Submission & Funding
Routes
Submit your innovation to the energy networks
Choose the submission route and funding stream that best suits your idea and readiness.
Submission Routes
Three ways to submit your innovation through the EIC
Choose the route that matches your idea and readiness.
We connect innovators with real industry needs. You can respond to open calls, targeted challenges, or submit your idea at any time.
Call For Innovation
Timed opportunities published by us and our partners
Open opportunities invite submissions against a published brief within a fixed timeframe.
- Set scope and requirements
- Fixed deadlines
- Clear assessment criteria
- Often linked to defined funding routes
Best if your solution already fits the brief.
Industry Challenges
Specific problems set by energy industry partners
Industry challenges target defined problems where partners are actively seeking solutions.
- Based on live operational needs
- Can lead to feasibility studies, trials, or pilot
Best if you can adapt your solution to a specific use case.
Proactive Submission
Bring us your idea, even when no call is open
Proactive submission allows you to put forward an innovation without waiting for a live opportunity.
- Submitted via the EIC Innovation Hub
- Assessed against partner priorities
- Strong ideas may be progressed with our partners
Best if your innovation is early, novel, or cross-cutting.
Funding Routes
Find the best route for you
Funding routes can be complex. We help innovators understand how industry-funded opportunities work and where their solution could fit.
We regularly connect innovators with funding through the Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) and Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).
Other funding routes may also be suitable, depending on your idea and stage.
Network Innovation Allowance (NIA)
The Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) funds innovation projects ran by electricity and gas network companies.
Each network has an annual NIA budget. They use this funding to develop and deliver projects that improve how networks plan, operate and deliver services.
Innovators do not apply directly for NIA funding. Instead, networks use NIA to fund projects they lead, often working with external innovators as delivery partners.
NIA projects are usually smaller in scale than national competitions, often making them a good entry point for early-stage or first-of-a-kind ideas.
Think working on an NIA-funded project could be right for you?
Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)
The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) supports large, strategic innovation led by energy networks.
SIF focuses on major challenges facing the energy system. Funding is typically allocated through structured open opportunities linked to agreed industry themes.
Projects are competitive and often involve multiple partners. They can cover feasibility, demonstration and early deployment.
SIF projects usually require clear delivery plans, strong business cases and defined outcomes.
Think a SIF-funded project could be right for you?
Other funding routes
There are many additional funding options beyond NIA and SIF.
These can include:
Government innovation grants
Research and development funding
Regional and local growth funding
Sector-specific or technology-led competitions