The Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026 supports early-stage ideas that use technology to improve research. For 2026, the programme seeks trustworthy AI tools that can plan, act, review, and show how they reached their results.
Also, the grant focuses on agentic workflows across writing, discovery, evidence synthesis, peer review, funding decisions, and research integrity.
Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026 benefits
Selected applicants may receive:
- Up to £25,000 in funding.
- Advice from Digital Science experts.
- Useful introductions across the research and technology community.
- Feedback that can sharpen the idea or product.
- A chance to build a tool with clear audit trails, governance, and source records.
However, the award may go to more than one recipient. Moreover, applicants do not need revenue or a finished product.
Who can apply for the Digital Science Catalyst Grant ?
The grant welcomes:
- Early-stage startups.
- Research teams.
- Students.
- Individual founders.
- Researchers with a strong technology idea.
- Teams developing a prototype, working product, or early concept.
Furthermore, Applicants should build tools that solve a real research problem. The system should also complete several connected steps rather than answer one simple prompt.
What ideas fit?
Strong proposals may focus on:
- Trusted academic writing and authorship.
- Evidence review and research discovery.
- Researcher identity and reviewer matching.
- Funding and institutional decisions.
- Manuscript screening and publication integrity.
- Citation, figure, and source verification.
In addition, the tool should work inside a system that researchers, publishers, funders, or institutions already use.
Proposal requirements
Submit a proposal of no more than 1,500 words. Explain:
- The problem and who experiences it.
- How the workflow operates from start to finish.
- Where human review or approval happens.
- How the tool handles trust, audit, and source records.
- Your team and relevant experience.
- Your current stage and testing progress.
- Competitors and your main difference.
- Your long-term plan.
- Why the idea fits Digital Science.
- How you would spend up to £25,000.
Important dates for the Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026
- Applications open: September 1, 2026.
- Applications close: October 5, 2026, at 17:00 BST.
- Judging: October 12 to November 20, 2026.
- Winners announced: Week beginning November 30, 2026.
Also, Applicants can discover more grants and innovation opportunities on OpportunityLab.
How to apply for the Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026.
Before applying, identify the research decision your tool improves, the users it serves, and the result you want to measure. Then, show why the workflow needs several steps and how people can review or challenge its output.
For more information, visit: https://www.digital-science.com/about-us/investment/catalyst-grant/
