We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to use our site, you accept our cookie policy as covered in our privacy policy.

Live calls. Backing
innovation.

Funding opportunities.

Participating in a live call is your chance to secure crucial funding, gain visibility, and connect with partners. Find out what could be available to you right now.

Filter by tags...
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
AR
Advertising
All industries
Animation Design
App Development
Collaboration
Creative
Design
Development
Film & TV
Freelance
Games
Growth
Immersive
Innovation
Media
National Call
New markets
Partnerships
R&D
Regional call
Small Business
Small-medium businesses
Software Development
TV
UX Design
VR
Web Development
XR
Creative
Small Business
Freelance
Regional call

CreaTech Frontiers - Foundations Funding Call

Funded by:
UKRI / AHRC
Deadline:
4 Aug
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

Kickstart your next big idea with CreaTech Frontiers! If you’re working on a bold idea, cutting-edge content, or an exciting new product or service using creative technologies, we want to hear from you. We’re offering grants to help bring your innovation to life — and that’s not all. You’ll also get hands-on Research & Development (R&D) support from top experts at Birmingham City University, Coventry University, the University of Birmingham, the University of Warwick, and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Criteria:

You must be a freelancer, microbusiness or SME You must be based and work in the West Midlands region (including Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Herefordshire, Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire). You must be 18 or over Your application must be aligned to one of CreaTech Frontiers R&D themes

Funding available:

£5-10K

Development

Women TechEU - Call 4

Funded by:
European Union
Deadline:
4 Aug
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

Women TechEU project is on a mission to ignite the potential of women-led early stage start-ups in deep tech. With 75k€ grant (non-diluting finance) and a personalised business development programme, the project will be paving the way for these innovators to shine as leaders in deep tech innovation across Europe.

Criteria:

The lead applicant (person opening the application in the platform) must be the woman that will (if selected) participate in the programme. The applicant must be established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. A'start-up' should be understood as an SME in the early stage of its life cycle, including those that are created as spin-offs from university research activities. Women legally recognised as founders or co-founders of the company, that is, one of the original shareholders at the inception of the business and listed on the company registration documents. The founder or co-founder of the company must also currently hold a top management position (CEO, CTO, CSO or equivalent) within the same company. It will be also required that women hold at least 25% of the shares in the CAP table (capitalization table) of the company. Sectors, which are most fertile for deep tech applications are life-science, computing, food and agri-tech, aerospace, energy and clean-tech, industrial technologies, telecom, new materials, or chemistry. However deep tech also includes, among other, artificial intelligence, deep learning and machine learning. Women TechEU welcomes applications from all deep tech fields of activity.

Funding available:

£75,000

Development
Innovation
Small Business

Open Horizons project: women-led start-ups

Funded by:
Horizon Europe
Deadline:
21 Aug
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

Join Europe’s most ambitious programme for funding women-led deep tech and digital ventures. Open Horizons, a Horizon Europe-financed initiative, has officially launched its first Open Call for funding of women-led start-ups. The focus is on real-world business needs in sectors like AI, Green Tech, Blockchain, and Advanced Materials. Up to €55,000 in equity-free funding -Tailored mentoring and strategic matchmaking -Opportunities to co-design and test paid pilot projects with major European corporates.

Criteria:

Be based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe-associated country - Operate in deep tech or digital innovation - Be led by at least one woman in a key executive role (CEO, CTO or Founder) with a minimum 25% ownership - Be in inception or early-growth stage.

Funding available:

up to 55,000 (Euros)

Design
Creative
Innovation

Artist of the Future Prize

Funded by:
Peugeot & Saatchi Gallery
Deadline:
31 Aug
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

The Artist of the Future Prize aims to promote and showcase new and inspiring digital art being created in the UK & Europe today. Works by a selection of shortlisted artists will be exhibited within one of the main exhibition spaces at Saatchi Gallery, London in Winter 2025 and the overall winner will receive a prize valued at £10,000.

