Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards scheme has reopened with £4.5million worth of funding that will provide £75,000 grants each to up to 60 female founders.
This year’s competition is focused on women founders of late-stage startups, who operate within advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, or life sciences, three of the high growth sectors in the goverment’s industrial strategy.
As well as the funding winners will receive “bespoke business support, and a suite of training, networking and role-modelling opportunities”.
Liz Kendall, science, innovation and technology secretary, said:
“The Women in Innovation Awards are unlocking the UK’s untapped potential within our community of women innovators; if men and women started and scaled businesses at the same rate this could be worth as much as £250 billion for the UK economy.
“This record £4.5 million investment will empower ambitious women founders to scale their businesses, drive economic growth, and inspire the next generation of innovators.”
Applications close at 11am on 4 February 2026. You can apply here.
Launched in 2016, the awards scheme has returned following controversy surrounding last year’s programme. Innovate UK originally said there were 50 winners but then announced that only 25 grants would be given out.
Following a viral post on LinkedIn by entrepreneur Emma Abbasi, the ‘Let’s Fund More Women’ group was formed which urged Innovate UK to reverse its decision.
Innovate UK later confirmed that all 50 winners would receive funding.
In a post about this year’s awards, Emily Nott, head of inclusive innovation programmes at Innovate UK, said the organisation has listened to the concerns and gathered feedback at events and from the new Women in Innovation Community Forum.
Innovate UK’s Pledge for Progress has also been launched with 10 commitments to better support women innovators.