92 active accelerators, incubators, grants and VCs across the UK. We check them weekly and flag the deadlines closing soon.
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Run by: Imperial College London·Backed by: Imperial College London
£100K prizes — no equity
Seed-stage startups with deep technology from Imperial College London research or the broader Imperial ecosystem. Focus on hard science and engineering.
3-month programme (Aug-Nov 2026) for Imperial students/alumni/ECRs; 25 teams; £100k prize fund
Run by: Innovate UK / Dept for Transport
£4.3M shared — no equity
Funder: Innovate UK / Dept for Transport. Demonstrations of high-maturity rail innovation (RIRL 5+) for testing in operational UK rail environments.
Run by: Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) at Oxford Saïd·Backed by: Oxford Saïd Business School
None (no standard cash; objectives-based) — no equity
Science-based ventures in quantum, space, climate, health, or computational biology. Technical founders with deep IP or breakthrough technology.
First European CDL location (2019); streams across AI, Climate, FinTech, Space, Advanced Therapies; 80+ ventures/year
Run by: University of Warwick·Backed by: University of Warwick
None (no cash) — no equity
AI and data-driven startups at pre-seed or seed stage. University of Warwick affiliated or in the West Midlands ecosystem preferred.
Kick-off 17 Sept 2026; for UK-registered AI/data-science companies; in-person at Warwick Innovation District
Run by: Innovate UK
Up to £150K per spin-out — no equity
Funder: Innovate UK. Backs deep-tech university spin-outs created in the last 24 months that have completed ICURe; IP from a UK research org.
Run by: UCL (University College London)·Backed by: UCL
None (no cash) — no equity
UCL students, staff, and recent alumni with early-stage ventures. Any sector. Must demonstrate innovation and commitment to building a company.
2-year equity-free incubator; Autumn 2026 cohort starts 15 Oct 2026; intakes twice yearly
Run by: Conception X·Backed by: XTX Markets, Barclays
TBD for TBD
PhD researchers and postdocs building deep-tech ventures from their research. AI, quantum, advanced materials, synthetic biology, or computational science.
9-month programme; ~100 PhD founders/yr; 191 deeptech companies built; 3 exits
Run by: Seedcamp
$350K-$1M for 7-10%
Pre-seed founders with big ideas tackling large markets. Sector-agnostic but strong interest in B2B SaaS, fintech, AI/ML, and developer tools. European focus.
550+ portfolio companies; $100bn+ enterprise value; rolling intake
Run by: Antler
£210K (up to £500K follow-on) for 8.5%
Exceptional individuals and early teams building category-defining companies. Open to pre-idea founders with strong domain expertise or technical backgrounds.
8-week London residency; next cohort starts 22 Sept 2026; rolling applications
Run by: Entrepreneur First (EF)·Backed by: Reid Hoffman, Matt Clifford
Up to $250K for 8%
Outstanding individuals before they have a company. Deep technical talent, domain experts, and ambitious operators ready to find a co-founder and build from scratch.
Rolling early/regular deadlines; equity-free grant + up to $250k investment
Run by: Founders Factory·Backed by: L'Oréal, Guardian, Hatch, Aviva, others
£30K-$150K for 4-25%
Pre-seed and seed startups in health, education, financial services, or media/entertainment. Preference for founders with domain expertise and a working MVP.
Multiple sector accelerators open (Healthcare, Fintech, Mining, Climate); pre-seed/seed
Run by: Google·Backed by: Google
$100K cash + $200K Google Cloud credits — no equity
Black-led startups in Europe at seed to Series A. Must have a working product and demonstrate growth potential. Google Cloud credits included.
Funding ($50k-$100k) for Black-led startups across Europe; periodic windows
Run by: London & Partners·Backed by: Mayor of London / London & Partners
Free — no equity
London-based startups in hospitality, food & drink, retail, or consumer goods. Must be trading and seeking to scale in the London market.
For London-based UK-registered scaleups (10+ staff, £1m+ turnover); rolling intake, trade missions
Run by: HSBC UK·Backed by: HSBC
None (no cash) — no equity
High-growth startups at seed to Series A, particularly in fintech, regtech, or sustainability tech. Must benefit from HSBC's commercial banking network.
