UK-Germany Bilateral Collaborative R&D: Round 5

About the opportunity

Innovate UK, in partnership with Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), is offering funding for business-led collaborative research and development projects between the UK and Germany.

The competition aims to support innovative technologies, products, processes and services with strong commercial potential, while strengthening international collaboration.

Funding available

• Total UK competition budget: £2.4 million.
• UK partners can request grant funding of £100,000 to £350,000 per project.
• Funding covers up to 70% of eligible costs for micro and small businesses, 60% for medium-sized businesses and 50% for large businesses.
• Projects must last between 12 and 24 months, starting on 1 August 2027 and ending by 31 July 2029.

Eligibility

The project must be led by a UK-registered SME collaborating with at least one independent German-registered SME.

Additional UK collaborators may include businesses, academic institutions and research and technology organisations.

German partners must apply separately through Germany’s ZIM programme and will receive funding from the relevant German funding body.

No single organisation or country can account for more than 70% of the total project costs.

Priority areas

Projects must focus on at least one of the following:

• Life sciences
• Engineering biology
• Clean energy

Proposals must demonstrate genuine innovation, a clear commercial opportunity, the value of UK-German collaboration and a credible route to market within two to three years of project completion.

Only industrial research projects are eligible.

How to apply

UK applicants must submit their application through Innovate UK’s Innovation Funding Service. German partners must submit a corresponding application to the German ZIM programme.

Both national funding bodies must approve the project for funding to be awarded.

Application deadline: 1 December 2026, 11am UK time.