The Scottish Government Proof of Concept Fund provides funding to support researchers to develop their innovative ideas and/or technologies to bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and commercial applications. This funding will help to de-risk projects and attract early-stage investment.
The fund is open to applicants from Scottish universities who have an innovative and unique project with commercial potential.
The total funding available is £2.85 million split into two tiers.
- tier 1 provides grants of £50,000 to £124,999 for projects undertaking early technical and/or commercial validation of their idea
- tier 2 provides grants of £125,000 – £250,000 for projects that can demonstrate the commercial opportunity and are further developing the technical and/or commercial requirements to meet user/market need
Applications will be open from 1 April 2026 until 8 May 2026.
Projects are expected to start on 1 August 2026 for a duration of 8 months, completing on 31 March 2027.
Find out more and apply here.