Get £50,000–£250,000 to Commercialise Public Sector Research: CKAF Spring Grant Guide (2026)

If your organisation sits on useful research, data sets, prototypes or intellectual property that aren’t yet a product or service, the Commercialising Knowledge Assets Fund (CKAF) Spring call is a practical pot of money designed to push those assets toward commercial readiness. This is not seed-stage VC drama; it’s government support with a clear purpose: help UK public-sector research organisations turn publicly funded knowledge into things the private sector can adopt, license or build on.

Think of CKAF as a focused shove — not a full launch budget, but the kind of funding that covers the messy, critical middle steps: market validation, IP wrapping, customer conversations, technical de-risking and matchmaking with potential commercial partners. If you’re a public research body with an asset that could survive the daylight of commercial use, this is a grant you should read carefully.

This guide walks you through who can apply, what reviewers are looking for, exactly what to prepare, and how to present a persuasive case that your public-sector knowledge has real commercial potential. Expect practical, no-nonsense advice — the kind that makes reviewers think, “Okay, they’ve done their homework.”

At a Glance

What This Opportunity Offers

CKAF is targeted, short-to-medium term funding aimed at the “valley of death” between research and market. Grants range from £50k to £250k — enough to run robust commercial validation activities without expecting a full product launch. Typical activities that reviewers expect to see funded include: market testing with potential users, development of demonstrators or prototypes that show customer fit, legal and technical work to clarify IP ownership and freedom-to-operate, and early business development actions such as licensing negotiations or procurement pathway mapping.

This fund is especially useful when the major technical risks have been addressed by earlier research, but the commercial pathway is unclear. It pays for disciplined, outcome-driven activities: user interviews, pilot agreements, cost modelling, updated technical specs for manufacture or integration, and legal work to tidy up IP or data rights. The money goes to the public organisation leading the project and is administered by them — so expect institutional contracting and reporting responsibilities.

Beyond the cash, the programme connects applicants with GOTT expertise and, often, with the wider Innovate UK network. That means access to mentors, potential industry contacts and guidance on realistic commercial strategies. If your team can present a short, credible plan that shows exactly how the grant will change the asset’s commercial prospects, you stand a reasonable chance at success.

Who Should Apply

This competition is limited to UK-registered public research bodies — not universities in general, but specifically Public Sector Research Establishments, UKRI wholly owned institutes and other ALBs or public sector bodies that do research as a primary function and meet the GOTT eligibility criteria. If your organisation hosts research born from public funding and the output (an algorithm, dataset, lab technique, prototype, know-how) has genuine commercial use, CKAF is designed for you.

Real-world examples of good fits:

• A government research lab that has developed a reliable environmental sensor design and needs funds to produce a small batch of ruggedised prototypes and run pilots with local authorities and private water utilities.
• A UKRI institute holding a curated, high-value dataset that requires legal-clearing, API development and two industry pilot agreements to demonstrate licensing demand.
• An ALB that owns a diagnostic algorithm tested in lab conditions but lacking clinical integration work, regulatory pathway clarity and early-service-level agreements with hospital trusts.

Who should not apply:

• Organisations with only theoretical findings and no clear route to customers. CKAF expects a credible commercial path.
• Projects needing large-scale product manufacture or multi-year clinical trials. This fund bridges to those stages; it doesn’t replace them.
• Private companies. This is public-sector funding for public-sector knowledge assets.

If you’re unsure whether your body counts as eligible, the safest move is to check GOTT guidance or contact the program officers early. Eligibility is strict — the fund is for organisations that hold or steward public knowledge.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

These are the practical things that separate a “nice idea” from an application that reviewers want to fund.

1. Tell a commercial story, not just a technical one. Reviewers want to see a roadmap from asset to paying customer. That means naming target sectors, estimated market size, and at least two plausible commercial routes (licensing, spin-out, procurement, or partnerships). Be concrete: name potential licensees or procurement routes if you can.

