Future Leaders Fellowships

Round 10, Business and Non-academic

The Future Leaders Fellowships scheme supports fellows to develop into innovation leaders and deliver impactful and influential research via personal awards. In this round, £110Mn is available from UKRI for ambitious research and innovation projects in any research and innovation sector. 

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In Short

Grant funding available Grant funding available

Grant funding requests must be between £100k - £3Mn

Funding rates Funding rates

Industrial Research: up to 70% (small), 60% (medium), 50% (large) Experimental Development: up to 45% (small), 35% (medium), 25% (large)

Deadline Deadline

5th November 2025, 11:00 am

Project duration Project duration

Must last for a minimum of four years, with the option to extend for a further three years

Lead organisation Lead organisation

To host a Future Leaders Fellow your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size, charitable organisation, catapult, public organisation, argi-tech centre, or eligible research organisation.

Other applicants Other applicants

Partners are only permitted when bringing complementary and different skills to the project. Subcontractors and visiting researchers are allowed in this competition.

Future Leaders Fellowship Themes

Applications are welcome from all areas of research and innovation considered in its fullest sense, including business, creative, cultural, service, and knowledge-based sectors. This spans:

Explores human experience, culture, society, and behaviour to generate new insights into the past, present, and future. Research can range from creative practice and historical analysis to social policy, law, and economics. Projects often address pressing social challenges, inform public debate, and shape cultural understanding, while also driving innovation in how we think, communicate, and live together.

  1. Advanced Materials and Manufacturing 
  2. AI, Digital and Advanced Computing 
  3. Bioinformatics and Genomics 
  4. Engineering Biology 
  5. Electronics, Photonics and Quantum 
  6. Energy and Environment Technologies 
  7. Robotics and Smart Machines

Encourages research that crosses traditional boundaries, integrating methods, insights, and expertise from multiple disciplines. Such projects aim to tackle complex questions or societal challenges that cannot be addressed within a single field. Applications should demonstrate how combining perspectives creates added value, drives innovation, and enables transformative outcomes beyond the scope of one discipline alone.

Future Leaders Fellowships Eligibility

  • Early career researchers and innovators who are either transitioning to or establishing independence, or developing their own original and ambitious plans within a commercial setting are eligible to apply to this funding opportunity.
  • For applicants based in academic organisations, there is a fixed cap on the number of applicants who can apply from each institution.
  • Applicant can spend up to 50% of their time (not funded by FLF) on other activities where these are shown to benefit or be necessary for your career.

How can PNO UK help you with your Future Leaders Fellowship application?

At PNO Innovation, we help turn ideas into fundable projects through a structured and strategic approach. Our experts support you at every stage of the process, from initial analysis to execution.

A few of our experts

Start your application

Do you have project plans that may be eligible for a Future Leaders Fellowship grant? Tell us about them! Please fill out the fields below so we can help you set up your project efficiently and successfully apply.

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