Manufacturing Scale-up Research and Innovation: Automotive and Aerospace
Manufacturing Scale-up Research and Innovation: Automotive and Aerospace supports researchers and industry partners tackling manufacturing scale-up barriers to improve productivity and sustainability.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: November 11, 2026, 4:00pm UK time (Intent to Submit) | December 9, 2026, 4:00pm UK time (Full application)
Funding Amounts: £17.6 million total; large projects £4.5–£5.8 million FEC over up to four years; small projects up to £600,000 FEC over up to two years; UKRI funds 80% FEC
Summary: Supports industry-engaged research overcoming barriers to manufacturing scale-up in the automotive and aerospace sectors.
Key Information: Industrial partners must commit matched funding from the outset, with approximately 1:1 non-public funding to UKRI funding expected at application.
Description
UK Research and Innovation’s IS8+ Priority Programme for Advanced Manufacturing supports research that converts recently developed technologies and processes into repeatable, cost-effective and flexible manufacturing capabilities. Managed by EPSRC on UKRI’s behalf, this opportunity targets the gap between laboratory research and factory-scale production in automotive and aerospace. It does not fund the development of new technologies or products.
Projects should address real industrial barriers across materials, processes, systems and manufacturing, with industry partners shaping the research and applying its outputs. Priorities include additive manufacturing, advanced composites, automated assembly, digital manufacturing and electrified propulsion systems. Cross-cutting challenges include flexible production, robotics, sensors, resource efficiency and supply-chain integration. The intended outcomes are improved productivity, sustainable manufacturing, UK business growth and stronger international competitiveness.
