Updated 10 September 2026
Business grants and funding in Scotland
Every scheme open to a business in Scotland today, taken from the funders' own published criteria and re-checked daily. Some are Scotland only; the rest are UK-wide and open to you as well.
69 open today. The 60 largest are below. Whether your business qualifies for any of them depends on your legal form, your size, your age and where you are, which is what the check does.
Which of these can you actually get?
Enter your company number. We read each funder’s own page against your business and tell you which fit, which do not, and why.
Check my businessWhat kind of funding these are
- Grants
- 43
- Tax reliefs
- 8
- In-kind and free support
- 7
- Loans
- 7
- Equity investment
- 2
- Mixed
- 2
A grant is money you keep. A tax relief lowers a bill rather than arriving as cash. In-kind support is training, credits or expert time instead of money. Loans and equity have to be paid back or bought back, and are worth treating as a different decision entirely.
Who can apply
Every one of these has published criteria. Across the 69, the conditions that come up most are that you must:
- work in a named sector26 of 69
- be a particular kind of organisation22 of 69
- put in money of your own10 of 69
- be under a headcount limit9 of 69
- not have started the work yet8 of 69
Which of them you meet depends on your legal form, size, age and where you are registered. That is what the check reads for you, scheme by scheme, and it quotes the funder’s own sentence beside each answer.
What the money is for
- Innovation and new products 15
- Research and development 14
- Business growth 14
- Premises 14
- Equipment 13
- Creative industries 9
- Staff training 9
- Property improvements 8
How to apply
You apply to the funder, never to us. Every scheme above links straight to its own page, and that page is the only thing that decides whether you get it.
Before you spend an afternoon on a form, three things are worth checking: that you are inside the deadline — 4 of these close within the month; that you have not already started or paid for the work, which a great many grants refuse; and that you can fund the share they expect you to.
Most refusals are not close calls. They are a rule the applicant never saw, in a sentence on the funder’s own page.
Where else to look
The government publishes its own list, free, and you should use it. What is above is wider than that list, because it also holds council schemes, tax reliefs and in-kind support that Find a Grant does not carry — but if you only want a list, start there.
Find a grant, on GOV.UKThe 60 largest open today
Grant
Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund (TRIF) Pilot
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
Up to£25,000,000
A £50 million capital grant pilot for very large life sciences R&D investments in the UK, aimed at building health resilience, innovation and economic benefit. Only projects costing at least £100 million in total are eligible, and grants are typically pitched at 10-20% of project cost with an overall cap of £25 million per award. Applications are made on a rolling basis via an Expression of Interest, and the pilot runs until 31 March 2028 or until funds are allocated.
Closes 31 March 2028The funder’s page
Grant
DRIVE35 Scale-up Fund Drawdown 5
Innovate UK
Up to£20,000,000
A competition offering grants to UK registered organisations that want to build or convert pilot-scale or demonstration-scale manufacturing facilities for zero emission vehicle technologies and their supply chain. Grant requests must sit between £2.5 million and £20 million, with total eligible project costs above £5 million, and applicants must show they can unlock private co-investment worth at least twice the grant. Projects are expected to start from 1 June 2027 and finish by 31 March 2030.
Closes 4 November 2026The funder’s page
Mixed
Guarantees Pilot for Affordable Credit
Fair4All Finance
Up to£5,000,000
A £25m+ impact investment pilot from Fair4All Finance offering non-bank commercial lenders and community finance providers (CDFIs and Credit Unions) funding guarantees, lending guarantees, junior debt and modest ancillary grants of around £1-5m per lender to expand affordable, small-sum credit. Lenders must be UK-based and meet Fair4All Finance's Affordable Credit Code of Good Practice.
RollingThe funder’s page
Mixed
Investment Fund for Scotland
British Business Bank
Up to£5,000,000
A £150 million British Business Bank fund providing commercial finance to new and growing businesses across Scotland, made up of Smaller Loans, Debt Finance and Equity Finance. It aims to increase the supply of early-stage finance for smaller Scottish businesses that might otherwise struggle to access investment.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
CoSTAR Showcase Labs: Createch infrastructure and commercialisation
Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
Up to£4,000,000
AHRC will fund up to two "Showcase Labs" that host national creative research and development infrastructure for the UK screen and performance industries, as part of the CoSTAR Network. Applications must be led by a UK research organisation eligible for AHRC funding, heading a consortium that includes at least one commercial or industry co-location partner and at least one local or combined authority or equivalent economic development body. Businesses cannot apply directly but can join a bid as a partner or collaborator and receive funding that way; each award covers up to £4 million of full economic cost, with AHRC paying 80% and third party match funding of at least 50% of the requested cost required.
