TechLocal: AI professional degree and traineeship accelerator
Innovate UK · United Kingdom
Grant funding to develop Level 6 and Level 7 equivalent AI higher education courses, professional practice programmes and graduate traineeships. Focus on building industry ready AI professionals aligned to local skills demand.
Summary
Deadline
18 Mar 2026
Complexity
Medium
Time to apply
20-60 hours
Updated
9 Jun 2026
Grant funding to develop Level 6 and Level 7 equivalent AI higher education courses, professional practice programmes and graduate traineeships. Focus on building industry ready AI professionals aligned to local skills demand.
Eligibility
Applicant types
Research
Business size
Research organisation
Industries
Artificial Intelligence. AI related disciplines.
Match funding
Not required
Requirements
UK registered academic institution or education provider can lead. Open to single applicants and collaborations. UK registered organisation eligible per TechLocal AI professional degree and traineeship accelerator competition. Development of Level 6 or Level 7 AI curricula, courses, modules, traineeships, internships and work placements. Must embed work integrated learning. Must focus on AI tec...
Eligible applicants
UK registered academic institution or education provider can lead. Open to single applicants and collaborations.
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
£300,000
Total fund available
£7,800,000
Funding intensity
100% of eligible project costs subject to Minimal Financial Assistance limit
Payment type
Reimbursement (in arrears)
Eligible scope
Development of Level 6 or Level 7 AI curricula, courses, modules, traineeships, internships and work placements. Must embed work integrated learning. Must focus on AI technology. Must demonstrate regional impact. Must not replicate other TechFirst initiatives. Must include strong employer engagement.
Eligible expenses
- Eligible project costs only. Funding requested at 100%. Contributions in finance table must be £0. Academic institutions must upload Je-S form.
Ineligible costs
- Costs not eligible under Innovate UK IFS competition guidance.
Application and risks
Application platform
Innovation Funding Service
Competitiveness
Closed / Not accepting applications
Decision timeline
Applicants notified 27 April 2026.
Assessment process
Reviewed by three independent assessors. Portfolio approach applied.
Application sections
- Project details. Application questions. Finances.
Application components
Not specified
Required documents
Not specified
Appendices
- Minimal Financial Assistance declaration. Approach appendix. Team summary appendix. Project plan or Gantt chart. Risk register. Je-S form for academic institutions.
Assessment criteria
Not specified
Decision risks
Portfolio approach may limit awards. Exceeding Minimal Financial Assistance limit makes application ineligible. Outstanding payments to Innovate UK may affect decision. Government funding withdrawal may revoke award.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
4 Feb 2026
Project duration
18 to 45 months
Project start
30 Jun 2026
Project end
30 Mar 2030
Co-funders
- Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Collaboration rules
- Single or collaborative applications allowed. If collaborative, lead and at least one other organisation must apply for funding. No partner may account for more than 70% of total eligible costs.
Consortium requirements
- Collaborations as permitted in TechLocal competition guidance.
Additional guidance
[{"label":"Collaborating Organisations","value":"UK registered business of any size; academic institution; charity; not for profit; public sector organisation; research and technology organisation."},{"label":"Application Limit","value":"Academic institution or education provider can lead up to two applications and collaborate in any number. Businesses, charities, not for profits, public sector organisations and RTOs can collaborate in two applications."},{"label":"Research Category","value":"Experimental development"},{"label":"Subcontractors","value":"Allowed. Must follow usual procurement process. Overseas subcontractors must be justified. Lower cost alone is not sufficient reason."},{"label":"Subsidy Scheme","value":"Awarded as Minimal Financial Assistance under Subsidy Control Act 2022. £315,000 cap over three year rolling period."},{"label":"Sanctions Rule","value":"Funding will not be provided where it breaches UK sanctions."},{"label":"Animal Research Rule","value":"Projects involving animals must comply with UKRI animal welfare guidance. Additional information required if applicable."},{"label":"Interview Stage","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Key Requirements","value":"Must ensure at least 90% of participants undertake work experience, internship or traineeship. Must demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion. Must show regional delivery capability. Must start on first of the month. Must not include URLs in application answers."},{"label":"Renewal Rules","value":"Previously submitted application that reached assessment stage can be resubmitted once if not materially different."},{"label":"Important Notes","value":"Must request 100% funding in finance table. Projects must not start before Grant Offer Letter approval. Funding allocation may be adjusted."}]
Quick facts
- Status
- Closed
- Deadline
- 18 Mar 2026
- Funding amount
- £300,000
- Funding band
- Large (£5M+)
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Reimbursement (in arrears)
- Audience
- Research Innovation
- Industry
- Artificial Intelligence. AI related disciplines.
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2026
- Published
- 2 Feb 2026