Getting Into the Catapult Network for Your Startup
From eligibility to access for the Catapult Network: reach the right centre and Innovate UK Business Growth support, plus every other UK grant you qualify for.
Catapult facility access plus other UK grants, all with one application
Free
Eligibility check after you sign up
4 routes
Grants, family offices, angel investors & VCs
The Catapult Network spans 9 specialist innovation centres across 50+ UK locations, with access grants up to £15K via Innovate UK Business Growth, free to enrol for qualifying UK SMEs.
The founder's guide
What Is the Catapult Network?
The Catapult Network is a group of nine not-for-profit technology and innovation centres set up by Innovate UK, operating across more than 50 locations in the UK. Each Catapult specialises in a sector, from manufacturing and compound semiconductors to energy systems, satellites, and connected places, and gives startups access to world-class equipment, testing facilities, and specialist expertise they could never afford to build in-house.
It's the most under-used asset in the UK innovation ecosystem. Small access grants (often up to around £15K) are available through Innovate UK Business Growth to help cover facility-access costs, but the real value is the lab time and expertise itself. Our free eligibility check shows whether the Catapults, and which other UK grants, fit your startup.
The network
The Nine Catapult Centres
Each Catapult focuses on a different technology area. Find the one that matches your startup.
High Value Manufacturing - advanced manufacturing processes, materials, and scale-up.
Compound Semiconductor Applications - next-generation chips and photonics.
Energy Systems - net zero, grid, and energy innovation.
Satellite Applications - space data, earth observation, and connectivity.
Connected Places - smart cities, mobility, and infrastructure.
Cell & Gene Therapy and Medicines Discovery - life sciences and health.
Digital - AI, immersive, cyber, and data-driven innovation.
Offshore Renewable Energy - wind, wave, and tidal technology.
Which Catapult fits your technology?Complete the application form and we'll automatically match you with the most relevant grants and support, including Catapult access and everything else you qualify for. It's 100% free.
Access usually runs through Innovate UK Business Growth. Here's the route in.
Step 1
Enrol in Innovate UK Business Growth
Enrolment is free for qualifying UK SMEs and assigns you an Innovation & Growth Specialist (IGS). Run the free eligibility checker first to see Catapult access alongside the other UK grants you qualify for.
Step 2
Get Matched to a Catapult
Your IGS connects you to the Catapult centre that fits your technology and, where eligible, to a small access grant to help cover facility costs. Access is allocated case-by-case, not via an open competition.
Step 3
Use the Facilities
Access national lab-grade equipment, testing, and expert time to de-risk your technology, without the capital cost of building it yourself. For hardware, energy, medtech, and deep tech, this can be transformational.
Done-for-you service
Don't want to write it yourself? We build the application for you.
The steps above are the do-it-yourself route. If you would rather hand it off, our grant specialists write, package and manage the whole application for you, working alongside you so the technical detail stays yours while we handle the process.
1ApplyTell us about your startup and the grant you are targeting. It takes a few minutes.
2Chat with a specialistA grant specialist checks your fit, confirms the right programme, and scopes the work with you.
3We build your applicationWe write the narrative, budget and supporting documents to the funder's exact scoring criteria.
4We guide every stageMany grants run in several rounds (assessment, interviews, sometimes multiple phases, then reporting). We handle each step and explain everything as we go.
Transparent, mostly success-based pricingA modest upfront fee to scope and start the work (not always tied to your metrics), plus a success fee based on the grant, the amount awarded, and your business. Every engagement is quoted individually.
Apply and we'll come back with a tailored budget for your specific grant.
Interactive Tool
Check Your UK Grant Eligibility in 30 Seconds
Every UK grant is listed below by default. Tell us your stage and sector to narrow them to the Innovate UK grants, R&D credits, and SEIS/EIS routes that match your startup. Getting matched is 100% free - no fee, no commission, no credit card.
Choose your stage and sector below to see which UK grants you may be eligible for
Want a definitive eligibility report? It's free.
This is a first-pass match based on stage, sector, and geography. Complete the application form and we'll automatically match you with the most relevant grants - including the one you're researching - cross-referencing your technology, IP, team, and traction against every active UK programme. This matching service is completely free: no fee, no commission, no credit card required.
The strongest raises stack multiple non-dilutive programmes. Here are the other UK grants you can apply for, all matched in one free eligibility check.
Mostly not. The core value is access to facilities, equipment, and expertise, not money in your account. Small access grants (often up to around £15K) can help cover facility costs, but the equipment time itself is worth far more than the grant.
Most startups reach the Catapults through Innovate UK Business Growth. Enrol (free for qualifying UK SMEs), get assigned an Innovation & Growth Specialist, and they connect you to the right centre. It's allocated case-by-case rather than via an open competition.
Anyone building hardware, robotics, energy, medtech, semiconductors, space, or deep tech. If you'd otherwise need to spend heavily on specialist equipment or testing, accessing national lab-grade facilities without the CapEx can be a genuine game-changer.
Absolutely, and they reinforce each other. Catapults can even be a knowledge-base partner for a KTP, and the de-risking they provide strengthens your Innovate UK applications. Our free check shows everything you qualify for.
The Full Capital Stack
Grants Are Only Part of the Stack
Innovate UK grants and R&D tax credits cover early-stage R&D, but most UK startups need equity capital to scale. The strongest raises combine grants with SEIS/EIS-qualifying angel or VC investment.
AngelsPartners is the only platform where a founder can access all three capital pathways in one place: grants (this page), debt financing, and 120,000+ equity investors.
Equity funding
UK Angels & VCs
Search a database of SEIS/EIS-active angels, micro-VCs, and funds investing in UK startups. Filter by sector, geography, ticket size, and stage. Direct contact details included - no gatekeepers, no pay-to-pitch.
Venture debt, revenue-based financing, and startup loan programmes - without diluting your cap table. Our AI matches you to a curated lender network based on your revenue, traction, and geography.
