Funding for a Knowledge Base (e.g. HEI), working with a Business Partner (e.g. businesses, not for profit organisations, social enterprises, public sector organisations, charities or charitable businesses), to deliver a short, rapid and targeted intervention. This intervention will accelerate the evaluation or development of an innovation project or concept, with the potential for a significant impact for the Business Partner.
Projects must be focused on improving treatment, recovery, and harm reduction, prevention for people with drug or alcohol addictions.
Each Innovate UK AKT project will establish a new partnership or consolidate an existing collaboration between the Knowledge Base and the Business Partner through knowledge exchange activity.
AKT is not a research project, but exploits research already completed. However, during the life of the project, new knowledge may be generated.
ELIGIBILTY
Projects must target unmet needs, including those highlighted in:
- the UK’s Drug Strategy, from Harm to Hope (2021)
- Dame Carol Black’s Review of Drugs
- wider UK drug and alcohol strategies
- specific local priorities and needs
Where possible:
- be designed in consultation with people with lived experience of addictions
- account for complex needs (e.g. mental health, housing, criminal justice)
- demonstrate alignment to delivery of relevant UK Government missions
Substances in scope of this competition include those treated in typical services incuding:
- alcohol
- opioids (illicit and prescription)
- stimulants (e.g. cocaine/crack, amphetamine, and ‘meth’)
- cannabis
- GHB
- ketamine
- benzodiazepines
- gabapentinoids
Areas out of scope of this competition are:
- tobacco or nicotine addiction
- gambling and behavioural addictions
- prevention of initiation of use of addictive substances
- early intervention in substance use behaviour, prior to addiction being established as a treatment need
Further details and background to Addiction Healthcare Goals is available within the AKT4 Scope Document.
VALUE AND DURATION
The maximum grant will be £35,000 per project. The Business Partner must contribute 10% (minimum) of the total project costs in cash
Projects must run for 13 weeks.
KEY DATES
Deadline: 2 July 2025 (11am)
Applicants notified: 4 September 2025
Feedback: 11 September 2025
Further information can be found on the opportunity webpage and in the applicant briefing video and scope document below.