Funding for NI innovation partnerships
The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) is a £500 million UK-wide programme from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It is designed to help businesses, universities, and civic partners work together to build and grow strong innovation clusters that create jobs and economic growth.
The Fund offers two opportunities for clusters in Northern Ireland an earmarked strand focused on the Belfast-Derry/Londonderry Innovation Corridor, and a competitive strand open to clusters in other parts of the region.
Earmarked strand Belfast-Derry/Londonderry Innovation Corridor
At least £30 million has been confirmed to support innovation clusters in the Belfast-Derry/Londonderry Innovation Corridor.
This five-year funding (2026-2031) will help partnerships in the corridor develop and scale up projects with strong commercial potential. The focus will be on clusters that can show clear plans for collaboration, private investment, and measurable impact.
The Department for the Economy (DfE) will oversee this strand, working with Invest Northern Ireland, UKRI, and a new Innovation Panel.
How to get involved Earmarked strand
The process will run in two stages.
DfE has opened stage 1 and is now calling for expressions of interest from clusters within the corridor. Proposals should highlight the cluster’s innovation strengths and outline the potential project pipeline for the cluster. Clusters must also show strong private sector match funding.
The deadline for expressions of interest is 4pm on 3 December 2025.
A new Innovation Panel will use the outputs of the expressions of interest to make a decision on which cluster or clusters to focus on for the £30 million award. The information will also be used by DfE to complete a readiness check for UKRI by February 2026.
In stage 2, a cluster-focused portfolio submission will be developed and issued to UKRI in May 2026 for assessment.
If you wish to submit an expression of interest
For more information about the earmarked strand, you can contact the DfE LIPF Team at [email protected].
Competitive strand Open to other NI regions
Alongside the earmarked funding, UKRI has launched a competitive strand of the Fund. This provides up to £20 million per place for high-potential innovation clusters outside the Belfast-Derry/Londonderry Innovation Corridor.
This opportunity is open to partnerships that bring together businesses, universities, and local leaders to grow innovation in their area. Eligible projects should show how they will attract private investment, create jobs, and strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem.
How to get involved Competitive strand
For the competitive strand, UKRI will manage the open call directly. Clusters across Northern Ireland that are located outside the Innovation Corridor – and working in areas such as advanced manufacturing, agri-tech, digital, or clean energy – can apply directly to UKRI through the open competition.
Full guidance and application details are available on the UKRI website.
First published 13 November 2025
