New UK grant calls opened on 29 September: UKRI AI adoption in science and engineering, and a UK–Florida space R&D partnership

New UK grant calls opened on 29 September: UKRI AI adoption in science and engineering, and a UK–Florida space R&D partnership

29 September 2026 — Two new UK grant calls opened on 29 September 2026 on GOV.UK's Find a grant service. One funds projects applying AI to research problems. The other funds joint research and development between UK and Florida companies in space. Separately, the Innovation Funding Service, through which Innovate UK competitions are submitted, will be offline this weekend.

UKRI: Enabling AI adoption across science and engineering

• What it funds: "ambitious and exploratory projects bringing together AI and domain expertise", with the potential to open new ways of applying AI to research challenges in priority science and engineering disciplines.
• Amounts: from £1 to £250,000 per award, from a total scheme of £5 million.
• Dates: opened 29 September 2026 at 9:00; closes 1 December 2026 at 16:00.
• Who leads: applicants "must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding".

A software or AI company therefore cannot lead a bid. It can take part as a project partner or supplier to a university or research institute, bringing the AI expertise the call is built around.

UK Space Agency and Space Florida: Space Innovation Partnership

• What it funds: joint research and development between companies in the State of Florida and the United Kingdom, building on the UK–US relationship in space.
• Amounts: from £50,000 to £75,000 per award, from a total of £150,000, so only a few projects will be funded.
• Dates: opened 29 September 2026; closes 11 January 2027 at 15:00.
• Who can apply: the listing names the public sector, non-profits and the private sector, with the funding organisation shown as the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

This suits UK space-software, data and ground-segment firms that already have, or can find, a Florida partner.

Innovation Funding Service offline this weekend

The Innovation Funding Service carries a notice of "essential maintenance between 4:00pm on Friday 2 October 2026 and 10:00am on Monday 5 October 2026", during which it will be unavailable. Applicants are told to save work and finish tasks before it begins. This affects anyone working on an open Innovate UK competition over the weekend.

What to do

• AI companies should contact UK university research offices now about partnering on AI-adoption bids before 1 December.
• UK space-software firms with Florida links should read the partnership's eligibility on the listing and plan for 11 January.
• Anyone drafting an Innovate UK application should submit or save before 16:00 on Friday 2 October.

Sources

• GOV.UK Find a grant: UKRI Enabling AI adoption across science and engineering (Grant) — 29 September 2026
• GOV.UK Find a grant: UK Space Agency & Space Florida, Space Innovation Partnership — 29 September 2026
• Innovation Funding Service: competition search and maintenance notice (read 30 September 2026) — 30 September 2026