Funding Flash June 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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Made Smarter: Digital Supply Chain Innovation Funding Opportunity
Deadline: Tuesday, 17th June 2025
The Made Smarter Innovation | Digital Supply Chain Hub is on a mission to transform UK manufacturing through digitally-empowered supply chains that are more efficient, resilient and sustainable. To achieve this, the programme must address various digital supply chain issues focused around the hub’s seven core challenge themes.
This open call looks to develop solutions to issues that have arisen in three critical areas; data governance, reporting and verification of emissions across the food supply chain, and cybersecurity vulnerability. Applications are invited from companies interested in working with programme collaboration partners from the Digital Supply Chain Hub ecosystem.
Read more here.
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UK-NZ Earth Observation Demonstrator Call
Deadline: Friday, 20th June 2025
This funding opportunity is part of the UKRI-led International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) and builds on recent bilateral scoping studies and stakeholder engagement across the UK and New Zealand.
They invite short-term projects that bring together UK and New Zealand researchers, institutions, and companies to test and pilot Earth observation solutions in one or more of the following themes:
Methane emissions and climate change
Water quality monitoring
Agritech applications
Each project must demonstrate joint UK–NZ leadership and a clear pathway to practical application or future scale-up.
Up to five projects will be funded at £30,000 each.
Read more here.
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Transport Research and Innovation Grants 2025
Deadline: Friday, 20th June 2025
The Department for Transport and its delivery partner Connected Places Catapult support innovators through the Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) programme. TRIG helps develop new ideas to shape a more inclusive, environmentally responsible, and cohesive transport system across the UK.
Read more here.
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Contracts for Innovation: Quantum Sensors and PNT Missions Primer
Deadline: Wednesday, 2nd July 2025
The aim of the competition is to accelerate the development and adoption of quantum sensors (QS) and quantum position, navigation, and timing (QPNT) products and services. These will prime the National Quantum Strategy Missions 3, 4, and 5. Examples include sensing-enabled solutions for healthcare, navigation systems and clocks, and sensors for critical national infrastructure in the transport, telecoms, energy, and defence sectors.
Read more here.
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International Bilateral Fund – Call 2
Deadline: Monday, 7th July 2025
The UK Space Agency invites proposals for projects through the second iteration of the International Bilateral Fund (IBF) that will help strengthen the UK space sector’s international partnerships.
Read more here.
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Unlocking Space for Business: Call 2
Deadline: Monday, 7th July 2025
The UK Space Agency invites proposals from end-user business-led consortiums, with a space supplier and any relevant integrator organisations, for innovative pilot projects to commercialise space solutions within the Financial Services or Transport & Logistics sectors in the UK.
Read more here.
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National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) Call 2
Deadline: Wednesday, 23rd July 2025
The UK Space Agency invites proposals for UK-based research and development projects that will deliver innovative space technologies, applications and services through the National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP). NSIP provides co-funded grant support to de-risk high-reward projects with a clear target market.
Read more here.
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ESA Phi-Lab
Deadline: Thursday, 31st July 2025
Up to €225,000 of funding for space research is available through ESA Phi-Lab UK. It is open to private organisations, research organisations and academia. Applicants should focus on innovative technologies and demonstrate high commercial potential across the space sustainability and environmental sustainability subsectors. Additionally, your application must address one or more of the following ESA Phi-Lab UK pillars:
Pillar 1: Fight climate change with space technology
Pillar 2: Lead the global effort to make space more sustainable
Pillar 3: Advance Space Domain Awareness
Read more here.
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The ESA BSGN Advanced Materials and In-Orbit Manufacturing Industry Accelerator
Deadline: Sunday, 31st August 2025
For many years, the space sector has accelerated innovation in material science, enabling the delivery of broad economic and societal value. Today, the rise of a commercial in-orbit economy, including autonomous research platforms, next-generation space stations, and dedicated microgravity labs, is unlocking entirely new frontiers for materials R&D.
Alongside ESA’s BSGN Advanced Materials Accelerator, selected projects will gain access to technical support, funding opportunities, and a growing ecosystem of commercial and institutional partner companies to develop new discoveries in low Earth orbit and beyond. This is a unique opportunity to be a part of the future of commercial space innovation
Read more here.
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Space for monitoring hazardous materials
Deadline: Thursday, 18th September 2025
The Space for Monitoring Hazardous Materials opportunity focuses on supporting innovative space-enabled applications for hazardous materials management. This includes identifying contaminated sites, monitoring toxic material degradation and providing predictive insights for proactive remediation efforts. The initiative aims to address regulatory mandates and health concerns by leveraging advanced monitoring technologies. The scope covers various hazardous substances, including:
asbestos
heavy metals
chemical pollutants
radioactive waste
A particular emphasis is placed on compliance with international and national regulations
Read more here.
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Horizon Europe 2025 work programme Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Deadline: Wednesday, 24th September 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 EU Missions: Soil Deal for Europe
Deadline: Wednesday, 24th September 2024
As part of the vision to achieve healthy soils by 2050, outlined in the EU soil strategy for 2030, the European Commission proposed a Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience, addressing key threats such as erosion, floods and landslides, loss of soil organic matter, salinisation, contamination, compaction, sealing, and loss of soil biodiversity. The Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ is recognized as a key instrument for its implementation, aiming to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses by 2030. The Mission is structured around four operational objectives:
build capacities and the knowledge base for soil stewardship;
co-create and upscale place-based innovations to improve soil health in all places;
develop an integrated EU soil monitoring system and track progress towards soil health;
engage with the soil user community and society at large.
Read more here.
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Space for sustainability in sports and mass events
Deadline: Friday, 10th October 2025
This Call for Proposals invites feasibility studies and demonstration projects that leverage satellite technology to enhance the sustainability of sports and mass events. Proposals are encouraged to explore innovative ways to reduce the environmental impact of large-scale gatherings, such as sports championships, music festivals, and conferences. Please refer to the 'Authorisation of Funding' section below to determine whether your team is eligible for this funding.
Read more here.
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Space4Rail ESA open call
Deadline: Wednesday, 31st December 2025
Space technologies, such as satellite navigation, satellite communication and Earth observation, can help the railway sector in many ways.
ESA open call “Space4Rail Downstream Applications in ARTES 4.0” aims to support the exploitation of space-based assets (satellite navigation, satellite communications and/or Earth observation) in innovative and sustainable applications/services:
1. Related to future control, command and signalling applications of the European Rail system;
2. Improving the performance and attractiveness of the railway, both for railway undertakings and end users.
Feasibility studies and demonstration projects are invited.
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.