Quarterly events & insights for HSBC Innovation Banking early-stage clients; invitation-based
Run by: Ministry of Justice / LawTech UK·Backed by: Ministry of Justice, HM Government
Free — no equity
Legal technology startups at any stage. Products addressing access to justice, legal process automation, compliance, or regulatory technology.
MoJ-backed; free programmes to 31 Oct 2026 (Fundamentals, Mentoring, Bridge)
Run by: Mishcon de Reya·Backed by: Mishcon de Reya law firm
Varies (bespoke deals) for Bespoke (investment option available)
Legaltech startups with products for law firms: AI contract analysis, document automation, compliance, or practice management tools.
Mishcon de Reya legaltech accelerator; two cohorts/yr; 12-week on-site (Improve, Launch, Sell tracks)
Run by: Microsoft·Backed by: Microsoft
Up to $150K Azure credits — no equity
Startups building on Microsoft Azure or integrating Microsoft technologies. Any sector, pre-seed to Series B. Provides Azure credits and go-to-market support.
Founders Hub; rolling admissions; up to $150k Azure credits + AI services + mentorship
Run by: Oxford University Innovation·Backed by: University of Oxford
£10K for 5% (Phase 2)
Startups licensing or spinning out University of Oxford research and IP. Any sector — typically deep tech, biotech, medtech, or AI.
Incubator for Oxford spin-outs and founded IP; 350+ companies created since 1987
Run by: ProVeg International·Backed by: ProVeg International
Free — no equity
Alternative protein and sustainable food startups. Plant-based, cultivated, or fermentation-derived food products with scalable business models.
Two cycles/yr (Mar-May, Sep-Nov); 130+ startups since 2018; alumni raised €250M+
Run by: SETsquared Partnership·Backed by: University of Bristol, Bath, Surrey, Exeter, Southampton
£172-£230/month membership fee — no equity
Tech startups in the South West of England. Preference for deep tech, cleantech, healthtech, and space. Pre-seed to seed stage.
270 members; £500M+ raised; ranked #1 UK university incubator by FT
Run by: SETsquared / Innovate UK·Backed by: Innovate UK
Up to £35K — no equity
Researchers from UK universities ready to validate the commercial potential of their research through customer discovery. UKRI-funded research preferred.
3+ month customer-discovery programme; lean start-up methodology; Innovate UK funded
Run by: Superseed·Backed by: British Business Bank (BBB-backed NPIF II)
Seed-stage for Seed equity
Pre-seed European startups in B2B SaaS, infrastructure, and deep tech. Looking for exceptional technical founders with unique domain insights.
Pre-seed/seed VC backing applied-AI founders; rolling investment model
Run by: Tramshed Tech·Backed by: Barclays Eagle Labs
Free — no equity
Very early stage founders in Wales exploring entrepreneurship. Idea to MVP stage. All sectors, no prior experience required.
10-week free accelerator for early-stage tech startups; waiting list for next cohort
Run by: Wayra (Telefonica)·Backed by: Telefonica
Up to £250K for Minority equity
Startups with solutions relevant to Telefónica/O2 in connectivity, IoT, cybersecurity, AI, or digital media. Must be ready for commercial partnership.
Telefonica's open-innovation arm; rolling investment & mentoring model
Run by: Zebox·Backed by: CMA CGM
None (no standard cash) — no equity
Hardware, logistics, and supply chain startups. Industrial technology focus — manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, or last-mile delivery innovation.
CMA CGM-founded accelerator; Manchester hub; supply-chain/logistics focus
Run by: Zinc VC·Backed by: British Business Bank (BBB) £28M
Varies (venture builder model) for ~15%
Mission-driven individuals passionate about solving major social challenges in health, education, or sustainability. No existing company needed — Zinc helps you build one.
12-month Venture Builder; programme starts Oct-Nov or Apr-May; up to £250k initial investment
Run by: Amazon Web Services·Backed by: Amazon
Up to $300K AWS credits — no equity
Startups at any stage building on AWS. Must have a viable product plan. Open to all sectors, provides cloud credits and technical support.
No cohort structure; continuous rolling applications for eligible pre-Series B startups
Run by: Barclays / Sustainable Ventures·Backed by: Barclays
None (no cash) — no equity
Climate and sustainability startups with scalable technology. Focus on net-zero solutions: energy, transport, built environment, agriculture, or circular economy.
