YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED

Please register for a Tech Clinic to speak directly to a member of the team and access a range of other support and services the ATI offers.

The ATI will provide written feedback and will provide an opportunity for applicants to book a feedback discussion should you wish, with details on how to do this shared alongside the written feedback.

We aim to provide feedback on your draft application within 10 working days starting from the day after we receive your draft submission. However, we cannot guarantee that draft applications submitted within a shorter time frame of a competition closing will receive feedback.

You can submit a draft of your application via our website to receive feedback from the ATI. This is optional. Please be advised that the ATI can only review one draft application per competition round. Therefore, it is important that you fully address all the feedback provided by our technologist through your feedback session booked via MS Booking. Details of how you can do this will be available through your written feedback document.

The ATI cannot accept draft applications submitted via email. Please submit draft applications using the links provided.

Panel presentations can rarely be rescheduled once allocated. You are responsible for ensuring your availability to attend on the published dates. In unforeseen circumstances, applicants are permitted to replace project attendees, but must inform the ATI by emailing competitions@ati.org.uk at least two working days prior to their allocated panel presentation date.

After a successful outcome at Outline Stage you must apply to one of the next two Full Stage Application competitions otherwise you will need to reapply to the Outline Stage. If you wish to defer your full stage application to the following Batch, you will need to contact competitions@ati.org.uk within 10 working days of receiving your successful notification.

Applications will be assessed by member of the ATI using the criteria set for each of the three programmes. The criteria for each of the three funding programmes can be found on our Funding pages.

Full Stage Applications are by invitation only following a successful outcome at Outline Stage. You will receive a submission link from Innovate UK in time for the opening of the upcoming Full Stage Application stage.

If you have a successful outcome at Outline Stage, you can submit to one of the two following Full Stage Application stages. If you choose not to submit to one of the two Full Stage Application stages following a successful outcome at Outline Stage, you will need to resubmit to the Outline Stage.

To discover more about each programme including funding levels, scope and assessment criteria please visit our Funding pages. If you’re not familiar with the ATI or our funding programmes, we offer monthly Meet the ATI events which provide an overview of each of our funding programmes – register here.

If you would prefer to contact the ATI Programme team directly, please contact us.

The ATI Programme is open to any organisations registered in the UK looking to develop technology for exploitation in the civil aerospace sector. Applications can be submitted by individual organisations or as part of a consortium.

A full list of competition dates can be found here.

Stage 1 The Strategic Programme opens to applications six times a year while the SME Programme and Non-CO2 Programme each open to applications three times a year.

Stage 2 For all programmes Full Stage Applications can only be submitted by invitation after a successful outcome in Stage 1.

Draft applications For all programmes, draft Outline Stage applications can be submitted at any time. Draft Full Stage Applications are by invitation only following a successful outcome at Stage 1.

The Strategic Programme, SME Programme and Non-CO2 Programme are all two stage funding competitions with funding awarded after a successful outcome in the second stage. You must be successful at Stage 1 to be invited to Stage 2 of each competition.

To discover more about each programme including funding levels, scope and assessment criteria, please visit our Funding pages. If you’re new to the ATI or our funding programmes, we offer monthly Meet the ATI events which provide an essential overview of each funding programme – register here.

The ATI Programme is funded by the UK government and co-invests with programme applicants. In the Modern Industrial Strategy the government extended the ATI Programme and confirmed up to £2.3billion of funding to 2035. With industry co-investment this will represent an almost £3.8 billion investment in UK aerospace R&D.

The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its operations to enhance efficiency and accelerate innovation. Like many organisations, we recognise the benefits of AI while remaining aware of the associated risks. The ATI employs AI tools within a secure environment and provides clear policies and guidance to support colleagues in using AI safely and effectively.

Applicants can only start the project once they have received the Grant Offer Letter from Innovate UK. Any costs incurred for the project, prior to this will be deemed ineligible.

Funding decisions are taken following an assessment of the FSA application. Applicants typically receive a response within 9 weeks after the FSA application window closes.

Yes. However, if the scope of the project is the same and you are successful in both, you can only accept one of the funding awards.