2. Show evidence of demand before you ask for money. Short surveys, signed letters of interest, minutes from meetings with industry partners, or pilot agreements carry weight. If you can present a letter that says a company would trial the demonstrator, that beats abstract claims.

3. Make the milestones measurable. Rather than “we will engage stakeholders,” say “we will secure two pilot partners, complete three user tests with defined metrics, and produce an updated demonstrator that achieves X performance target.” Reviewers want outcomes tied to deliverables.

4. Map out IP and data rights clearly. You don’t need to have everything resolved, but you must show you understand ownership, any third-party licences, and the steps needed to make the asset licensable. If legal time is a budget item, justify it.

5. Budget to show realism. Break costs down to personnel days, subcontractor fees, consumables, and legal/IP costs. If you’re asking for £200k, demonstrate why that amount is needed and what will be achieved at each funding stage.

6. Build a credible team. Include records of who will do the work, their relevant experience and where gaps exist. If you need commercial expertise, show you’ve lined up advisors or have plans to buy-in that capability.

7. Start early and use institutional support. Your contracts office will need time to approve the application and sign any terms. Internal deadlines are common — don’t leave this to the last day.

Those seven tips should form the backbone of your narrative. Spend half your application convincing reviewers the grant will materially change the asset’s commercial prospects, and the rest on feasibility and value for money.

Application Timeline (Work Backwards from 7 May 2026)

A realistic timeline avoids late-night panic and missed internal approvals. Here’s a practical schedule to follow, assuming you have a plausible asset now:

• 10+ weeks before deadline (late Feb to early Mar): Confirm eligibility with GOTT or Innovate UK contacts. Inform your organisation’s research/technology transfer office and contracts team. Sketch a one-page summary of the project and key milestones.

• 8 weeks before deadline (early Mar): Identify and secure letters of support or industry interest. Draft the commercial case and milestone table.

• 6 weeks before deadline (mid Mar): Prepare the budget with your finance office. Get ethics and IP advisors involved to identify required documentation. Draft applicant CVs and project plan.

• 4 weeks before deadline (early Apr): Circulate full draft to internal reviewers and one external, sector-savvy reviewer. Gather signed letters of support.

• 2 weeks before deadline (late Apr): Final edits, check compliance with word/format limits in the Innovation Funding Service. Finalise attachments.

• 48–72 hours before deadline: Submit early — application portals can fail and institutional sign-offs may still be pending. Save PDFs of every document and confirmation emails.

Pro tip: Allow time for institutional approval processes. Many public organisations require internal sign-off before submission, and that can take weeks.

Required Materials

The exact application form lives on the Innovation Funding Service so always check the official template. Expect to provide the following core materials; plan each one as a mini-argument:

• Project Description / Case for Support (clear commercial objective, technical plan, milestones)
• Detailed Budget and Budget Justification (personnel days, subcontracted work, legal/IP costs)
• Project Plan with Timeline and Deliverables (Gantt-style or milestone table)
• Evidence of Commercial Potential (letters of interest, market research excerpts, preliminary agreements)
• IP and Data Rights Statement (current ownership, encumbrances, proposed licensing route)
• CVs / Biographies of key staff (demonstrating relevant experience)
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan (technical, commercial, regulatory)
• Institutional Declarations (authorising signatures and admin contacts)
• Any ethics or regulatory approvals where relevant

You’ll benefit from drafting these as distinct documents and then knitting them into a single narrative in the application. Make sure the budget matches the activities and milestones — mismatches are a common red flag.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

To rise above the pack, your proposal must do three things exceptionally well: make a credible commercial case, show deliverable milestones that shift commercial readiness measurably, and demonstrate institutional capability to execute and manage the award.

First, clarity of commercial route is king. Describe who will buy or license the output, how they currently solve the problem, the competitive position of your asset, and realistic revenue or impact pathways. Don’t overproject revenue; conservative, credible estimates are better than hype.

Second, focus on change you can achieve during the funded period. Reviewers want to see clear shifts: IP cleared for licensing, a demonstrator that meets customer performance criteria, signed pilot agreements, or a documented procurement pathway into government or regulated buyers.

