Scale-Up Catalyst Pilot
Department for Business and Trade
What it funds
Scale‑ups are a critical driver of productivity, innovation and job creation, despite making up less than 1% of the business population, scale‑ups account for 25% of turnover and 14% of employment in the UK and support for this segment is a priority for the Prime Minster and the Government. This underserved and underrepresented segment often falls between support aimed at early‑stage, innovation‑led businesses and provision focused on the UK’s largest firms, leaving many high‑potential scale‑ups
Who can apply
We welcome applications from organisations with the capability, credibility and networks to deliver an intensive scale-up support offer at national scale. This includes not-for-profit and private sector organisations and consortia. If applying as a consortium, you must identify a lead organisation that will be accountable to DBT for the overall delivery, reporting and financial management. Below is an overarching summary of the criteria we will assess the application against:Relevant delivery track record: evidence of delivering comparable high-growth/scale-up programmes (e.g. cohort-based delivery, account/relationship management, curated networks) Credible networks: strong connections across founders, investors/lenders, and specialist talent/skills expertise, relevant international capability (e.g., overseas networks, trade missions, or market-entry support) Delivery capacity and governance: clear organisational structure, named leads, and sufficient resourcing (including monitoring/reporting capability) to deliver at pace and manage performance Ability to manage data effectively and securely: robust information management and data protection arrangements that meet public sector
How to apply
Applications are submitted via the Grants Hub portal. Follow the link to register for the platform and complete your form and supporting documentation.
Last checked against the official source within the last 7 days. Scheme parameters are set by the funder and can change — verify before applying, or let us do it for you.
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