Design Foundations: Round 5

Funding to help you influence, inform and de-risk future R&D activity

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £2 million in innovation projects that use people centred and systemic design methods.

The aim is to help businesses use these methods to lay the groundwork for innovative ideas with significant potential benefits. These ideas could range from new products and services to improved business models.

Eligible organisations can apply for funding to use design to:

• enhance existing innovative ideas
• generate new ideas in response to a known need or opportunity
• identify new opportunities for innovation and plan how to respond to them

Projects must look at the need or opportunity from the perspective of the people involved, to ensure proposed solutions are desirable and beneficial, and likely to be adopted or result in a desired behaviour change.

Organisations new to such design processes are encouraged to apply. For best results, you're encouraged to collaborate with design experts to develop your own understanding and capabilities.

To be eligible, projects must fall within a cost range of £40,000 to £80,000.

Find details on the current round of Design Foundations.

First published 30 April 2024