Closes 29 October 2026The funder’s page
Grant
Electricity Demand Turn Up trial: EOI for flexibility providers
Innovate UK (UK Research and Innovation)
Up to£3,000,000
This is an expression of interest stage to select Flexibility Service Providers for Phase 1 of a Demand Turn Up trial testing whether rebating Final Consumption Levies makes it cheaper to increase electricity demand than to curtail renewable generation. No money is awarded at the EOI stage itself; successful applicants may be invited to a later award stage where grant funding is capped at £3 million per provider, out of a total trial investment of up to £16 million. Applicants must be UK registered businesses or not-for-profits acting as flexibility providers in the Great Britain electricity sector, ready to start live delivery on 1 December 2026.
Closes 16 September 2026The funder’s page
Loan
Investment Fund for Scotland (Debt)
The FSE Group
Up to£2,000,000
The Investment Fund for Scotland (Debt) provides business loans of £100,000 to £2 million to Scottish SMEs seeking growth finance. It is managed by the FSE Group as part of the British Business Bank's Nations and Regions Investment Funds, and is aimed at SMEs with a proven business concept, commercial traction and a viable growth plan.
RollingThe funder’s page
Equity
Scottish Enterprise investment funds (Scottish Co-investment Fund and Scottish Venture Fund)
Scottish Enterprise
Up to£2,000,000
Scottish Enterprise runs two equity funds — the Scottish Co-investment Fund and the Scottish Venture Fund — that put money into innovative, high-growth Scottish companies alongside experienced private sector investors. Scottish Enterprise typically takes shares, investing between £100,000 and £2 million and covering up to half of a funding package, with a cumulative cap of £2 million per company. You need a private investor already in place: for the Co-investment Fund that must be an accredited partner, and for the Venture Fund a lead private investor who has made an offer.
RollingThe funder’s page
Loan
Scottish Loan Scheme
Scottish Enterprise
Up to£2,000,000
Scottish Enterprise lends between £250,000 and £2 million to growth-focused companies based in Scotland (or committed to relocating there) that can show a viable plan and the ability to repay. The money can be put towards working capital, capital spending, growth, international expansion or marketing. It is repayable debt, typically over one to seven years, with interest priced according to risk and security, plus a 1% arrangement fee.
RollingThe funder’s page
Equity
Scottish Venture Fund
Scottish Enterprise
Up to£2,000,000
Scottish Enterprise's Scottish Venture Fund is a flexible equity gap fund that co-invests alongside private sector investors, offering equity funding from £100,000 up to £2 million to help Scottish start-up, early-stage and growing companies develop products or enter new markets. To be considered, a company must show a credible plan to scale operations, employment and value creation in Scotland.
RollingThe funder’s page
Loan
Community Builders Fund
Social Investment Business
Up to£1,500,000
Social Investment Business offers loans of £100,000 to £1.5 million to UK charities and social enterprises through its Community Builders Fund. It is one of three current funds run by this social investor, alongside a smaller blended energy fund and a small grant to help organisations become investment-ready.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
International Bilateral Fund - Call 3
UK Space Agency
Up to£1,500,000
The UK Space Agency is funding space sector projects that build international partnerships, with grants of up to £1.5m per project. Projects must be led by a UK organisation, must include an international partner, must provide matched contributions, and must start on 1 April 2027 and run for no more than 18 months. Only one application is allowed per lead organisation, and the call closes at 3pm on 4 November 2026.
Closes 4 November 2026The funder’s page
Loan
Social Investment Scotland loan finance
Social Investment Scotland
Up to£875,000
Social Investment Scotland (SIS) provides repayable loan finance to social enterprises, charities and community organisations, for uses such as scaling operations, working capital or buying property. There is no application form; SIS instead discusses your plans and financials directly. Typical pricing is 7-12% APR for term loans or around 1% per month for bridging loans, plus an arrangement fee.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Big Change That Lasts Fund
The Robertson Trust
Up to£500,000
The Robertson Trust funds Scottish organisations delivering long-term, systemic change that prevents and reduces poverty and trauma. Unlike most of the Trust's other funds on this page, which are open only to registered charities and constituted community groups, this fund also accepts asset-locked CICs limited by guarantee, housing associations and credit unions. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Industry Impact Fund
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
Up to£500,000
CITB's Industry Impact Fund helps levy-registered construction employers design and pilot new skills and training solutions that don't already exist. Successful proposals can receive up to £500,000 to develop a scalable, sustainable idea addressing workforce challenges such as productivity, digital skills, net zero, or worker retention.
