Network Innovation Allowance (NIA)
Open continuously
No deadline — apply whenever you are ready.
Each network licensee holds an annual NIA allowance and funds smaller innovation projects directly, commonly tens of thousands to around GBP 1 million.
Ofgem / GB energy network licensees
public · national
Deadline: rolling — No central deadline - each licensee (National Grid, SSEN, UKPN, NGED, Cadent, Northern Gas Networks and others) runs its own rolling innovation intake.
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Quick — mostly identity and bank details.
Who can apply
- Sectors: energy, climate
- Stage: pre_seed, seed, series_a
- R&D activity required
- Locally registered entity required
Approach individual network operators' innovation portals; the Energy Networks Association 'Smarter Networks' portal lists projects and contacts.
Source. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/network-innovation — checked 2026-08-14 · not human-checked