BridgeAI grants open on 21 October for UK AI SMEs: who can apply

Innovate UK published the terms of its BridgeAI Deployment Catalyst competition on 13 October 2026. It is intended to help businesses deploy existing artificial intelligence solutions in UK organisations. All three strands open for applications at 9:30am on 21 October and close at 11am on 8 December 2026, UK time. UK-registered organisations can participate nationwide, and applications are online.

Funding and project size

Innovate UK expects to allocate up to £5 million to Phase 1 across all three strands combined. The £5 million figure repeated on each UKRI page does not mean three separate £5 million funds. A consortium's grant request for one project must be £100,000–£200,000. Phase 1 develops and tests a specific deployment use case; it is not a grant for routine installation of an existing service. A project must last 3–5 months, start by 1 April 2027 and end by 31 August 2027. Later phases are possible by invitation but are not guaranteed. The programme's stated potential of up to £52 million across all three phases depends on approval and sufficient quality applications.

Choosing a strand

• Decision Critical Systems covers AI supporting judgements or decisions with significant consequences.
• Operational Systems covers AI performing, controlling or coordinating activity in processes, equipment or infrastructure.
• Assurance and Compliance covers AI that checks, verifies or evidences compliance with rules and standards.

A lead business may submit only one application across the three strands. An application to the wrong strand cannot be transferred and will not be assessed.

Who is eligible?

The lead must be a UK-registered AI SME with a functioning minimum viable product at technology readiness level 5–6. It needs a deployer partner: a UK-registered medium or large business, or a UK-based public sector organisation. The consortium may have two or three organisations, with the third partner optional. The deployer must operate in an eligible area: health and life sciences, financial services, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defence, professional and business services, or creative industries. An application without an eligible deployer does not meet the rules.

For commercial activity, the grant can cover up to 70% of eligible costs for a micro or small organisation, 60% for a medium-sized organisation and 50% for a large organisation. Participants must fund the remainder. Routine back-office automation, early concepts without a functioning product and subcontracting are not funded in this competition.

What to do now

1. Read the full Innovation Funding Service rules, including sector eligibility, costs and strand scope.
2. Agree a project with an eligible deployer, including access to its operating environment, data and staff, the cost split and a plan for demonstrating the solution.
3. From 21 October, start an online application in the single most suitable strand and invite project partners to complete their own sections and costs.
4. Submit the complete application before 11am on 8 December. Do not rely on a last-minute submission. The organiser has not stated a separate advance registration deadline.

Official sources: the UKRI strand pages and Innovate UK's detailed competition rules. Check the official pages for the latest status before applying.