Criteria:

Innovation is the theme of the prize for 2025 and constitutes one criterion for the assessment of submitted works Entrants are invited to submit digital works and supporting statements on the theme of Innovation via this Zealous platform. There are no entry fees – the prize is free-to-enter for eligible artists from all backgrounds. Artists are invited to submit one or two digital works as part of their entry; to provide a biography covering their background and career to date; and, a statement of up to 300 words explaining why their work relates to the theme of Innovation. Residents based in the UK & Europe aged 18 or over at the time of entry. Emerging artists who have either graduated from a relevant undergraduate degree since 1 January 2015 OR are within the first 10 years of their professional practice.

Funding available:

£5,000 + £5,000 in kind media coverage

Small Business
Innovation

DIATOMIC Digital Accelerator for West Midlands-based innovators

Funded by:
Innovate UK
Deadline:
31 Aug
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

West Midlands-based innovators with a digital twin solution for cities and places are invited to address six challenge areas. Running from October 2025 to March 2026, the accelerator programme has been designed to drive regional innovation, boost economic growth, and create jobs and opportunities across the West Midlands. Supporting up to 10 SMEs, the programme will provide tailored commercial and technical support to each SME. This support will be scoped through a thorough business needs assessment and could include market analysis, value proposition refinement, strategic pricing, financial forecasting, and developing compelling communication strategies. At least 5 SMEs will be selected to trial their solutions at a demo day, and a total pot of £100k will be made available to develop and demonstrate their digital twin use case with the support of the programme partners. We expect projects to cost between £10k and £20k.

Criteria:

Micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME). Be UK-registered. Have a registered office or main operational base within the West Midlands region. Have a solution which is technical readiness level (TRL) 4+. This means that the solution has, at least, been tested or demonstrated in its intended environment and, at most, has been deployed as a first-of-a-kind commercial system. Solution must address one or more of the identified challenges. Be willing to travel on occasion for face-to-face meetings

Funding available:

£10-20,000

National Call
Development

Travel support for UK businesses to attend European events

Funded by:
Innovate UK
Deadline:
22 Oct
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

Innovate UK is offering travel support for companies to attend consortia-building events in Europe. Up to £700 is available to help cover travel and subsistence costs. Our travel awards are an excellent mechanism for supporting companies who want to expand their networks across Europe and make an impact in collaborative international research and development projects. Up to £700 is available to help cover travel and subsistence costs needed to attend events Innovate have listed on their site.

Criteria:

To be eligible for support, you need to be a for-profit UK-based R&D performing SME according to the EU definition (see definition here). If successful in your application for travel and accommodation costs, you will receive pro-active support from Innovate UK to help you maximise the benefit of attending.

Funding available:

700

Creative
Film & TV
Animation Design
Immersive

Creative Enterprise Business Builder

Funded by:
Creative UK
Deadline:
31 Dec
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

A grant initiative designed to support companies who work in moving image for storytelling, spanning film television, games, animation and immersive industries. With grants of up to £2,500, beneficiaries will be able to work with a consultant to build meaningful connections and create opportunities for business growth. The grants can be used to subsidise the cost of working with an expert to support companies’ specific goals including business planning and strategy as well as offering other specialist expertise, knowledge or contacts.

Criteria:

The programme will support registered SMEs working in ‘moving image’ for storytelling. We will consider companies working with on screen content that tells a story in order to entertain an audience. This includes those working in film, TV, animation, games and immersive media, tech platforms with a narrative focus; and where the content is consumed on screen. Founder working in the Screen sector in England, outside of London Be a Limited Company registered on Companies House Relevant track record in the screen industry * For example trading as a company for at least 12 months, or experience bringing a product to market* Ambitions for company growth and a clear vision for your business

Funding available:

2500

Creative
Design
National Call

Arts & Culture Impact Fund - Affordable Repayable Finance

Funded by:
Arts & Culture Impact Fund
Deadline:
31 Dec
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

The Arts & Culture Impact Fund offers secured and unsecured finance between £150,000 and £1,000,000 with repayment term available until May 2032 and interest rates ranging between 3% and 8.5%. That can be used, among other things, to acquire new assets, improve built infrastructure, develop new ventures or scale up existing revenue streams.

Criteria:

Your organisation’s primary activity is in arts, culture and heritage. We can only work with organisations registered in the UK and primarily benefiting communities in the UK. Digital organisations will need to demonstrate their primary audiences are based in the UK. We do not make loans to individuals, sole traders, partnerships or unincorporated bodies (unless their partners/members are exclusively corporate bodies). Your organisation has to demonstrate that has a clear social mission. When applying, you will need to show how your organisation delivers specific positive outcomes for individuals or communities.

