What is the real per-recipient economic value?

GBP 75,000 maximum. Award minimum: not published. Dilution/equity: none.

Which jurisdictions and applicants are eligible?

A woman founder or co-founder of a UK-registered micro, small or medium enterprise at late-stage startup phase. The 2025–26 call required alignment with advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, or life sciences and accepted single applicants.

A woman-led late-stage startup with ambitious growth plans; Fit to one of three named UK Industrial Strategy growth sectors; A credible plan to use the grant and support package to accelerate growth

What burden or follow-on should I expect?

Innovate UK grant-management and project-delivery obligations apply; the public overview does not state a light-touch reporting exemption. No automatic renewal; future Women in Innovation rounds are separate competitions.

Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards

GBP 75,000 maximum; see notes for structure · Innovate UK

Competitive Innovate UK grant and 12-month support programme for women founders or co-founders of UK late-stage startups in advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, or life sciences Current status: closed; Periodic competition; the 2025–26 round closed 4 February 2026 and no successor deadline was posted. Award economics: GBP 75,000 maximum; dilution/equity: none.

Tier 2 · ranked #5governmentukwomen-foundersprize

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Key facts

Funder	Innovate UK
Amount	GBP 75,000 maximum; see notes for structure
Decision time	Competition review followed by award and a package of bespoke business support; exact decision date is in the Innovation Funding Service competition record.
Eligibility	A woman founder or co-founder of a UK-registered micro, small or medium enterprise at late-stage startup phase. The 2025–26 call required alignment with advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, or life sciences and accepted single applicants.
Restrictions	Innovate UK grant-management and project-delivery obligations apply; the public overview does not state a light-touch reporting exemption. Dilution/equity: none.
Status	closed

Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.

Application process

Confirm UK SME, founder and growth-sector eligibility
Apply through the Innovation Funding Service
Assessment under the published competition criteria
Selected founders receive up to £75k plus business support, training, networking and role-modelling opportunities

Background

Innovate UK operates Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards. The official-source pass separates the currently actionable opportunity from historical cohorts and separates per-recipient value from headline program envelopes. Innovate UK stated that up to 60 awardees would be supported in the 2025–26 round.

How the application really works

Confirm UK SME, founder and growth-sector eligibility → Apply through the Innovation Funding Service → Assessment under the published competition criteria → Selected founders receive up to £75k plus business support, training, networking and role-modelling opportunities

Tips

Demonstrate: A woman-led late-stage startup with ambitious growth plans
Demonstrate: Fit to one of three named UK Industrial Strategy growth sectors
Demonstrate: A credible plan to use the grant and support package to accelerate growth

Watch out for

Current status is closed; do not use an archived form.
Dilution/equity treatment: none.
Innovate UK grant-management and project-delivery obligations apply; the public overview does not state a light-touch reporting exemption.

Track record

Innovate UK stated that up to 60 awardees would be supported in the 2025–26 round.

No application count or acceptance rate was published on the checked official pages.

Frequently asked questions

Is this opportunity actionable now?: closed. Periodic competition; the 2025–26 round closed 4 February 2026 and no successor deadline was posted.
What is the real per-recipient economic value?: GBP 75,000 maximum. Award minimum: not published. Dilution/equity: none.
Which jurisdictions and applicants are eligible?: A woman founder or co-founder of a UK-registered micro, small or medium enterprise at late-stage startup phase. The 2025–26 call required alignment with advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, or life sciences and accepted single applicants.
How does selection work?: Confirm UK SME, founder and growth-sector eligibility; Apply through the Innovation Funding Service; Assessment under the published competition criteria; Selected founders receive up to £75k plus business support, training, networking and role-modelling opportunities. Competition review followed by award and a package of bespoke business support; exact decision date is in the Innovation Funding Service competition record.
What appears to win?: A woman-led late-stage startup with ambitious growth plans; Fit to one of three named UK Industrial Strategy growth sectors; A credible plan to use the grant and support package to accelerate growth
What burden or follow-on should I expect?: Innovate UK grant-management and project-delivery obligations apply; the public overview does not state a light-touch reporting exemption. No automatic renewal; future Women in Innovation rounds are separate competitions.

Sources

www.ukri.org/opportunity/women-in-innovation-awards-2025-to-2026 — Official closed status, 4 February 2026 cutoff, £75k cap and eligibility (checked 2026-08-10)
www.ukri.org/blog/insider-insights-whats-new-for-the-women-in-innovation-awards — Official origin, up-to-60 cohort size and support package (checked 2026-08-10)