the places selected by the UK government:
* Greater Manchester
* West Midlands
* South Yorkshire
* West Yorkshire
* Liverpool City Region
* North East England
* Greater London
* Cardiff Capital Region
* Glasgow City Region
* an innovation corridor spanning Belfast and Derry/Londonderry
All submissions must be made on behalf of a triple helix partnership. This is a core requirement of the LIPF. Each proposal will need to demonstrate that such a partnership is in place and is capable of developing a compelling portfolio of activities that support the growth of high potential innovation clusters.
The rationale behind the triple helix is well-established, having demonstrated successful implementation in national and international contexts, alongside previous UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) programmes. It brings together collective strengths of research and knowledge generation from academia, commercial expertise and market application from industry, and public sector leadership and strategic direction from civic institutions. Together, these are critical to regional decision-making and ensuring innovation-driven growth.
The lead organisation (’lead bidder’) should be agreed by the partnership on the basis of who is best placed to coordinate the response and represent the cluster opportunity. In many instances, this will be a mayoral strategic authority, combined authority or another form of regional leadership body with the necessary capacity and resources. However, there is the flexibility to designate a university or research organisation to take on a role where appropriate. The lead organisation (’lead bidder’) will be required to access the UKRI Funding Service.
To apply on behalf of your triple helix partnership you must be based at an eligible organisation as follows:
* higher education providers
* research institutes
* public sector research establishments
* NHS bodies
* independent research organisations.
* a mayoral strategic authority, or other local government partner that has been granted non-standard eligibility for this funding opportunity
Mayoral strategic authorities, and other local government partners that are not currently eligible organisations, can apply for non-standard eligibility limited to the LIPF and need to contact to discuss their eligibility application.
Business and international organisations are not eligible to apply as the lead organisation (‘lead bidder’) on behalf of your triple helix partnership.
When you apply on behalf of your triple helix partnership you will be responsible for:
* convening and coordinating the partnership, should this be the agreed approach locally
* formally submitting the application ensuring it reflects the local innovation strategy, the collective ambition and capabilities of the region, and aligns with all readiness criteria
* managing the project portfolio process, overseeing portfolio development and prioritisation processes through the triple helix governance, and formally submitting the portfolio for quality assurance
This funding opportunity is delivered across two waves:
* wave 1 is for those partnerships ready to move at pace. Submissions that do not contain sufficient information will be required to resubmit as part of wave 2
* wave 2 provides additional time for places to prioritise their clusters and or their portfolio, for example, those partnerships in earlier stages of ecosystem development
Partnerships are allowed to swap from wave 1 to wave 2 following the readiness check, if that timeline suits them better. As the Earmarked Strand is not competitive, co-creation begins immediately upon the opening of the funding opportunity. Partnerships are encouraged to consider what forms of support would be of greatest benefit at different stages of the process and to engage proactively with UKRI.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
for all funding applicants. This funding opportunity is closed, with respect to the places able to apply. However, within the organisations and individual projects, we strongly encourage leadership and participation from a diverse range of people.
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
for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.
What we're looking for
Scope
The LIPF seeks to harness high-potential clusters to drive economic growth, deliver impact at scale and build long-lasting innovation capacity in places, ultimately supporting places to increase their competitive advantage. Partnerships are asked to submit project portfolios that directly support the growth of these high potential clusters, shaped around clearly defined needs and opportunities. Projects must have a distinct focus on near-to-market research and innovation with strong potential for commercial application, industry adoption and scalable impact.
The LIPF is not designed to support early discovery or blue-sky research. Instead, it aims to support the conversion of research excellence into tangible products, services, or technologies that deliver impact through increased productivity, greater investment, and the creation of high-value jobs.
The primary objectives of the LIPF are to:
* foster the growth of mature innovation clusters by deepening their capabilities and expanding their reach
* support emerging clusters, to grow and mature their ecosystems enhancing their capability of generating substantial economic value
* support the adoption, diffusion, and commercialisation of new technologies
* strengthen local partnerships and governance to deliver place-based innovation
The LIPF is designed to support a broad range of research and development (R&D) activities that ultimately accelerate research commercialisation, adoption of new technologies, support businesses to scale and grow and unlock private investment. Further details on what constitutes R&D expenditure can be found, specifically the ESA10 definition and the five criteria designed to help identify R&D.
All projects must be delivered within the five-year LIPF timescale, activities proposed for funding should not be financially dependent on sustained UKRI funding, either concluding within the programme window or supported by other sources of funding.
To be eligible for funding, projects must meet criteria around the type of activities that will be supported and clearly demonstrate how these activities will support the development of the identified priority clusters.
Each partnership will be expected to demonstrate that their portfolio of activities (not individual projects) can generate an absolute minimum private to public investment ratio of 1:1 during the delivery phase and 2:1 across the portfolio’s lifespan (7 year reporting period). Ideally, they should demonstrate how they could deliver a ratio of 3:1 over the lifespan. The focus on leveraging private sector activity from the LIPF is particularly important in the longer-term, even if it cannot be achieved out the outset of projects.
There is no prescribed number of clusters that is expected in a proposal. However, it is strongly advised that proposals ensure that funding is not spread thinly across several opportunities. Partnerships should focus on scale and impact, considering the optimal number of clusters and projects relative to the available funding, that form an impactful, deliverable portfolio.
See Additional information for further guidance.
Duration
The maximum duration of this award is for five years.
Funding available
The full economic cost (FEC) of your project portfolio including administrative costs can be at least £30 million.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will fund 100% of the FEC for administrative funding to cover operating expenditure (opex) of your triple helix partnership up to £300,000. List all costs in ‘Exceptions’ and use the following subheadings as required when completing your application:
* staff
* equipment
* travel and subsistence
* other