Calls to action and opportunities list
Find here the latest opportunities and calls to action for the semiconductor sector.
New Calls and Events
TechLocal: Connecting Local Talent to Local Tech Jobs
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £7.6 million to enable career and growth opportunities in the tech sector. This funding is from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Competition closes: Wednesday 18 March 2026 11:00am
An EPSRC-funded programme that will develop the skills of Research Technical Professionals (RTPs) within the GW4 institutes (Bath, Bristol, Cardiff & Exeter Universities). The programme offers tailored training & development opportunities.
Supply Chain Security Assurance of Semiconductor Manufacturing Workshop
An interactive workshop at Swansea University focused on strengthening cybersecurity across the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. Date: March 12, 2026, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm GMT
Cardiff University Innovation Network Event. Hosts: Cardiff University Innovation Network and The Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG)
Workforce and Skills Initiatives Survey
Existing Calls and Events
£1m competition launched to advance autonomous sensor technologies
UKDI-DASA is delighted to launch Phase 2 of the Themed Competition, Autonomous Sensor Management and Sensor Counter Deception. Run on behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, this competition seeks innovations which will deliver practical autonomous sensor management methods to counter activity designed to deceive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). Closing date: 10 February 2026.
Local Innovation Partnerships Fund: competed strand
Triple helix partnerships across the UK, excluding places in receipt of an Earmarked Award can apply for a maximum of £20 million. The Competed strand provides an opportunity for places across the UK, outside of the earmarked regions, to demonstrate their innovation potential. Closing date: 12 February 2026 at 16:00 UK time
The SEMI NextGen Award honours university students who have demonstrated outstanding initiative, innovation, and leadership in advancing research, technology, or industry-academia collaboration in the fields of semiconductor design, manufacturing, packaging, or end-use applications. Nominations must be submitted by a university professor by February 15, 2026.
The Royce Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP) provides targeted support for short, focused projects that enable UK businesses to work collaboratively with the national materials research community. Programme opens: 01 December 2025. Submission deadline: 16 February 2026
Join us in Bristol for the first National Investor Roadshow – an exclusive chance to connect directly with leading fund managers and explore the dynamic South West investment ecosystem. This event is designed to spotlight opportunities for ambitious SMEs, showcase regional innovation clusters, and share actionable insights on the future of finance and investment to help you scale your business. Date: 25th February 2026
Organisations can apply for a share of up to £30 million exclusive of VAT, for collaborative Discovery Phase Projects that meet the Round 5 challenges. This funding is from the Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund. Competition closes: Wednesday 25 February 2026 11:00am
Wales Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition
This event, taking place on February 26th at ICC, Newport, Wales, is a premier national gathering of manufacturers, supply chain specialists, engineers, and decision-makers shaping the future of Welsh industry.
Horizon Europe 2026-27: Digital, Industry and Space (Cluster 4)
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £33 million for late stage demonstration research and development projects. Projects will support the UK’s transition to zero emission vehicles and a pathway to a net zero automotive industry. Competition closes: Wednesday 11 March 2026 11:00am
DRIVE35 Innovation Fund: Collaborate 2
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £33 million for late stage collaborative research and development projects. Your project will support the UK’s transition to zero emission vehicles and a pathway to a net zero automotive industry. Competition closes: Wednesday 18 March 2026 11:00am
Eurostars call for projects – March 2026
Eurostars is a funding instrument that supports innovative SMEs and project partners (large companies, universities, research organisations and other types of organisations) by funding international collaborative R&D and innovation projects.
Help Shape a New Advanced Packaging Conference at CS/PIC/PE International 2026
With growing industry focus on chiplets, heterogeneous integration, and packaging innovation, we want to explore the need for a technical, application-focused event dedicated to this space.
Open-ended Calls
The aim of the new investigator awards is to support researchers to develop their own research vision and establish a new research group to explore that vision. Open - no closing date.