RollingThe funder’s page
Loan
Property Purchase Loan
NatWest Social & Community Capital
Up to£500,000
Property Purchase Loan is one of four Community Business Loans from NatWest Social & Community Capital, lending £30,000 to £500,000 to established third-sector organisations to buy or renovate a property. Applicants must be financially sustainable, not eligible for mainstream bank funding, and working in employment/training, disadvantaged-community services, or community regeneration.
RollingThe funder’s page
Loan
SIS Bridging Loans
Social Investment Scotland
Up to£375,000
A short-term bridging loan from Social Investment Scotland (SIS) for charities, social enterprises and community organisations that have already secured grant funding but need upfront cashflow to deliver the project before the grant is paid. The loan is repaid directly from the grant once it arrives.
RollingThe funder’s page
Loan
Flexible Growth Funding
NatWest Social & Community Capital
Up to£350,000
Social & Community Capital is an independent charity backed by NatWest that lends to charities, social enterprises and community businesses in the Midlands, North West of England and Scotland that cannot access mainstream finance. Its Flexible Growth Funding loan of £30,000 to £350,000 helps organisations grow and increase their impact, and it also offers separate property, working capital and bridging loans.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
An Official Oral History of Women Veterans in the UK
Office for Veterans' Affairs (Ministry of Defence)
Up to£250,000
The Office for Veterans' Affairs is funding a single two-year project to record and digitise the oral histories of women who have served in the UK Armed Forces. The chosen organisation must run at least 40 recorded and transcribed interviews, work in partnership with Imperial War Museums to archive the collection, and deliver public engagement outputs. Up to £250,000 is available for one project, and applications close on 22 September 2026.
Closes 22 September 2026The funder’s page
Tax relief
Relief for retail, hospitality and leisure properties (Non-domestic rates relief)
Scottish Government (Non-domestic rates)
Up to£110,000
A business-rates discount scheme for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties in Scotland running from 2026-27 to 2028-29. Most eligible mainland properties get 15% relief, certain hospitality premises and music venues on the mainland get 40%, and hospitality properties on islands or in specified remote rural areas get 100%, each capped at £110,000 per business per year.
Closes 31 March 2029The funder’s page
Grant
HIE Innovation Programme
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Up to£100,000
Highlands and Islands Enterprise offers funding to help organisations in the Highlands and Islands develop innovative products, services and processes. Specialist advice grants of up to £10,000 support feasibility and technical work, while larger research and development grants of up to £100,000 support eligible R&D projects.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Project Post Fund
Screen Scotland
Up to£100,000
A Screen Scotland fund that pays large-scale film and TV productions to carry out post-production and VFX work with a Scotland-based facility. Grants of £5,000 to £100,000 are available on a rolling basis, provided the production spends at least five times the grant amount in Scotland.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Postcode Trust Funding
People's Postcode Trust
Up to£50,000
People's Postcode Trust offers three-year, flexible core funding to registered charities, community interest companies and charitable community benefit societies with annual income between £10,000 and £1 million. Awards are up to £50,000 total spread over three years and are not tied to a specific project.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
National Lottery Film Festival and Screening Programme Fund
Screen Scotland
Up to£45,000
Screen Scotland funding for organisations that produce and deliver film festivals and public screening programmes in Scotland, prioritising underrepresented and underserved audiences. Awards run from £15,000 to £45,000, with an optional two-year Development Funding stream for established festivals.
Closes 12 November 2026The funder’s page
Grant
Build It
Firstport
Up to£40,000
Firstport's Build It fund gives early-stage Scottish social enterprises up to £40,000 in grant funding to create new permanent salaried roles paid at least the Real Living Wage. It is aimed at enterprises with a proven trading track record that need staff to reach financial sustainability.
