Northforge — Innovation Funding Advisory

Strategic innovation funding for ambitious technology companies.

Northforge helps R&D-led businesses identify, shape and secure grant and other non-dilutive funding through Innovate UK, UKRI and Horizon Europe associated programmes.

Funding strategy, project shaping and grant application delivery for serious innovation projects.

Northforge
01 — Positioning

Real expertise. Written by people, not algorithms.

Northforge brings together a senior network of scientists, chartered engineers and former founders, many at PhD level. Between them they hold decades of experience in research and development, in building and selling their own technology companies, and in writing successful grant applications.

Funding strategy

Where your project fits within the UK and European innovation funding landscape, now and over the next 12 to 24 months.

Technical and commercial narrative

Translating complex technology into a clear, credible, reviewer-ready story written by people who have lived the science.

Project shaping

Work packages, costs, partners, risks and exploitation, structured for fundability from day one.

Grant application delivery

End-to-end writing, costing and submission of competitive applications, or a senior expert review of bids your team has already drafted.

Reviewer-focused positioning

Calibrated to how Innovate UK, UKRI and Horizon Europe assessors actually read applications.

Resubmission and bid review

Sharpening unsuccessful bids and giving honest senior feedback on second-time submissions where the project warrants it.

02 — Who we help

R&D-led companies building genuinely novel technology.

Northforge works with founders, CEOs, CTOs and innovation leads in deeptech, advanced engineering, climate, life sciences, robotics and other R&D-intensive sectors.

01
Deeptech and AI companies
02
Advanced manufacturing and engineering businesses
03
Climate, energy and industrial decarbonisation companies
04
Robotics, sensors and autonomous systems
05
Healthtech, medtech and life sciences innovators
06
Materials, chemicals and process innovation companies
07
Agritech and food system innovators
08
Semiconductor, photonics and advanced electronics companies
09
High-growth SMEs developing novel products, processes or platforms
03 — Funding focus

UK and European innovation funding, focused on R&D.

We focus on the funding routes most likely to support genuinely novel technology projects, including Innovate UK, UKRI and Horizon Europe. We do not claim that any specific competition is currently open unless it is reflected in our curated tracker.

Funding routes
  • Innovate UK competitions
  • UKRI-linked innovation funding
  • Horizon Europe and associated calls
  • Collaborative R&D calls
  • Feasibility studies
  • Contracts for Innovation / SBRI-style opportunities
  • Sector-specific grant programmes
  • Open and anticipated funding routes aligned with UK priorities
Technology and sector themes
AI and advanced computingClean energy and industrial decarbonisationAdvanced manufacturingRobotics and autonomous systemsLife sciences and engineering biologyMaterials and chemicalsSemiconductors, photonics and electronicsAgritech and food systemsDefence, security and resilienceRegional innovation and commercialisation

Language used: open and anticipated funding routes; potentially relevant opportunities. Eligibility and scope vary by competition and may change. Northforge reviews official sources before making recommendations.

04 — Eligibility check

Check your grant funding fit.

A guided questionnaire to help you understand whether your project may be a fit for UK innovation funding. Indicative only, and not a formal funding decision.

Live opportunities

Open and upcoming UK innovation calls.

Refreshed automatically from the UKRI funding finder. A snapshot only — always verify scope, eligibility and dates on the official UKRI page.

Loading the next refresh… If this is the first run, opportunities will appear within a few hours.

05 — Process

A clear path from idea to a funder-ready application.

Steps one and two are our investment in you. Advice is always free at Northforge, because we would rather work with the right projects than chase every brief.

01
Investment in you — free

Funding fit

We assess whether your company, technology and project are likely to align with UK and European innovation funding. No charge, no obligation.

02
Investment in you — free

Project shaping

We help structure the innovation step, work packages, risks, costs, partners and exploitation case so that the project is genuinely fundable.

03
Engagement

Application development or expert review

We either write a clear, funder-ready application end to end, or carry out a senior expert review of a bid your team has already drafted.

04
Engagement

Submission and follow-through

We support refinement, submission, clarification, resubmission or next-step funding strategy where needed.

06 — About

A network with over £1bn in incentives raised.

Northforge brings together a senior network of PhD scientists, chartered engineers and former founders who have collectively raised over £1 billion in non-dilutive incentives for some of the UK's most ambitious technology companies.

Their work spans artificial intelligence, clean energy and decarbonisation, advanced manufacturing, robotics, life sciences, agritech, semiconductors and advanced materials. Every engagement is led by people who have done the science, built the businesses, and written the bids that won.

PhD-level subject matter experts on every project. No AI-drafted bids.

Find out whether your project is fundable.

Use the Northforge eligibility check to understand whether your project may be a fit for UK innovation funding.