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Official Assessor Preparation Checklist

Innovate UK Smart Grants & Sector Competitions Application Checklist

Step-by-step document schedule, eligibility rules, and assessor compliance items needed before submitting your application to Innovate UK (UKRI).

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Innovate UK (UKRI)
Funding: £100,000 – £500,000 (Up to 70% of Eligible R&D Costs)
Application Readiness Score
0 of 11 Checked
0%Check each item as you gather documents to ensure a zero-defect submission.

1. Entity & Geographic Eligibility

0/3 verified

Registered business base in the United Kingdom

Assessor Mandatory

Must operate with commercial premises or trading address registered within the jurisdiction of Innovate UK (UKRI).

Headcount under 50 full-time staff

Assessor Mandatory

Official enterprise limit of fewer than 50 employees (including active founder-directors).

Trading history under 120 months

Assessor Mandatory

Must be within early-stage establishment window (less than 120 months since commencement of commercial sales or incorporation).

2. Required Assessor Document Pack

0/5 verified

Rigorous 9-Question Innovation Funding Service (IFS) application

Assessor Mandatory

Ensure this item is fully drafted, proofread, and signed off prior to submitting the formal application.

Detailed Work Package breakdown (WP1..n) with milestones and deliverables

Ensure this item is fully drafted, proofread, and signed off prior to submitting the formal application.

Formal 4-Category Project Risk Register (Technical, Commercial, Regulatory, Managerial)

Assessor Mandatory

Ensure this item is fully drafted, proofread, and signed off prior to submitting the formal application.

Must demonstrate disruptive innovation that leapfrogs the global state-of-the-art

Ensure this item is fully drafted, proofread, and signed off prior to submitting the formal application.

Must have match funding in place for the un-grant-funded 30% balance

Ensure this item is fully drafted, proofread, and signed off prior to submitting the formal application.

3. Procurement & 3-Quote Rules

0/1 verified

Itemised supplier cost breakdown & scope specifications

Clear written supplier proposals detailing scope of work, deliverables, timeline, and professional fees.

4. Budget & Matching Funds Verification

0/2 verified

Proof of 30% matching founder funds in bank account

Assessor Mandatory

Because Innovate UK Smart Grants & Sector Competitions provides a 70% grant rate, you must verify access to the remaining 30% co-funding in your bank statement.

Zero retrospective expenditure prior to formal approval

Assessor Mandatory

Ensure no deposits, invoices, or purchase orders have been signed or paid before receiving the formal Letter of Offer.

Assessor Timing & Retrospective Warning

Paid quarterly in arrears after Independent Accountant Review (IAR). You must have working capital to bridge the 30% match + quarterly lag.

Ready to assemble your grant pack?

Use Startup Preflight to draft, audit and compile your application.

Module A and K auto-generate the written concept, hiring schedule, financial forecast, and 3-quote supplier schedule in the exact format assessors expect.