Medicines Manufacturing: Labs of the Future Funding Opportunity

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will invest up to £7.5 million in this competition.

Competition description

The aim of this competition is to support the development and use of digital, automated, and robotic technologies to improve the speed and efficiency of pharmaceutical process development and manufacturing. These technologies will contribute to the vision of the Labs of the Future for medicines development and manufacturing.

This competition aims to contribute to the following objectives:

• promote the commercialisation of digital and automated medicines manufacturing innovation
• utilise data, AI or robotics to improve productivity, reduce time-to-patient, and allow scientists to focus on higher value work
• advance the integration and adoption of automation, digital, and robotics technologies across manufacturing processes and development
• support the development of a skilled workforce to ensure the effective adoption of these technologies
• promote the launch or market acceleration of new and improved products, processes, and services

Deadline

This Competition closes at 11:00am UK time, 28 May 2026. 

How to Apply

You must read the guidance on applying for a competition on the Innovation Funding Service before you start.

Before submitting, it is the lead applicant’s responsibility to make sure:

• that all the information provided in the application is correct
• your proposal meets the eligibility and scope criteria
• all sections of the application are marked as complete
• if collaborative, that all partners have completed all assigned sections and accepted the terms and conditions (T&Cs)

You can reopen your application once submitted, up until the competition deadline. You must resubmit the application before the competition deadline.

Read the full competition overview below.