The projects are the first to be supported through the National Materials Innovation Programme, announced as part of the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan within the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.
It brings together the people, expertise and investment needed to help turn the UK’s world-leading materials capability into real-world impact.
The funding will help businesses assess the technical and commercial potential of innovations and build evidence for future development.
Why materials matter
Materials underpin many of the technologies, products and industries that drive economic growth and improve everyday life.
From batteries and medical devices to transport systems, packaging and renewable energy technologies, advances in materials are essential to addressing some of the UK’s biggest industrial, societal and environmental challenges.
Connecting UK capability
The National Materials Innovation Programme is delivered by Innovate UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
It aims to accelerate the journey from discovery to commercial adoption by connecting businesses, researchers, investors and end users.
Turning ideas into impact
The projects will assess ideas across six high-growth themes identified in the National Materials Innovation Strategy, alongside a strategic opportunity focused on metamaterials and metasurfaces.
Together, they will explore opportunities to strengthen UK capability in areas including clean energy, future healthcare, sustainable construction and next-generation consumer products.
M-Spin will explore a new high-performance material designed to make green hydrogen production more efficient and affordable, helping accelerate the transition to cleaner energy.
Bounce-Biomedical will explore a new biodegradable implant that could help people with serious knee injuries recover more quickly, reduce the need for knee replacements and return to everyday activities sooner.
Driving future growth
Bruce Adderley, Director of Advanced Manufacturing at Innovate UK said:
Advanced materials are fundamental to the technologies and industries that will drive future economic growth, strengthen resilience and support the transition to a more sustainable economy.
Through the National Materials Innovation Programme, we are helping businesses test ambitious ideas, build partnerships and move world-leading research towards real-world applications.
These projects demonstrate the breadth of UK innovation and the important role materials will play in shaping the industries of tomorrow.
Further information
Advanced surface technologies and materials durability theme
CUNEX: Surface modified copper powders for next generation additive electronic materials
Lead: Dycotec Materials Ltd
RobusTE – ‘Thermoelectric materials for scalable, robust devices through algorithm-accelerated hot extrusion’
Lead: European Thermodynamics Ltd
Interoperable materials passport infrastructure for UK circular economy (materials 4.0 focus)
Lead: Helix8 Ltd
BioBlend: Agri-pulp composites for high performance moulded fibre packaging
Lead: HUID Ltd
Seamless sustainability: AI-designed drop-in compostable plastics for high-volume consumer products
Lead: Natural Negative Ltd
ChromaCell project
Lead: Radiant Matter Ltd
LAMDA-pack: Precision vacuum-forming for semi-rigid wool packaging
Lead: Wull Technologies Ltd
Future healthcare theme
SmartAnthroSkin: Co-moulded soft-electronic and multilayer silicone skin systems for next-generation healthcare devices
Lead: AnthroTek Ltd
Feasibility testing of bouncy bioglass osteochondral implants in pilot in vitro and in vivo studies
Lead: Bounce Biomedical Ltd
CHROMASKIN: Minimally-invasive interstitial fluid sensing materials for semi-permanent dermal readouts
Lead: CipherX Technologies Ltd
Net zero energy solutions theme
Combustor optimisation through material breakthrough in additive technology (COMBAT)
Lead: Apex Additive Technologies Ltd
BriNa: British Na-ion batteries with prussian white cathodes for low-temp applications
Lead: Batri Ltd
Sustainable graphitic carbon materials for metal-free power cables and advanced composite components
Lead: Entropyst Ltd
Advanced ceramic and graphene-enhanced liners to enable efficient, low-emission hydrogen and ammonia engines
Lead: H2CHP Ltd
Electrospun high-surface-area titanium porous transport layers for low-PGM PEM electrolysers
Lead: M-Spin Ltd
Structural innovations theme
MOSAIC-composites: Market-driven opportunities for sustainable agricultural innovative construction composites
Lead: Agreka Build Ltd
COBra – Composite optimised brakes
Lead: Carbon ThreeSixty Ltd
Feasibility & investigations into rotomoulding METOL (FIRM)
Lead: Hive Composites Ltd
Physics-AI driven industrialisation of a high-performance, rare-earth-free light alloy from recycled feedstock for additive manufacturing
Lead: MetalNx Ltd
Filter cake lightweight aggregate concrete for nextgen sustainable construction (FC-LWAC)
Lead: Neal Soil Suppliers Ltd
StrucLock: Circular structural wall system validation through independent LCA and demonstrator performance testing
Lead: StrucLock Ltd
Metamaterials and metasurfaces strategic opportunity theme
Tow-spread composite metamaterial laminates for low-SWaP advanced RF, EM, and acoustic shielding
Lead: Brick Kiln Composites Ltd
Engineering nanorod–wax metamaterials to enable scalable, microfluidics-free molecular diagnostics
Lead: RapidX Bio Ltd