National Climate Tech Accelerator (Barclays Eagle Labs + Sustainable Ventures)
Run by: University of Cambridge / Cambridge Enterprise·Backed by: University of Cambridge
£30K-£100K for SAFE (20% discount)
University of Cambridge students and researchers exploring entrepreneurship. Very early stage — idea or research with commercial potential.
Part of Founders at the University of Cambridge; £30k upfront + up to £70k match; alumni raised £14m+
Run by: Carbon13
€150K-€250K for 4-7%
Climate tech founders with deep technical or domain expertise. Must be committed to building ventures that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100 MtCO₂e/year.
Rolling applications; next cohort starts 4 May 2026; 7-week sprint + 12-month growth; €150-250k pre-seed for ~1% via SAFE
Run by: Carbon13
£120K for ~10%
Individuals with relevant expertise to build climate ventures from scratch. Scientists, engineers, and operators passionate about decarbonisation.
8-month co-founder-matching programme; next cohort end April 2026; £150k pre-seed
Run by: DASA·Backed by: Ministry of Defence (MOD)
£30K-£500K grants — no equity
Innovative companies and researchers with solutions for UK defence and security challenges. Open to any stage, from concept to commercial product.
Proposal-based funding; now part of UK Defence Innovation
Run by: Digital Catapult·Backed by: Digital Catapult, Invest NI
None (no cash) — no equity
Digital twin, IoT, and simulation technology startups. Smart city, infrastructure monitoring, or industrial digital twin applications.
UK Digital Twin Centre: research, SME adoption and industry accelerator programmes
Run by: Allied London·Backed by: Allied London
None (no cash) — no equity
Tech startups based in Greater Manchester. Any sector, pre-seed to seed. Founders with high ambition and willingness to engage with the local ecosystem.
Two cohorts (Start-ups & Growth); 12-month programme from Campfield Campus
Run by: Google·Backed by: Google
None (no cash) — no equity
AI-first startups building transformative products. Must demonstrate innovative use of AI/ML. Google Cloud credits and mentorship provided.
12-week hybrid accelerator for Seed-Series A UK tech startups; equity-free
Run by: Barclays Eagle Labs NI·Backed by: Barclays
None (no cash) — no equity
Northern Ireland-based startups at pre-seed to seed stage. Sector-agnostic, looking for commercially-minded founders with scalable models.
Northern Ireland tech accelerator; Pathway to Growth 2026 free sales-strategy workshops
Run by: Innovate UK / WMAHSN·Backed by: Innovate UK
None (no cash) — no equity
Health and life sciences startups ready for commercial partnerships. Focus on medtech, digital health, genomics, or health data analytics. West Midlands connection preferred.
West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator; Innovate UK funded; 21 partner organisations
Run by: UCL (University College London)·Backed by: UCL
Free — no equity
Education technology startups with products backed by learning science. Must leverage research-driven approaches to improve educational outcomes.
Leading European EdTech accelerator; 260+ companies supported; 3-month equity-free programme; London/Paris/Toronto/Dubai
Run by: Backed VC
$500K-$5M for Seed equity
Pre-seed and seed-stage European B2B software companies. Strong technical founders building for large enterprise markets. Sector-agnostic.
Seed-stage fund; 100+ portfolio companies across fintech, blockchain, healthtech
Run by: Ignite
£40K for 6%
Early-stage tech startups in the North East. Pre-seed founders with a working prototype or strong technical concept. All sectors.
One-week intensive (5-10 July 2026) for early-stage tech/life-science founders; 1700+ alumni
Run by: Imperial College London·Backed by: Imperial College London
£30K prizes — no equity
Women and non-binary entrepreneurs from the Imperial community. Very early stage — idea to MVP. Any sector with technology component.
6-month programme (Jan-Jun 2026) for women-led teams; £30k equity-free prize fund
Run by: Innovate UK·Backed by: UKRI / UK Government
£50K-£2M grants — no equity
UK-based innovative businesses with strong IP, validated technology (TRL 5+), and a clear path to commercial scaling. All sectors, £25K–£50K grants.
Rolling/continuous funding for early-stage UK businesses; most recent round closed Feb 2026
Run by: King's College London·Backed by: King's College London
Free — no equity
King's College London students, staff, and alumni with venture ideas. Early stage, any sector. Must demonstrate innovation and growth potential.
