DRIVE35 Scale-up Fund

DRIVE35 (Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification) is a Department for Business and Trade (DBT) led programme aimed at transforming the UK's automotive industry. This is achieved by supporting R&D and the commercial scale up of innovative zero emission vehicle technologies, and unlocking capital investment in zero emission vehicles, batteries and their wider supply chain.

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will work with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) to invest up to £150 million as part of the DRIVE35 Scale Up Fund.

This is subject to a sufficient number of high quality applications being received.

This funding is from the Department for Business and Trade, delivered by Advanced Propulsion Centre and Innovate UK.

Eligibility 

Your project must:

• be a single applicant or consortia led
• have a total grant funding request of between £2.5 million and £20 million
• have total eligible costs of at least £5 million
• last between 12 to 46 months, including an initial period where you can raise the match funding before your project starts
• carry out its project work in the UK, with only minor elements overseas with significant justification
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
• start from 1 June 2026
• end by 31 March 2030

Scope

The aim of the Scale up Fund is to support manufacturing facility and process development at pilot scale or demonstration scale. These projects will enable businesses to validate manufacturing capability and commercial viability, achieving market entry at the targeted production volume from the project outcomes.

Your proposal must justify the funding required with a case for government intervention and matched by substantial private investment.

Dates

• 17 September 2025 Competition opens
• 26 September 2025 Live briefing event: watch the recording
• 3 December 2025 Scale up Fund first submission date
• 9 January 2026 Invite to interview 
• 20 January 2026 Applicants sent Economic Feedback questions and consolidated Technical Feedback questions 
• 27 January 2026 Applicants to submit responses to economic feedback questions 
• 29 January 2026 Applicants to submit responses to consolidated technical feedback questions
• 3 February 2026 Applicants to attend DBT VfM discussion
• 4 February 2026 Scale up Fund second submission date
• 5 February 2026 Applicants to submit presentations and attendees
• 6 February 2026 Applicants to return any requested changes to Vfm 
• 9 February 2026 Interview panel start
• 13 February 2026 Interview panel end
• 11 March 2026 Applicants notified 
• 1 April 2026 Scale up Fund third submission date
• 1 June 2026 Project start from
• No submission deadline This is open-ended competition and applications can be submitted at any time.