This autumn brings a wide range of funding opportunities for businesses across Greater Manchester and the wider North West. From government-backed loans and early-stage equity to sector-specific grants, there are multiple routes to finance growth, innovation and resilience.
Whether you’re just starting out, scaling up in advanced manufacturing and life sciences, or pushing boundaries in the creative and digital industries, there is tailored support available to help you take the next step.
Ongoing Support
Government loans
Start Up Loans
Government-backed Start Up Loans offer between £500 and £25,000 at a fixed interest rate, alongside 12 months of free mentoring and access to business support resources. These loans are designed for entrepreneurs who have been trading for less than three years and need affordable finance to get their business off the ground. Applications are open on a rolling basis.
Who should apply: Founders starting a new business or been trading less than 3 years
Apply here: Start Up Loans
Equity investment
GC Angels
GC Angels provides early-stage equity investment and co-investment alongside private angel investors. With a focus on high-growth potential businesses, particularly in the digital, creative and technology sectors, GC Angels is one of the most active pre-seed investors in the North West. Applications are open year-round.
Who should apply: Entrepreneurs based in the North.
Apply here: GC Angels
Local funds
Green Economy Energy Efficiency Grants
Applications are now open for the new Energy Efficiency grant - provided by Green Economy on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Businesses in Greater Manchester can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to fund their energy efficiency projects. The grants are available for a limited time and can be employed to invest in heating equipment upgrades, replacement motors or drives, process efficiency investment and/or green technologies.
Who should apply: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Greater Manchester looking to deliver a sustainability project.
Apply here: Energy Efficiency Grants
Closing Soon
HMGCC Co-Creation Challenge – Detecting Changes in Authorship
National security-focused funding for solutions that use forensic linguistics and AI to detect changes in writing style, tone, or authorship in online communication. Up to £60,000 is available for Phase 2 applicants.
Who should apply: SMEs and researchers in AI, behavioural science, and secure communication
Deadline: Thursday 25 September 2025 (Phase 1)
Apply here: Challenge details and application
PRS Foundation – Music Funding Opportunities
PRS Foundation is offering three grants to support music creators:
- Open Fund for Music Creators: Up to £5,000 for UK songwriters, composers, artists, and bands to create and perform new music.
- Women Make Music: Funding for female, trans, and non-binary music creators to create new music or develop careers.
- Hitmaker Fund: £5,000–£10,000 for behind-the-scenes songwriters and producers in popular music to develop careers and writing/production.
Who should apply: Music creators, songwriters, composers, producers, and performers across genres
Deadline: Monday 29 September 2025
Apply here: PRS Foundation Funding
Accelerators
Closing October/November
Digital Catapult – Black Founders Programme
An accelerator for pre-seed or seed-stage Black-founded companies creating innovative products and services in the digital entertainment industry.
Who should apply: Black-founded start-ups at pre-seed or seed stage in digital entertainment
Deadline: Sunday 5 October 2025
Apply here: Black Founders Programme
Digital Catapult - Digital Twin Adoption Accelerator
Grants for SMEs collaborating with industry adopters to develop and implement digital twin technology. Alongside grant funding of up to £100,000 from Innovate UK, participants will gain access to mentorship, workshops, and specialist support to develop a proof-of-concept and help bring the solution closer to real-world deployment.
Who should apply: SMEs working on or interested in digital twin adoption
Deadline: Friday 10 October 2025
Apply here: Digital Catapult
Roundhouse Trust – Creative Business Accelerator
Support for 18-to-30-year-olds looking to get a creative business idea off the ground.
Who should apply: Young creatives aged 18–30
Deadline: Tuesday 25 November 2025
Apply here: Roundhouse Trust Creative Business Accelerator
General Funding Opportunities
Closing October/November
Jerwood Foundation Fund – Winter Round
Funding for organisations making art publicly accessible and working with the Jerwood Collection.
Who should apply: Arts organisations and creative projects with public benefit
Deadline: Wednesday 15 October 2025
Apply here: Jerwood Foundation Fund
Space for Metaverse – European Space Agency
Funding to support services that integrate space technologies with the metaverse, ideal for immersive media and creative industries.
Who should apply: Businesses in immersive media, creative tech, or space-enabled applications
Deadline: Friday 14 November 2025
Apply here: Space for Metaverse
If you’re unsure which funding route is right for your business, our Access to Finance team can help you explore your options and provide tailored support. Get in touch now.
Innovation funding opportunities
Upcoming Innovation funding focuses on opportunities for SMEs working on innovations in the defence sector, as well as larger capital projects for the manufactures of medicines. There are also opportunities for businesses looking to access facilities to advance their materials science innovations.
Henry Royce Institute: Access Schemes
Through its facility access schemes, Royce can provide funding to utilise its extensive portfolio of state-of-the-art materials science and engineering equipment. As the national institute for advanced materials, Royce has an extensive catalogue of equipment including facilities to make, test and characterise materials.
Who should apply: Royce funded access schemes are open to researchers and students based at UK academic institutions, Research Technology Organisations, and UK-based SMEs working on materials science innovations. Find out more about eligibility here.
Apply here: Henry Royce Institute: Access Schemes
Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF): Expression of Interest
The Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund supports businesses investing in life sciences manufacturing projects in the UK. The fund provides capital grants to support investments over £8 million in the manufacture of human medicines, medical diagnostics and medtech products.
Who should apply: UK registered businesses looking to manufacture human medicines, medical diagnostics and medtech products.
Apply here: Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund
Innovation funding opportunities (closing October)
Canada-UK Semiconductors
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of at least £1 million for collaboration with Canadian SMEs on joint Semiconductors projects.
Deadline: Wednesday 15 October 2025, 11:00am
Who should apply: Projects focused on developing innovative products, processes, or technology-based services in Semiconductors. Find out more about eligibility here.
Apply here: Canada-UK Semiconductors
Innovate UK Innovation Loans Round 23
UK registered businesses can apply for loans for close to market innovative projects with strong commercial potential. They must significantly improve the UK economy and drive societal benefit.
Deadline: Wednesday 22 October 2025, 11:00am
Who should apply: Projects must lead to innovative new products, processes or services that are significantly ahead of others currently available, or propose an innovative use of existing products, processes or services. It can also involve a new or innovative business model. Find out more about eligibility here.
Apply here: Innovate UK Innovation Loans
Defence Innovation Loans 2025-26
Loans of up to £1 million to help convert mature defence innovations into a strong business proposition.
Deadline: Tuesday 28 October 2025
Who should apply: UK registered SMEs with defence innovations at TRL 6 and above.
Apply here: Defence Innovation Loans
Innovation funding opportunities (closing November)
Future Leaders Fellowships: Round 10, business and non-academic
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £110 million for ambitious research and innovation projects in any sector, and tailored support to develop careers for future leaders. This funding is from UKRI.
Deadline: Wednesday 5 November 2025 11:00am
Who should apply: Ambitious research and innovation projects in any sector. Find out more about eligibility here.
Apply here: Future Leaders Fellowships: Round 10, business and non-academic
Applying for grant funding can be daunting; from finding the right fund to preparing an application, support is available to you.
If you’re an Innovation business, reach out to your Specialist today, to find out more about how we can help you reach your innovation and business goals in 2025.
Get in touch
Please contact us at 0161 3593050 or query below.
Take that first step and we’ll support you with whatever you need to succeed.
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