Innovate UK has announced the launch of Battery Innovation Round 2, funded by the Department for Business and Trade and delivered by Innovate UK.

The competition will invest up to £25 million in innovation projects to strengthen the UK battery sector. 

The competition is open to collaborative projects only, across two strands:

• concept development (£500,000 to £4 million, 1 to 3 years)
• feasibility studies (£70,000 to £500,000, 6 to 18 months)

The competition aims to:

• support collaborative R&D in underdeveloped and strategically critical areas of the UK battery value chain
• strengthen UK capability in battery material extraction, including mining, refining and recovery of critical materials (re-use, recycling and second life)
• strengthen UK supply chain security and build resilient, multi-sector manufacturing capability
• support supply chain localisation aligned with rules of origin requirements and UK strategic priorities

address key capability gaps limiting the UK’s ability to scale battery manufacturing materials, secure access to critical battery materials, capture greater economic value domestically, and strengthen circular economy capability

The competition closes 27th May 2026.

For information on the Concept Development strand click here.

For informaiton on the Feasibility Studies strand click here.

To view the slides from the briefing event that took place in April, please click here.