Funding Flash August 2025
Each month, Space South Central aims to bring together a curated list of the latest and best funding opportunities for businesses working in the space sector across the South East.
The list is not exhaustive – for that, see the Satellite Applications Catapult’s Space Enterprise Network.
If you see an opportunity below that could be suitable for your business, reach out to the team at info@spacesouthcentral.com, who will offer advice, expertise, support and connections to help you create successful bids. Since 2016, we have helped regional organisations secure £37.5M.
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EarthScale
Deadline: Sunday, 7th September 2025
A new UK-wide 12-month programme supporting IP-rich climate tech startups and spinouts scale to commercialisation.
EarthScale brings together a powerhouse network of regional hubs, building a connected, long-term ecosystem for scaling the UK’s most promising climate tech ventures.
Read more here.
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Canada-UK NetworkPlus in semiconductor research
Deadline: Wednesday, 10th September 2025
Apply for funding to build a Canada-UK academic NetworkPlus in semiconductor research, share expertise in areas of joint interest, and seed future projects. Focus on joint research and development strengths in compound semiconductors, photonics, NEMS/MEMS, advanced packaging, and chip design.
Funding for this activity is unilateral. It will develop a roadmap and vision for a longer-term, larger-scale Canada-UK initiative in semiconductors.
You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for EPSRC funding.
The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £1,125,000. EPSRC will fund £900,000 (80% FEC).
Read more here.
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Horizon Europe 2025 work programme Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space
Deadline: Thursday, 2nd October 2025
The European Commission has pre-published all of the 2025 Horizon Europe Work Programmes, which list the funding opportunities under the 2025 call topics.
No matter your field – whether you’re a business, university, research institute, charity, or not-for-profit – you could be eligible to apply for Horizon Europe funding to advance your cutting-edge research and innovation, fostering lasting impact and meaningful change.
Read more here.
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Horizon Europe 2025: European Innovation Council
Deadline: Wednesday, 29th October 2025
Funding opportunities worth over €1.4 billion for strategic technologies and scaling up companies.
The EIC work programme 2025 offers funding in four main schemes:
EIC Pathfinder (€120 million) for multidisciplinary research teams to undertake visionary research with the potential to lead to technology breakthroughs (grants up to €4 million). Pathfinder Challenges are open to single SMEs or consortia.
EIC Transition (€98 million) to turn research results into innovation opportunities, following up on results generated by EIC Pathfinder projects, European Research Council Proof of Concept projects and open to project results from Horizon collaborative projects from Pillar 2/societal challenges (grants up to €2.5 million).
EIC Accelerator (€634 million) for start-ups and SMEs to develop and scale up innovations with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones (grants below €2.5 million, investments from €0.5 to €10 million – UK companies can apply for grant-only of this scheme).
Read more here.
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Space for Metaverse
Deadline: Friday, 14th November 2025
In recent years, the metaverse has triggered the development of several applications/services appealing to both consumers and businesses in different sectors. For example, companies are adding the metaverse to their marketing mix to offer their customers an unprecedented experience. In the metaverse, every asset, process, or person can be replicated virtually and connected, meaning that nearly every aspect of the physical world can take place digitally. Building virtual replicas of physical settings and objects in a metaverse that generate data in real-time allows the generation of far richer analyses, which enable improved decision-making.
75% funding by the European Space Agency up to €75,000 for each selected activity. These activities will establish commercial services integrating metaverse elements with space technologies into existing/new services and applications.
Read more here.
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Future of Retail
Deadline: Friday, 23rd January 2025
The Future of Retail is an opportunity for businesses to submit proposals to develop innovative services that leverage space technology for the benefit of the retail sector.
Selected projects can access 75% funding by the European Space Agency, up to €75,000 per activity.
Read more here.
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UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund
Deadline: Open Until Further Notice
UKI2S invests in innovations emerging from the UK’s publicly funded science and knowledge base. We specialise in engineering biology, defence & security, fusion energy, and space to facilitate sustainable growth, enhance the health and security of society, improve productivity, and deliver economic gains emerging from the UK’s public funding portfolio.
Read more here.
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UK Space Agency Accelerator: Shuttle
Deadline: Open Until Further Notice
Shuttle is designed specifically for SMEs from outside the space sector that are ready to pivot. Whether you're assessing if space is the right market for you, or identifying how your product or service could apply, Shuttle provides insight, support, and connections to help you move forward with confidence. Through strategic coaching, one-to-one support, and expert-led content, you’ll build your understanding of the UK space sector and shape your market entry approach.
Read more here.
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General Support Technology Programme (GSTP)
Deadline: Open Until Further Notice
The UK Space Agency is looking to provide support to companies and academic institutions across the UK in developing innovative technologies to grow UK capability. They are keen to engage with start-ups and SMEs (from both within and outside the space sector), as well as established companies and organisations. Collaborative proposals are also welcome.
Read more here.
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Navigation Innovation Support Programme (NavISP)
Deadline: Open Until Further Notice
Since 2017, the UK has invested €50 million into NavISP to support the UK space PNT sector to innovate the next generation of space-enabled and space-supported navigation products, services and applications.
The UK investment in the programme is available to support UK organisations to undertake technology research and development focused on commercial innovation
Read more here.
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Responsive mode call: 2025 SciSpacE support
Deadline: Open Until Further Notice
This call supports UK-based researchers who have already secured facility access to research platforms through the ESA SciSpacE Programmes Research Announcements.
Read more here.
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ESA ITT
Deadline: Various
The latest list of open and intended ESA and non-ESA ITTs is now available and published on ESA STAR. This includes all contracts currently open for bids, as well as those in the intended phase prior to publication. All opportunities listed are accessible to UK companies, though some caveats may apply.
Read more here.
