Oxford Innovation Finance has been formally selected as an Innovate UK Investor Partner following a successful application to the programme and endorsement by The Investor Selection Panel. The panel recognised Oxford Innovation Finance as an excellent fit for the scheme, citing its track record of supporting high-potential innovative businesses and its alignment with Innovate UK’s mission to drive innovation-led growth across the UK economy.
The Investor Partnerships Programme, run by Innovate UK, is designed to stimulate innovation and accelerate the growth of UK micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By combining Innovate UK’s non-dilutive R&D grant funding with aligned equity investment from investor partners, this blended finance model enables innovative SMEs developing cutting-edge technologies to secure the funding they need to grow and scale.
Under the scheme, Innovate UK provides competitive grant funding to support R&D activity, while investor partners such as Oxford Innovation Finance provide aligned equity investment. This blended finance approach enables SMEs to access the capital required to develop and commercialise transformative solutions more effectively.
Since its inception, the Investor Partnerships Programme has delivered substantial impact, with approximately £150 million in Innovate UK grants awarded between 2017 and 2025, bringing in £420 million in aligned equity investment from Investors. Participating SMEs have gone on to raise more than £1 billion in follow-on investment, demonstrating the programme’s ability to attract significant additional capital and accelerate business growth.
Richard Cooper, Managing Director at Oxford Innovation Finance comments: “We are proud to have been selected as an Innovate UK Investor Partner. This partnership strengthens our ability to back the UK’s most innovative and ambitious companies, while providing founders with the combined support of equity investment and grant funding. Together, we can accelerate the growth of breakthrough businesses tackling some of society’s most pressing challenges.”
In addition to funding, SMEs working with Oxford Innovation Finance through the programme will also have access to Innovate UK Business Growth and Innovate UK Business Connect services. These provide investment readiness support, investor engagement opportunities and access to an Investor Directory that helps match founders with the most suitable capital providers.