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Overview
The £2 million Accelerating Innovations Programme is the first initiative from The Wind
Innovation Hub - an independent collaborative partnership, funded by Innovate UK,
designed to accelerate innovation, industrial growth, and strategic coordination across the
UK’s offshore wind sector.
The partnership combines the specialist skills and expertise of the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult with the advanced manufacturing know-how of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and NCC’s growing network of world-class manufacturing R&D facilities.
Focusing on five mission areas, the Wind Innovation Hub’s role is to specify where innovation investment should be directed to address the 2024 Industrial Growth Plan (IGP) for offshore wind.
This first initiative - the Accelerating Innovations Programme - will draw on the experience
and expertise of organisations that have delivered innovation programmes across offshore renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and industrial scale-up.
Funding Details
The Accelerating Innovations Programme will provide tailored in-kind funding support, to a maximum value of £100k per organisation, for up to 20 high-potential UK companies developing mission-aligned technologies, products and services for the offshore wind sector. support provided through the programme will be used to address the most pressing challenges facing each business and innovation, and the Wind Innovation Hub will identify the best support pathways for a business accepted onto the programme.
Support provided will include areas such as: access to modelling, design for manufacture or testing capabilities delivered by the Wind Innovation Hub partners (ORE Catapult, NMIS and NCC) or by other third parties (e.g. other Catapults / Research and Technology Organisations or consultants).
Eligibility
It is highly recommended that companies read the full Scope and Guidance document
– which includes Application Questions - to understand full programme eligibility.
The Accelerating Innovation Programme is open exclusively to registered UK companies
actively engaged in developing technologies that align with mission areas. Project activity
must take place within the UK.
Companies working in other supply chain sectors are actively encouraged to apply providing the proposal demonstrates a clear innovative business case for offshore wind.
Essential Eligibility
To be eligible for support from the Wind Innovation Hub’s Accelerating Innovations
Programme you must be:
- A UK-registered company, of any size, with a valid Companies House registration number
- Charities, universities and research technology organisations (RTOs) are not eligible
- Developing an innovative product, technology or service aligned with one of the following Wind Innovation Hub missions:
- Transforming Blades - Advanced Turbine Technology
- Deepwater Wind - Industrialised Foundations & Substructures
- AC/DC Reliable Cable - Future Electrical Systems & Cables
- Accelerated Consenting - Smart Environmental Services
- Future Proofing Offshore Wind Operations - Next Generation Installation and O&M
- Able to demonstrate that your Innovation is at Technology Readiness Level 5-8
- Developing the innovation from within the UK (i.e. your company has people based in the UK, conducting the technology and commercial development)
- Able to accept up to £100k in Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) value – see Subsidy Section of the Scope and Guidance document for details
- Able to commit resources to support the Wind Innovation Hub in the delivery of its support. Evidence of senior/C-suite level commitment is required
- An individual company must submit only one application.
ANY COMPANY THAT SUBMITS MORE THAN ONE APPLICATION WILL BE
DEEMED INELIGIBLE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS
Missions
The aim of this application call is to identify high-potential businesses developing innovative technologies, products and services aligned with the mission areas identified by the Wind Innovation Hub. The summaries below provide high-level guidance on the types of technologies relevant under each mission area.
Transforming Blades - Advanced Turbine Technology
This mission area focuses on technologies that strengthen UK blade capability by improving blade design, manufacturing capacity and capability, quality, performance and lifecycle sustainability. Relevant technologies include advanced and recyclable materials, digital and AI-enabled design tools, manufacturing automation, defect detection, inspection systems and solutions that reduce blade mass while maintaining strength and reliability.
Applicants should show how their innovation can improve blade productivity, quality, durability or environmental performance without requiring whole-system turbine redesign.
Deepwater Wind - Industrialised Foundations and substructures
This mission area supports technologies that increase the UK’s capability to design, manufacture and deploy platforms and deepwater substructures at scale. Relevant innovations include floating platform concepts, hybrid or rigid structures, mooring and anchoring technologies, modular fabrication approaches, automated welding, robotics-enabled production, novel materials, digital design tools and solutions that improve serial manufacture and supply chain efficiency for sites operating beyond a depth of 50 metres.
Applicants should demonstrate how their technology can reduce cost, strengthen reliability, increase production capacity or support the commercialisation of deepwater or floating offshore wind.
AC/DC Reliable Cables - Future Electrical Systems and Cables
This mission area focuses on technologies that improve the reliability, resilience and performance of offshore wind electrical systems and cable infrastructure. Relevant innovations include 132 kV dynamic cable systems for floating offshore wind, higher voltage array and export cable solutions, cable protection, advanced cable materials, monitoring and inspection technologies, smart joints, connectors and terminations, fault detection and cable protection systems, power electronics and solutions that reduce transmission losses.
Applicants should show how their innovation can improve electrical system reliability, reduce downtime or enable the next generation of offshore wind projects.
Accelerated Consenting - Smart Environmental Services
This mission area supports technologies and services that improve the speed, quality and confidence of environmental assessment, monitoring and consenting for offshore wind. Relevant innovations include AI-driven environmental analysis, automated regulatory reporting and compliance tools, remote sensing and digital ecology platforms, and robotic and autonomous environmental survey/monitoring technologies.
Applicants should demonstrate how their innovation can support faster, more sustainable deployment while maintaining robust environmental decision-making.
Future proofing offshore wind operations - Next Generation Installation and O&M
This mission area focuses on technologies that improve the way offshore wind farms are inspected, operated and maintained throughout their lifecycle. Relevant innovations in this Mission Area include technologies, products and services that support refurbishment and component reuse; major component exchange; condition health monitoring; autonomous and remote operation of offshore assets; and robotic and autonomous inspection and fault detection systems.
Applicants should show how their innovation can improve safety, reduce maintenance time, increase asset availability and reduce whole-life cost.
Application Process
The Accelerating Innovations Programme application process is a time-bound call.
Applications can be submitted from 26th August 2026 until 11:59pm on 5th October 2026.
The application process will be administered through a third party, Skipso, and managed by ORE Catapult - applicants will be required to create an account in order to submit an application. Application questions, together with supporting guidance, will be made available via the Skipso platform.
As part of your application, you will be required to upload a Minimal Financial Assistance Declaration Form in Section 3. This should be signed by a Company Director / Company Secretary.
Should you require any support in registering with the application platform, please reach out to the programme team using the contact details in the Scope and Guidance document.
Key dates
26th August 2026
Application Launch
8th September 2026
23rd September 2026*
Clarification Question Deadline
11:59pm, 5th October 2026
Application Close Date
2nd November 2026
Outcome Notification
3rd November – 14th December 2026
Onboarding Process
2Nd January 2027
Delivery Start Date
30th June 2027
Programme Close
*Please be aware that questions submitted after this date – 23rd September 2026 - will not be responded to. Where clarifications are required, a FAQ tab will be set up on the Skipso platform.