12-month programme for King's ventures; 18 ventures in 2024-25; 3% equity only on £1M+ raise/revenue
Run by: Lloyd's of London·Backed by: Lloyd's of London
None (no cash) — no equity
Fintech startups with a working product addressing retail banking, SME finance, insurance, or financial inclusion. Must be ready for a corporate pilot.
10-week accelerator selecting ~10 teams; Cohort 16 runs Apr-Jul 2026; alumni raised $1B+
Run by: NATO DIANA·Backed by: NATO
€100K-€400K — no equity
Dual-use startups addressing NATO priority areas: energy resilience, secure communications, sensing, space, or emerging disruptive technologies. Must have defence/security application.
Challenge-call based; last call closed mid-2025; next challenge call expected summer 2026
Run by: Plexal·Backed by: DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
None (no cash) — no equity
Cyber security startups at any stage addressing critical national infrastructure, cloud security, or digital identity. Must be UK-based.
UK's largest cyber accelerator; streams Grow/Scale/Ignite/CNI; cohort one had 48 startups
Run by: PXN / BBB NPIF II·Backed by: British Business Bank (NPIF II)
Up to £200K for Equity
UK startups outside London, particularly in the North. Pre-seed stage, any sector. Must demonstrate innovative approach to a significant market.
Third cohort; up to 12 businesses, 8 receive £200k equity investment; 85% of cohort 1 secured follow-on
Run by: Robert Gordon University (RGU)·Backed by: Robert Gordon University
£3K grant — no equity
Startups in energy, health, digital, or food & drink sectors with connections to the North East Scotland ecosystem. Pre-seed to seed stage.
Impact North 2026 cohort; 26 startups; 5-month programme (Dec 2025-Jun 2026); £3k equity-free seed
Run by: Roundhouse
£25 fee — no equity
Creative industry startups at idea stage. Music tech, fashion tech, arts tech, gaming, or content creation tools. London-based preferred.
2026 cohort; 4-month programme (13 Jan - 5 May 2026); ages 18-30
Run by: Royal Academy of Engineering·Backed by: Royal Academy of Engineering
£20K grant — no equity
Engineering and technology ventures in underrepresented UK regions. Must have novel engineering innovation with commercial potential.
6-month pre-accelerator; £20k equity-free grant; 186 founders supported
Run by: Seraphim Space
Varies for Small equity stake (varies)
Space and geospatial technology startups at seed stage or later. Satellite data, launch, in-orbit services, Earth observation, or space-enabled applications.
120+ alumni across 30+ countries; $695M raised; 85% raise within 12 months post-programme
Run by: CodeBase / Scottish Government·Backed by: Scottish Government
Free — no equity
Scottish tech startups at any stage looking for co-working, mentorship, and community. Part of the Scottish Government's tech ecosystem initiative.
10-week programme (Build/Grow/Raise tracks); Spring 2026 cohort closed; free, Scottish Government funded
Run by: Tramshed Tech·Backed by: Barclays Eagle Labs
Free — no equity
Green technology and sustainability startups in Wales. Renewable energy, circular economy, sustainable agriculture, or environmental tech.
12-week accelerator for environmentally focused startups; applications currently closed
Run by: Baltic Ventures / LCRCA·Backed by: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA)
£25K-£100K for ASA 20% discount
Startups in the North East of England, particularly Newcastle/Gateshead. Creative, digital, and tech sectors. Pre-seed to seed stage.
3-month in-person cohort Sept-Nov 2026 in Liverpool; up to 12 companies; £25k initial, up to £100k total
Run by: Cambridge Judge Business School·Backed by: University of Cambridge
Free — no equity
Cambridge-affiliated entrepreneurs at idea to early-revenue stage. Must have a connection to the University of Cambridge ecosystem.
11-week structured programme; 498 ventures supported since 2013, 110 funded, £781m+ raised
Run by: NHS England / Health Innovation Network (HIN)·Backed by: NHS, NIHR
None (no cash) — no equity
Digital health startups addressing NHS priorities: AI diagnostics, remote monitoring, mental health tech, or operational efficiency. Must have evidence of clinical need.
12-month programme; Cohort 7 current; applications currently closed
Run by: University of Edinburgh·Backed by: University of Edinburgh
£8K stipend — no equity
AI and data science startups with novel approaches. Scotland-based or willing to relocate. Strong technical founding team required.
6-month equity-free programme + £8k stipend; Cohort 10 closed; next cohort Sept 2026