UKRI-5955 Venture Builder

Description

Innovate UK intends to procure Delivery Partner services for the UKRI Venture Builder Programme, a new pilot initiative to support deep-tech university spin-out teams in 6 of the priority Industrial Strategy sectors (the IS6 sectors), initially focusing on Frontier AI, Engineering Biology, and Advanced Manufacturing and Materials. The Programme will provide intensive venture-development support over six to nine months to around 20–25 post-ICURe, or equivalent-stage, teams that have completed customer discovery. Its purpose is to convert validated academic research spin-outs into investor-ready companies and position them to progress into Innovate UK IS6 growth sector programmes. The procurement is initially structured around the three sector tracks above; however, the strategy and delivery model are still being established. It has not yet been determined whether the outcome will be separate contracts for each sector or a single contract covering all sectors. Consortium arrangements are welcomed where different organisations bring complementary capabilities across tracks or sub-sectors. A Webinar will be held on 21 April 2026, with the tender expected to launch in May 2026. To Register for the Webinar please access the link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/dc0e9bab-53f0-49b8-be15-8363687e972c@8bb7e08e-daa4-4a8e-927e-fca38db04b7e Participation in the Webinar is optional and gives no advantage in any future procurement.