Accelerator funding

Accelerator funding is available to support academic staff, research staff and research students in creating impact from their work.

EPG funding has been replaced by Accelerator funding. There are now four funding streams for you to apply to:

  • Impact Accelerator
  • Knowledge Exchange and Engagement Accelerator
  • Commercialisation Accelerator
  • Policy Impact Accelerator

Accelerator funding aims to support the creation of social, cultural and economic impact through research-informed knowledge exchange and public engagement activities.

The dates for upcoming funding calls are available on the calendar. If all funding is allocated, deadlines may be withdrawn.

For more information about the application process, please visit the How to apply page.

Please note: As the Accelerator Funding is very competitive, it may not always be possible to guarantee space for a particular meeting or next scheduled meeting

Accelerator funding criteria

The Impact Accelerator supports delivery of tangible impact from research for REF case study amplification and expansion of reach and significance.

The Knowledge Exchange and Engagement Accelerator Facilitates research-informed public engagement, broader-based early-stage innovation, and knowledge exchange activities in support of our civic mission aligned with KEF, including:

  • the enhancement of research and innovation culture and environment
  • impact and early-stage innovation generation
  • public and stakeholder engagement
  • secondments to develop capacity and skills
  • impact and innovation fellowships and pre-disclosure commercialisation work

Projects may include more than one of the above activities.

The Commercialisation Accelerator funds mature commercialisation activities, including IP protection, market analysis, customer discovery, and spin-out support via LUEL.

The Policy Impact Accelerator facilitates the development of research-led policy engagement, with dedicated guidance from the University’s Policy Unit.

You will receive guidance and support from the University's Policy Unit throughout the duration of your project.

Accelerator funding can be used to support short-term secondment activity which should:

  • involve the secondment of academic or research staff into external organisations, or the secondment of industrial or other research-user personnel into the University to work alongside academics
  • comprise clear knowledge transfer with the potential to generate impact for both the academic team and the collaborating organisation
  • include a letter of support from any collaborating organisation, detailing their commitment to the project

Accelerator funding cannot be used to support research activities or dissemination to academic audiences.

Accelerator funding is currently drawn from two sources:

  • The Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) which is administered by Research England to support HEIs to work with businesses, public and third sector organisations, community bodies and the wider public. Activity that can help the country’s economic growth and productivity is currently a high priority and will continue to be so.
  • The EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) which supports the creation of an exploitation culture and realise impact from research that resides within the research remit of the EPSRC.


If Accelerator funding is not available, there are plenty of other funding sources to explore. Some are outlined in our Sources of alternative funding document.