Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Grant Call 2026

Apply for up to £55k in grant funding for proof of concept projects

• Eligibility Criteria
• Apply

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), invites applications to the latest Cross Cluster Proof of Concept Call - the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Grant Call. The call, aimed at businesses in the Liverpool City Region, offers funding of up to £55k for business-led proof of concept projects that drive the development or demonstration of novel concepts, technologies or services from any area related to the Health and Life Sciences. This funding opportunity aims to support projects that:

• Stimulate R&D, knowledge exchange, engagement and collaboration between businesses, research centres, facilities and other organisations in the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone
• Facilitate industry access to the excellent people, knowledge assets, national facilities and diverse capabilities in the Liverpool City Region and beyond  
• Boost knowledge and technology spill overs from publicly funded organisations to innovative companies in the LCR Life Sciences Innovation Zone
• Drive the development or demonstration of novel concepts, technologies or services
• Demonstrate the feasibility of new technologies or capabilities, or a new application of existing technology
• Validate technologies and services in a systems context

Eligibility Criteria

• Projects must be business-led and collaborative, the lead organisation must have a base in the Liverpool City Region; consortium partners on collaborative bids may be located elsewhere in the UK.
• The lead organisation must carry out a substantial part of its project work in the Liverpool City Region.
• Projects must drive economic growth or other positive impact on the Health and Life Sciences sector, however participating organisations could be from a variety of sectors (e.g. Digital, Manufacturing, Space, etc).
• The grant must be match funded by the lead organisation and project team (cash/in-kind).

Apply

To request a copy of the application form and supporting documentation, please contact lcrlifesciencespoc@stfc.ac.uk   

All applications must be completed in full and submitted along with supporting documentation by 5:30pm on Thursday 14 May 2026.

About the Liverpool City Region Life Science Innovation Zone The Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone is a government-backed Investment Zone designed to drive growth and innovation across health and life sciences, attracting significant public and private investment and creating thousands of high-value jobs. Built around world-class universities, hospitals and science campuses such as Knowledge Quarter Liverpool and Sci-Tech Daresbury, it supports research, business growth and skills development in areas including therapeutics, digital health, bio-manufacturing and AI-enabled healthcare, while embedding social value, inclusion and net-zero ambitions across the region.

About STFC Innovation Clusters Anchored by the critical mass of expertise, talent, and capabilities on-site, Harwell Campus currently hosts four thriving clusters in Space, Health, Energy and Quantum. In the North West, Sci-Tech Daresbury hosts dynamic regional clusters in Health and Life Sciences, Space, and Digital. STFC Innovation Clusters connect industry into a wide network of public and private sector partners and unique research infrastructure, enabling disruptive innovation and driving economic growth.