Local Innovation Partnerships Fund for Northern Ireland

Funding for NI innovation partnerships

The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) is a £500 million UK-wide programme from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It is designed to help businesses, universities, and civic partners work together to build and grow strong innovation clusters that create jobs and economic growth.

The Fund offers two opportunities for clusters in Northern Ireland: an earmarked strand focused on the Belfast-Derry/Londonderry Innovation Corridor, and a competitive strand, which is now closed but was open to clusters in other parts of the region.

Earmarked strand: Belfast-Derry/Londonderry Innovation Corridor

At least £30 million has been confirmed to support innovation clusters in the Belfast-Derry/Londonderry Innovation Corridor. This five-year funding (2026-2031) will help partnerships in the corridor develop and scale up projects with strong commercial potential. 

Life and Health Sciences and a Net Zero Transport/Energy Infrastructure-Enabled cluster have been confirmed as the clusters of focus for Northern Ireland's earmarked award.

What happens next?

A portfolio of projects has been developed to support innovation and accelerate new products and services to market.

Northern Ireland's LIPF portfolio has been submitted to UKRI and is currently under assessment. Subject to approval, projects are expected to begin delivery later in 2026.

For further information, download LIPF guidance notes (PDF, 222K) or contact the DfE LIPF Team at innovationfunding@economy-ni.gov.uk.

Full guidance and application details are available on the UKRI website.

First published 13 November 2025