Funding available:

Secured and unsecured finance between £150,000 and £1,000,000

Creative
Design
National Call

Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants

Funded by:
National Lottery
Deadline:
31 Dec
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

You may be an emerging creative and cultural practitioner all the way up to an international touring company. Your project may be creating new work, reaching new audiences, research and development, a tour or something totally different. Projects can range from creating and delivering creative and cultural activity to projects which have a longer term positive impact, such as organisational development, research and development, and sector support activity. We can make grants between £1,000 and £100,000+. For projects up to three years in length

Criteria:

Be based within (live in or have a business address in) England or the wider UK. Activities we support through Project Grants must have a primary outcome that focuses on one or more of these disciplines: Combined arts - including festivals and carnivals, Dance, Libraries - for activity that delivers against at least one of the four Universal Library Offer, Literature, Music, Museums and collections, Theatre, Visual arts. Reach and engage people and communities in England with high quality creativity and culture.

Funding available:

£1,000 and £100,000+

Film & TV
Animation Design
Immersive
Media
TV

Creative Enterprise Business Builder

Funded by:
Creative UK
Deadline:
31 Dec
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

A grant initiative designed to support companies who work in moving image for storytelling, spanning film television, games, animation and immersive industries. With grants of up to £2,500, beneficiaries will be able to work with a consultant to build meaningful connections and create opportunities for business growth. We will consider companies working with on screen content that tells a story in order to entertain an audience. This includes those working in film, TV, animation, games and immersive media, tech platforms with a narrative focus; and where the content is consumed on screen.

Criteria:

Founder working in the Screen sector in England, outside of London - Be a Limited Company registered on Companies House - Relevant track record in the screen industry *For example trading as a company for at least 12 months, or experience bringing a product to market* - Ambitions for company growth and a clear vision for your business

Funding available:

up to £2500

Games
National Call

UK Games Fund - The Content Fund EOI

Funded by:
UK Games Fund and DCMS
Deadline:
31 Mar
This scheme is
closing soon
View Scheme
Description

DCMS has announced continued support for the UK Games Fund as part of a joint plan between Government and industry to drive growth, build talent and develop skills across the creative sectors. This funding will offer £50,000 – £150,000 commercial games-for-entertainment content grants. Funding being required to support a mix of existing and/or new employees, alongside a lesser proportion of contracting, and a clear explanation of the development approach in terms of the planned physical location/s of work in the UK and access to talent. Prototype in place, IP owned by the applicant or licensed on terms that are aligned with the project’s long- term requirements. Your project must not include gambling elements or mechanisms which could be perceived as such.

Criteria:

UK registered SME with PAYE employees engaged in games development work in the UK. Prior founder(s) track record having taken games through to completion and shipping. Overall project costs at least double the requested grant, and strong additionality case, with our funding making a demonstrable difference

Funding available:

£50-£150,000

CWX is Coventry & Warwickshire’s gateway to help accelerate your immersive and creative tech projects.

Coventry & Warwickshire is home to a thriving creative sector, specialising in video game development and wider creative and immersive technologies. With over 7,000 creative businesses and 80 game development studios, the region is buzzing with talent. From design and digital marketing to virtual reality, film, and TV, around 44,000 creative minds are shaping the future here.

INFORMATION

Bringing
Creativity
Together.


CWX brings all this creativity together. By joining forces across the region, we’re helping drive innovation, attract new investment, and open up exciting opportunities for businesses in the creative industries.

1.

Create more opportunities for businesses to collaborate and grow.

2.

Help creative companies innovate, partner up, and expand.

3.

Bring together key players from business, investment, and local communities to guide the project.

4.

Promote diversity and inclusion to ensure everyone has a seat at the table.

5.

Build a strong identity for the C&W creative cluster.

6.

Ensure long-term success with sustainable plans for the future.

4.

Promote diversity and inclusion to ensure everyone has a seat at the table.

5.

Build a strong identity for the C&W creative cluster.

6.

Ensure long-term success with sustainable plans for the future.