Business Innovation Grant eligibility checker

Check if you eligible to apply for the Business Innovation Grant. See the guidance notes for more details. 

Is your business based in Northern Ireland?
Is your business a small or medium sized enterprise (SME)?

The Business Innovation Grant is open to Northern Ireland based small and medium sized enterprises and social enterprises. This includes sole traders, partnerships, limited companies and those businesses at pre-trading stage.
Are you able to provide your business HMRC Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), sometimes called a ‘tax reference’ number?
Does your project or idea clearly meet the Innovate NI definition of innovation outlined below?

"The development and implementation of a new or improved product, service, model or process which is novel, and has/will be introduced to the market (product/service) or implemented within the business (process, model) creating value"
Is your business a primary agricultural producer, which is primarily concerned with crops, animal production, forestry, logging, fisheries, or aquaculture?
Is your business able to demonstrate that it is a viable business and will remain so for the duration of the proposed project?
Will you be able to supply evidence that your business has sufficient resources to meet the match funding requirement?

Match funding is the difference between the total amount to be spent on the project and the funding awarded. Applicants are required to provide this match funding to ensure the project is fully implemented.
Do you accept the completion of Invest NI Customer Due Diligence checks on the business, including a credit check?
Is your business or any Director involved in a current bankruptcy/insolvency order, current IVA/CVA/CCJ or a current Company Director Disqualification?
  • IVA - Individual Voluntary Arrangement
  • CVA - Company Voluntary Arrangement
  • CCJ - County Court Judgment
Have you a current Letter of Offer or received financial assistance from Invest NI within the last five years? (Excluding Innovation Vouchers, Access to Finance funding e.g. Techstart NI Proof of Concept grants and NI Executive emergency COVID-19 schemes)?
    Examples of NI Executive emergency COVID-19 schemes include:
  • COVID-19 Restrictions Business Support Scheme (CRBSS) Part A
  • COVID-19 Restrictions Business Support Scheme (CRBSS) Part B
  • COVID-19 Limited Company Director’s Support scheme
  • COVID-19 Newly Self Employed Support Scheme
  • NI Micro-business Hardship Fund
  • Economic Recovery Innovation Grant (ERIG)
Have the project activities for which you are applying for BIG grant funding already received other public funding, such as government or EU funding? (Support from the Go Succeed programme is permitted when applying for BIG funding.)


Sorry, from your answers your business does not meet the eligibility criteria for the Business Innovation Grant.

Find out more about the Business Innovation Grant eligibility criteria.

Northern Ireland Business Support Finder
You can search for support for your business on the nibusinessinfo.co.uk Northern Ireland Business Support Finder

Innovation Vouchers
The Invest NI £5K Innovation Vouchers allow businesses or potential entrepreneurs to get expertise from a public sector knowledge provider, such as a University or College (NI and ROI) for your innovation project.

Find out more about Invest NI’s Innovation Vouchers

Based on your answers your business is eligible to apply for the Business Innovation Grant.

The Business Innovation Grant is delivered by Invest Northern Ireland. The application process will be through the Invest Northern Ireland customer portal.

Fill out the form below, and we'll send you detailed instructions on how to sign up and log in to the Invest Northern Ireland customer portal. You'll then be able to start your Business Innovation Grant application online.

For details on how we use your personal data, including your rights, please view our Privacy Notice on innovateni.com/privacy-policy

The online application process typically takes around two hours if you have all the necessary information on hand. You can save your progress and return to complete your application at any time before the deadline of 12.00 noon on Friday 13 December 2024.