Closes 24 September 2026The funder’s page
Grant
Screen Education Fund
Screen Scotland
Up to£30,000
Funding for projects that help people in Scotland access, understand and create film and screen content, including professional learning for teachers and educators. Grants of £1,000 to £30,000 are available for projects lasting up to 12 months, applied for at any time subject to budget.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Town Centre Premises Grant
Renfrewshire Council
Up to£25,000
Renfrewshire Council's Business Gateway offers a grant of up to £25,000, covering up to 50% of project costs, to small and medium businesses moving into a previously vacant ground-floor commercial property in Paisley, Renfrew, Johnstone, Linwood or Erskine town centres. Community groups, charities and a long list of named trades such as betting shops and beauty businesses cannot apply, and the grant cannot be used for costs already incurred.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Advanced Innovation Voucher
Scottish Enterprise, delivered by Interface
Up to£20,000
A matched grant, offered on a sliding scale up to £20,000, that funds a Scottish organisation to run an innovation project in partnership with a Scottish university or college. Interface administers applications on behalf of funding partner Scottish Enterprise.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Workplace Charging Scheme
Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), administered by DVLA
Up to£14,000
A voucher-based grant that contributes towards buying and installing electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at workplace sites across the UK. It covers up to 75% of purchase and installation costs, capped at £500 per socket for installations completed on or after 1 April 2026, with a limit of 40 sockets per applicant across all their sites. Applicants apply online, receive a voucher valid for 180 days, and an authorised installer claims the grant once the work is done.
Closes 31 March 2027The funder’s page
Grant
Student Placement Innovation Vouchers
Interface
Up to£7,500
Interface, working with the Scottish Funding Council, offers Scottish SMEs a grant of £1,000 to £7,500 to fund a follow-on academic project with a Higher Education Institution, employing a PhD or Masters student. Applicants must already have completed a Standard Innovation Voucher with the same academic partner, and must contribute matching support in kind.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Community Enterprise Fund
Firstport
Up to£5,000
The Community Enterprise Fund, delivered by Firstport with money from the Scottish Government's Social Entrepreneurs Fund, gives grants of up to £5,000 to help community groups in Scotland start trading or set up a social enterprise. It covers most start-up costs but not existing activities, repairs or property improvements, and is a rolling, open programme.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
HIE Digital Specialist Advice Grant
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Up to£5,000
A grant from Highlands and Islands Enterprise towards the cost of one-to-one specialist consultancy on digital technologies. It funds a feasibility study or action plan covering things like robotics, IoT, AI, cyber security or additive manufacturing, and is open to organisations of any size based in the Highlands and Islands.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation Community Fund
Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation
Up to£5,000
Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation offers match funding of up to £5,000 for community-based crowdfunding projects run through Crowdfunder. Pledges up to £250 are matched at a 3:1 ratio, and each project needs a sponsor connected to Mortgage Advice Bureau. It is open to registered charities and Community Interest Companies based in England, Scotland or Wales.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Scottish Funding Council Innovation Vouchers
Scottish Funding Council
Up to£5,000
A national voucher scheme funded by the Scottish Funding Council that lets Scottish-based SMEs claim up to £5,000 towards the cost of a new collaborative project with a Scottish university, such as Abertay. The business must match the voucher with its own cash or in-kind contribution, and the voucher can only be used to start a new university partnership, not to continue an existing one.
RollingThe funder’s page
In-kind support
Employer Networks
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
Up to£4,500
CITB funds local Employer Networks that pay part of the cost of construction training for member employers. From April 2026, micro-to-medium employers (1-249 staff) can book training at 50% match funding, with an annual claim cap set per employer size band; large employers have a separate fund. CITB pays the training provider directly for its share of the cost.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
CITB Apprenticeship Grants
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
Up to£3,500
CITB pays registered, levy-paying construction employers a grant while their directly-employed apprentice attends an approved apprenticeship, plus a further grant when the apprentice achieves the qualification. An extra top-up is available for Interior Systems Installer apprenticeships, and CITB separately funds apprentice travel and accommodation.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Boost Fund
Corra Foundation
Up to£3,000
A Scotland-wide small grants fund for constituted community groups, charities and CICs supporting people affected by poverty or disadvantage. Grants of £500-£3,000 for constituted groups (£250-£1,500 for unconstituted groups) cover running costs, activities or small equipment. Delivered by Corra Foundation in partnership with STV Children's Appeal, Comic Relief and Postcode Lottery players.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Youth Jobs Grant
Department for Work and Pensions
Up to£3,000
The government's Youth Jobs Grant pays employers up to £3,000 per job for recruiting an eligible young person aged 18-24 who has been on Universal Credit and out of work for six months or more, provided the role lasts at least 16 weeks. It is open to employers of all sizes and sectors across Great Britain.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Low Emission Zone Support Fund for Businesses
