Skip to content
Unclaimed
Discovery tool, not advice. Every figure is the published rule, not a decision on your case.
Grants

Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)

Status

Status not published

Runs annual innovation challenge rounds with Discovery, Alpha and Beta phase windows.

Open now
Amount
£15,000,000

Three phases: Discovery (typically up to ~GBP 150k-450k), Alpha (typically up to ~GBP 1m-2m) and Beta (multi-million). Network licensees lead; SMEs join as project partners.

Funder

Ofgem / Innovate UK

public · national

Deadline: One call a year — Runs annual innovation challenge rounds with Discovery, Alpha and Beta phase windows.

Your odds
Not published

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.

Effort
quick

Quick — mostly identity and bank details.

Who can apply

Only gas and electricity network licensees can lead a bid. Startups must partner with a network company - register on the SIF partner-matching platform.

Related reading: How grant deadlines actually work · The Companies House number, explained

Apply on the funder's site

Source. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/strategic-innovation-fund-sif · not human-checked

Verified on 14 August 2026

Source: www.ofgem.gov.uk

Similar programmes

DRIVE35 Scale-up Fund

Closes in 35 days

Department for Business and Trade / Advanced Propulsion Centre / Innovate UK

Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP)

Status not published

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)

UK Space Agency innovation and technology funding (NSIP / Enabling Technologies)

Status not published

UK Space Agency

Invest NI Grant for R&D

Status not published

Invest Northern Ireland

Scottish Enterprise R&D Grant

Status not published

Scottish Enterprise

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) innovation competitions

Status not published

UK Defence Innovation, Ministry of Defence

Paid, separate from Unclaimed

Want a human to review your application?

Involve Consulting can help — a paid expert-review service run by the same person behind Unclaimed, entirely separate from this free check. A flat fee, agreed up front; never a cut of what you receive.

Talk to Involve Consulting