Travel support for UK businesses to attend European events in 2025 & 2026
EPSRC standard research grant, Nov 2023: responsive mode
EPSRC particularly welcomes high quality applications where engineering and physical sciences research can generate new knowledge and addresses challenges associated with the advancement, development, and deployment of these technologies: artificial intelligence, engineering biology, future telecommunications, semiconductors, and quantum technologies. Open - no closing date.
Advanced materials: highlight notice
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is seeking to support applications through their standard research grant scheme in the following two areas:
- advanced materials solutions for critical minerals
- in-situ and in-operando materials metrology and characterisation
The EIC Accelerator is a funding programme under Horizon Europe that offers support to start-ups and SMEs that are looking for substantial funding, have the ambition and commitment to scale up, and have an innovative, game changing product.
The EIC Transition is a funding programme under Horizon Europe targeting innovation activities that goes beyond the experimental proof of principle in laboratory. It supports both the maturation and validation of novel technologies from the lab to the relevant application environments.
EIC Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) Scale Up Scheme
This scheme is part of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), offering financial support in the form of investments to startups, SMEs, and small mid-caps, between EUR 10 to 30 million.
Semiconductor Packaging Survey
This survey is a vital step in helping the UK Government fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of the UK semiconductor packaging sector and identify critical gaps in the supply chain where targeted intervention may be needed.
NPL has launched Measurement for Business (M4B)
Are you a UK company that qualifies for M4B funding? M4B can give you access to NPL's specialist measurement science and engineering experts and facilities, at no charge, to help your business grow.
The Flexible Skills Programme (FSP) is a Welsh Government funded initiative that helps businesses across Wales build a stronger, more skilled workforce. Employers can apply for funding to cover up to 50% of the accredited training costs, with a maximum value of £50,000 per application.
Travel support for UK businesses to attend European events in 2025 & 2026
Innovate UK is offering Travel Support of up to £750 for companies to attend Horizon Europe consortia-building events in Europe.
Pre-announcement: Local Innovation Partnerships Fund
This programme earmarks at least £30 million for each of ten regions across the UK, including one in each of the devolved nations. The programme is designed to support places that have an identifiable innovation ecosystem, with high-potential innovation clusters aligned to national policy priorities.
UK Quantum Skills Taskforce report
The Quantum Skills Taskforce is a sector-wide coalition, including representatives from industry, academia, professional societies, national labs, and government departments and agencies. The Taskforce has considered the current and future skills needs of the sector, and how these needs could be met.
Agile Cymru
Agile Cymru is a scaleable programme of coordinated action, an agile tool to deliver greater economic co-operation at speed, guided by the International Strategy and our economic policies. This includes a flexible grant mechanism to support cross-border and international activity that maximises shared opportunities across themes, sectors, and geographies. Agile Cymru funding can support a wide range of activity; the focus is on the outcome and benefit for Wales.
Made Smarter Innovation Network: Digital & AI in Manufacturing
Made Smarter Innovation has identified AI as a keystone industrial digital technology, strategic to all sectors, and other digital technologies are critical to making AI useful. By filling out this short survey, you will directly contribute to shaping the future of AI and digital technologies within industry.
SMART Flexible Innovation Support (FIS) | Business Wales (gov.wales)
The Welsh Government is building a stronger, fairer, greener country, with an economy based on fair work, sustainability and the sectors of the future. SMART Flexible Innovation Support (FIS) is open to any organisation wishing to engage in Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I), including the third sector, local authorities and health boards. Open ended
Academic-Industry Partnerships In Cardiff Capital Region
Jointly funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) the Academic-Industry Partnerships programme, part of the Cluster Development and Growth Programme, aims to bring together industry and academia to identify innovative solutions to enterprise challenges, particularly amongst micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Open ended
Strategic Innovation Fund: Round 5 Challenges
Innovation Challenge 1: Advanced Energy Transmission and Networks: How can we leverage breakthroughs in semiconductor, superconductor,
and wireless power transmission technologies to enhance grid performance? Projects applying to this challenge should align with and build upon existing UK and international initiatives in advanced energy transmission. Applicants should consider how their innovations complement prior research and industry developments.
The Innovate UK Scaleup Programme: for high potential scaleup businesses
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