Innovate UK is offering up to £18.5 million in grant funding for collaborative research and development projects focused on integrating UK-anchored advanced connectivity components into technically assured, end-to-end architectures. This opportunity is open to collaborations led by UK-registered small, medium, or large businesses, research and technology organisations, academic institutions, charities, not-for-profits, and public sector organisations. The goal is to prepare these integrated systems for early market evaluation.

UK-registered organisations that meet the eligibility criteria should prepare collaborative proposals for submission through the Innovation Funding Service. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2026. While this is a funding opportunity rather than a regulatory mandate, successful applicants will be expected to deliver on the project objectives related to advanced connectivity integration. There are no explicit penalties mentioned for non-participation, but the funding is intended to drive innovation in the UK's 5G ecosystem.