SNPN: 5G assured integration collaborative research and development
Innovate UK · United Kingdom
This competition supports collaborative R&D projects to integrate UK-anchored advanced connectivity components into secure, end-to-end 5G architectures ready for early market evaluation.
Summary
Deadline
1 Apr 2026
Complexity
Medium
Time to apply
20-60 hours
Updated
9 Jun 2026
This competition supports collaborative R&D projects to integrate UK-anchored advanced connectivity components into secure, end-to-end 5G architectures ready for early market evaluation.
Eligibility
Applicant types
Business, Research, Public Sector
Business size
SME, Large
Industries
Digital, telecommunications, advanced connectivity, infrastructure, and industrial technology sectors
Match funding
Required
Requirements
UK registered organisations including businesses, research organisations, academic institutions, charities, not-for-profits, and public sector organisations UK registered business must lead collaborative R&D project per SNPN 5G assured integration competition. System-level integration of advanced connectivity technologies including Core, RAN, hardware/software layers, interoperability, and secu...
Eligible applicants
UK registered organisations including businesses, research organisations, academic institutions, charities, not-for-profits, and public sector organisations
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
£18,500,000
Total fund available
£18,500,000
Funding intensity
Up to 70% for small, 60% for medium, 50% for large organisations.
Payment type
Reimbursement (in arrears)
Eligible scope
System-level integration of advanced connectivity technologies including Core, RAN, hardware/software layers, interoperability, and secure 5G architectures
Eligible expenses
- Industrial research costs including integration, testing, validation, and non-recurring engineering activities
Ineligible costs
- Projects focused solely on component development or large-scale deployment
- projects outside scope or without system-level integration
Application and risks
Application platform
Innovation Funding Service (IFS)
Competitiveness
Closed / Not accepting applications
Decision timeline
Not specified
Assessment process
Initial assessment followed by interview stage for shortlisted applicants; final decision based on combined scoring
Application sections
Not specified
Application components
- Project details, application questions, finances, and project impact sections submitted via IFS
Required documents
Not specified
Appendices
Not specified
Assessment criteria
- Applications assessed by independent experts based on innovation, feasibility, market opportunity, team capability, and value for money
Timeline and partners
Opening date
3 Mar 2026
Project duration
18 months
Project start
31 Jul 2026
Project end
Not specified
Co-funders
Not specified
Collaboration rules
- Non-UK partners can participate as non-funded partners or subcontractors with justification
Consortium requirements
- Collaborative R&D only; UK registered business lead with UK registered partners.
Additional guidance
[{"label":"Key Organisational Requirements","value":"Must be a collaborative project including a Systems Integrator and at least one business; project duration 18 months; funding request between £2m and £4m"},{"label":"Funding Structure","value":"£2 million to £4 million per project; funding rates depend on organisation size (up to 70% for small, 60% for medium, 50% for large organisations)"},{"label":"Environmental & EDI Requirements","value":"Applications must consider accessibility and inclusion; environmental and societal impacts are assessed within project impact criteria"},{"label":"important notes","value":"Projects must last 18 months; collaboration required; competitive funding with ~30% success rate; portfolio approach used to select projects"}]
Quick facts
- Status
- Closed
- Deadline
- 1 Apr 2026
- Funding amount
- £18,500,000
- Funding band
- Large (£5M+)
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Reimbursement (in arrears)
- Audience
- Business, Research Innovation, Public Sector, Mixed
- Industry
- Digital, telecommunications, advanced connectivity, infrastructure, and industrial technology sectors
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2026
- Published
- 6 Mar 2026