Transport Scotland
Up to£2,000
Transport Scotland, through Energy Saving Trust, gives a £2,000 grant to sole traders and micro businesses within 40km of a Scottish low emission zone (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen or Dundee) to safely dispose of an older vehicle that does not meet emission standards. Businesses that successfully claim this grant may then also be able to apply to the separate Travel Better Fund for up to £1,000 towards a cargo bike.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Plant Standards and Grants
CITB (Construction Industry Training Board)
Up to£880
CITB pays fixed grants to construction employers whose staff complete approved plant machinery training, covering categories such as excavators, dumpers, forklifts and telescopic handlers. The grant amount depends on the plant tier (1 to 3) and whether the trainee is novice or experienced, and is claimed by the ATO/TPN training provider on the employer's behalf rather than applied for directly.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
CITB Short Course Grants
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
Up to£500
CITB pays fixed grants to CITB-registered, levy-up-to-date construction employers when their directly employed staff, business owners, partners or subcontractors complete approved short courses (at least 3 hours long) in Plant Operations, Scaffolding and other listed occupations. Grants for listed scaffolding and other short courses range from £60 to £500 per person per course, and pay automatically once an Approved Training Organisation or Training Provider Network member reports the achievement, or via direct application within 52 weeks otherwise.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Electric vehicle chargepoint grant for residential landlords
Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)
Up to£500
Residential landlords and organisations that own or manage rented homes can claim support towards buying and installing electric vehicle chargepoints at their properties. The grant covers 75% of purchase and installation costs, capped at £500 per socket, for up to 200 sockets a year. Applicants must be registered at Companies House or VAT registered and must use an OZEV-authorised installer.
Closes 31 March 2027The funder’s page
Grant
Broadcast Content Fund
Screen Scotland
Screen Scotland's Broadcast Content Fund supports Scottish production companies with development or production funding for broadcast content across all genres, factual and scripted, where there is a demonstrable need for public funding. No award amount is stated on this page; full financial detail sits in a linked guidance document.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Capital grant
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise offers a discretionary capital grant towards the costs of large capital expenditure projects carried out in Scotland. It is aimed at projects supporting the energy transition, scaling innovation into high-growth industries, or lifting productivity and wages, with the grant covering up to 40% of eligible costs for small enterprises, 30% for medium and 20% for large. The smallest grant considered is £250,000 and applicants start by sending an enquiry form to the Scottish Enterprise team.
RollingThe funder’s page
In-kind support
Creating a Strategy for Transformational Growth
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce
A free strategic-support programme from Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce that helps Scottish companies plan transformational growth, building resilience and leadership ambition. It is delivered as in-kind consultancy support rather than a cash award.
RollingThe funder’s page
Tax relief
Day Nursery Relief (Non-Domestic Rates)
Scottish Government
Day Nursery Relief gives 100% relief on non-domestic (business) rates for premises used only, or mainly, as a nursery school in Scotland. Businesses check eligibility and claim the relief through their local council.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
DWP Jobs Guarantee Scheme (Central and East Scotland)
Department for Work and Pensions
This UK Government scheme fully reimburses employers in Central and East Scotland for the wage costs of a six-month, entry-level placement (up to 25 hours a week at National Minimum Wage) for a young person aged 18-21 who has been out of work for an extended period, plus employer National Insurance, minimum pension contributions and up to £250 of onboarding support per placement. It is delivered locally by The King's Trust and partners, who also provide pre-employment training and in-work support for the candidate.
RollingThe funder’s page
Tax relief
Enhanced Capital Allowance Relief in Freeport and Investment Zone Special Tax Sites
HM Revenue & Customs
Companies buying new plant or machinery for use in a designated Freeport or Investment Zone special tax site can deduct 100% of that qualifying expenditure from their profits before tax in the accounting period it was bought. The relief is claimed through the Company Tax Return and can be withdrawn if the asset stops being primarily used in the tax site within 5 years.
RollingThe funder’s page
Tax relief
Enhanced Structures and Buildings Allowance Relief in Freeport and Investment Zone Special Tax Sites
HM Revenue & Customs
Businesses that incur qualifying expenditure on constructing or renovating structures and buildings within a designated Freeport or Investment Zone special tax site can claim an enhanced structures and buildings allowance of 10% a year against their profits, instead of the normal rate, for up to 10 years. Construction must begin, the expenditure be incurred, and the building brought into qualifying use, all within the special tax site and before the relief's end date.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Film Development and Production Fund
Screen Scotland
Screen Scotland's Film Development and Production Fund supports the development and production costs of feature-length films and documentaries made by filmmakers based in Scotland. It covers single-project development funding and film production funding, and applicants must meet the BFI Diversity Standards as part of the eligibility criteria.