Third, show that the organisation can administer the grant and manage IP responsibly. Past awards or successfully managed contracts count. If your institution lacks commercial experience, bring in a named partner or consultant and show their commitment in writing.

Finally, communicate risk-awareness. A proposal that explains likely failure modes and how you’ll react looks mature. Funders prefer teams who know the obstacles and have realistic mitigations.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Some pitfalls are so common they could form a checklist of “don’t do this.”

1. Vague commercial claims. Saying “this could be widely used” without naming sectors, customers or routes to market is weak. Be specific.

2. Budgeting without a plan. If personnel costs are high but deliverables are vague, reviewers will suspect you’re buying time, not progress. Tie each cost to a milestone.

3. Missing letters of support. Applications that promise industry interest without documented evidence often fail. Get LOIs, even if they’re non-binding.

4. Ignoring IP complexity. If rights are unclear or third-party licences are required and you don’t address this, reviewers will assume the asset can’t be commercialised.

5. Waiting until the last minute. Portal glitches and institutional sign-off requirements are real. Submit early to avoid technical rejections.

6. Over-ambition. Asking for funding to do full-scale market entry or mass manufacture is inappropriate. CKAF expects focused activities that increase commercial readiness; be realistic.

Address these errors directly in your application and you’ll look competent rather than optimistic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can a university apply?
A: CKAF targets public-sector research organisations like PRSEs and UKRI institutes. Universities aren’t the primary audience unless they meet the specific public-sector registration criteria. Check the official eligibility guidance or contact the programme team to confirm.

Q: Is collaboration allowed?
A: The call is for single applicants — the lead must be an eligible public-sector body. You can, and usually should, work with external partners (industry, consultants) as subcontractors, but the grant is awarded to and administered by the lead public organisation.

Q: Can funds be used to create a spin-out company?
A: The fund is designed to boost commercial readiness rather than fund company formation. You can include activities that prepare an asset for a spin-out (market validation, IP clarifications), but using grant money to establish or capitalise a private company is typically outside the scope. Check the detailed terms.

Q: What level of IP work is expected?
A: Expect to provide an IP statement and budget for legal work if needed. The reviewers want clarity on ownership and freedom to operate. Funding can cover legal work required to make licensing feasible.

Q: How competitive is CKAF?
A: Competition varies year to year. Because the applicant pool is specialised and the sums are modest, well-scoped, credible applications with evidence of industry interest have a good chance — but you must meet eligibility and make a persuasive commercial case.

Q: Will applicants receive feedback if unsuccessful?
A: Most UKRI/Innovate UK programmes provide summary feedback to applicants. Use that feedback to improve a resubmission or to pivot your commercialisation plan.

Q: Can international partners receive funds?
A: The grant is paid to a UK-registered public research organisation. You can subcontract some work to external or international partners, but funds flow to the UK lead. Be clear about any cross-border IP and contractual arrangements.

How to Apply / Next Steps

Ready to proceed? Follow these concrete steps:

1. Confirm eligibility — visit the official CKAF Spring opportunity page and read the full guidance. If in doubt, contact the programme officers listed there for clarification.

2. Engage your technology transfer, finance and legal teams now. They’ll need to sign off and may have internal deadlines.

3. Draft a one-page commercial brief that names target customers, the problem solved, and a short list of activities you’d fund with a £X requested grant. Use this to gather early feedback from industry contacts and internal stakeholders.

4. Build the application according to the Innovation Funding Service template, attach supporting documents (LOIs, budgets, CVs), and submit well before the 7 May 2026 11:00 deadline.

Ready to apply? Visit the official opportunity page and submit via the Innovation Funding Service: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/commercialising-knowledge-assets-fund-ckaf-spring/

If you want, send me a draft of your one-page commercial brief and I’ll help tighten the narrative and milestones so your application reads like a fundable, deliverable project rather than a hopeful experiment.