Yes. Although there may be some restrictions. Under current restrictions, this competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian or Belarusian entity as lead, partner or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian or Belarusian source.

UK-based organisations can claim grant funding as part of the consortium. If the project includes international partners, they can collaborate with the project contributing to the delivery of the project or technology but will not be eligible to receive grant funding.

For more information on organisation type and size, please refer to the company accounts guidance.

Academic institutions or RTOs cannot lead Industrial Research projects but can collaborate as part of a project team. However, Capital projects can be led by Academic Institutions or RTOs.

A typical industrial research project could take a novel component from concept stage through design and testing to demonstrate suitability for end user requirements. Another example would be for manufacturing process development where the objective would be to demonstrate a pilot line process readiness. For inspiration from previous ATI Programme projects visit our case studies page.

No, the funding rules for the programme are the same regardless of the area of technologies within funding applications.

The budget for the ATI Programme from FY25/26 through to FY30/35 is £2.3 billion. This represents the total grant funding available from government which is subject to contribution from project applicants as determined by the funding rates and eligibility.

SME Programme:
The planning assumption is that the ATI SME Programme will have a budget of up to £10 million a year. However, this will depend on the number and the quality of applications received.

Non-C02 Programme:
The planning assumption is for grants totalling up to £17 million over four years (starting in 2024) being allocated to successful projects. This is not a limit or target, and will depend on the number and the quality of applications received.

Capital infrastructure projects focus on the construction or upgrade of research infrastructures that perform economic activities. They can be led by UK registered organisations of any size, RTOs or academic institutions. For more information please refer to the UKRI ATI Programme guidance.

Industrial contribution is the mechanism through which industry contributes to the ATI’s operational cost in accordance with the grant offer letter. The industry contribution is currently fixed at 2.5% of the total grant per project. For more information on the purpose of industrial contribution and how it is calculated, please refer to the ATI Framework Agreement.

Projects submitting to the Strategic Programme and Non-CO2 Programme will be liable to industrial contribution payments. Applicants successful at Full stage Application of these competitions are required to pay an industrial contribution fee.

Projects submitting to the SME Programme are exempt from industrial contribution payments.

You are not required to re-sign the Framework Agreement if you have previously signed the relevant agreement on a previous project.

However, for applications to the Strategic Programme and Non-CO2 Programme, if you have signed the SME Framework Agreement as part of a previous SME Programme project, you must now sign the Strategic Programme agreement, which is a specific agreement tailored to the Strategic Programme and Non-CO2 Programmes.

We invite applications from organisations with technologies which could have applications in aerospace including if your organisation has not operated in the sector before. For more support on entering the aerospace sector, engage with the ATI Hub.

For guidance on Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and the ATI Programme, please click here. Through the draft application review process, we provide support and feedback for applications including an assessment of TRLs to guide applicants in refining your project proposals prior to formal submission, while ensuring alignment with the ATI Programme objectives.

Applicants should identify the key strategic alignment for their proposed technology and provide justification for the strongest alignment, but indicate that other strategic areas may also be addressed.

If your project evolves between Outline Stage/EOI and Full Stage Application this may be permissible provided the addition or removal does not significantly change the project’s scope. If you believe these changes may affect your project’s scope, please inform the ATI and Innovate (IUK) as soon as you become aware of the change.

Email IUK at: support@ukri.org
Email ATI at: competitions@ati.org.uk

All enquiries on subsidy control and the eligibility of enterprises and their proposed costs should be directed to Innovate UK Customer Support Services.
Email: support@iuk.ukri.org
Telephone: 0300 321 4357 to speak to an advisor.

Please contact competitions@ati.org.uk, and a member of our funding team will respond to your enquiry within 5 working days.

All queries on the value for money (VfM) process, templates, calculations and evidence should be raised with the Department of Business and Trade via email at paul.logan@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

Support for applicants to the ATI Programme includes draft submissions for feedback from the ATI, one to one clinics with ATI Technologists, themed innovation workshops and guidance on how to prepare for each stage of the application process. Draft applications can be submitted via the relevant programme page while you can register for clinics and events through the ATI Hub.