RollingThe funder’s page
Tax relief
Forth Green Freeport - tax and customs incentives
Forth Green Freeport
Forth Green Freeport offers customs duty relief and simplified import/export procedures to businesses authorised to trade through its customs sites, plus a package of tax reliefs - including business rates relief, capital allowances, land tax relief and reduced employer National Insurance - for investors operating within its designated tax sites across Rosyth, Burntisland, Leith and Grangemouth. Priority is given to businesses in specific target sectors such as offshore wind, advanced manufacturing, shipbuilding and logistics, though other complementary investors may also be considered.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Great British Energy (GBE) Supply Chain Fund: Offshore Wind and Networks
Great British Energy
A capital grant fund of up to £300 million to expand UK manufacturing capacity for components that are in short supply in the offshore wind and electricity networks sectors. Grants must pay for building new manufacturing facilities or extending existing ones in the UK, and the finished project must mainly produce one or more of the listed 'Critical Components'. Applications are assessed in rounds, with the window closing on 10 December 2026 unless the budget runs out sooner.
Closes 10 December 2026The funder’s page
Grant
Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS)
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
The Green Gas Support Scheme pays tariff support to plants that produce biomethane through anaerobic digestion and inject it into the gas grid, compensating for new infrastructure and ongoing operating costs. Registered participants receive tariff payments for up to 15 years. The scheme is open to new stage 1 applications until 31 March 2028 and is administered by Ofgem.
Closes 31 March 2028The funder’s page
In-kind support
Innovation support
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise offers hands-on advisory support to help companies in Scotland review their innovation activity, generate and develop ideas, and bring new products or processes to market. Advisers work with a business to build an innovation roadmap, run workshops, make connections to R&D centres, and point towards relevant grants and funding. Related strands include an Innovation Academy for senior leaders, free intellectual property advice, and Innovate UK Business Growth services delivered in partnership.
RollingThe funder’s page
Tax relief
Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport - tax and customs incentives
Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport
Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport (ICFGF) offers a package of tax reliefs to businesses that locate within its designated tax sites in the Highlands, including Land and Buildings Transaction Tax relief, an enhanced Structures and Buildings Allowance, enhanced Capital Allowances, non-domestic rates relief and a 0% employer National Insurance rate on new employees' pay. Separately, companies operating within its customs sites get simplified customs procedures and can defer duty and import VAT on goods that do not leave the site and enter the wider UK market.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Investor Partnerships – ACT and Semiconductors
Innovate UK
Innovate UK is offering grant funding to UK-registered SMEs developing advanced connectivity technologies, semiconductors (including AI hardware) or solutions that combine the two. Applicants must already be working with one of Innovate UK's selected investor partners, who must lead or catalyse a private investment alongside the grant. Total project costs must fall between £250,000 and £1 million for industrial research, or £500,000 and £2 million for experimental development, with projects lasting 6 to 18 months.
Closes 14 October 2026The funder’s page
In-kind support
LaunchMe
Firstport
LaunchMe is Firstport's investment readiness programme for Scottish social and community enterprises that want to scale. It gives bespoke one-to-one support, workshops, peer networking and access to expert partners to prepare a business to take on investment, loans or grants.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Market and Festival Attendance Fund
Screen Scotland
A contribution towards the costs of Scotland-based film and TV professionals attending key UK and international markets and festivals, to support the financial or late-stage creative progression of a specific project.
RollingThe funder’s page
In-kind support
Market Research Service
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise runs a free market research service for Scottish companies, providing company reports, competitor insights, industry trend data, consumer demographics and supplier databases within five days of request. It is a genuine in-kind support service with a stated eligibility gate (being a Scottish company) rather than open marketing content.
RollingThe funder’s page
Grant
Music Export Growth Scheme
Department for Business and Trade
MEGS offers match-funded grants to UK-based music businesses, typically management companies or record labels that qualify as SMEs, to run marketing and promotion campaigns abroad, usually tied to international touring. It is aimed at acts that have already had commercial success in the UK and are trying to break into overseas markets. Grants cover no more than half of eligible costs and cannot pay for any activity in the UK. Applications go through the delivery partner, BPI.
Closes 31 March 2027The funder’s page