The government has opened applications for Scale UK Connect, a new pilot that will give 200 high-growth British firms tailored support to expand and stay in the UK. The scheme was announced on 29 October 2026 and is worth £3.4 million over 18 months, run by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade with London & Partners and regional delivery partners.

Who can apply, and by when

Science Minister Chris McDonald said the scheme would give companies the expert advice, investor connections and global opportunities they need to grow in the UK, stay in the UK, and create good jobs and growth in every postcode. The pilot is aimed at firms in the growth-driving sectors of the government's Industrial Strategy, and delivery partners include the Manchester Growth Company and the West Midlands Growth Company, alongside TechSPARK in the South West, Tech SY in Yorkshire and Pathways Forward in Scotland.

Why the government is running the pilot

To be eligible, a company must be registered and based in the UK, have annual turnover or investment of at least £2 million, employ at least 10 people including founders, and have ambitions to scale or expand internationally. Meeting those tests does not guarantee a place: applications are assessed against eligibility and selection criteria, and spaces are limited. Recruitment for the pilot runs until January 2027, the first cohort formally launches in February 2027, and each firm then receives 12 months of tailored support.

The scheme builds on London & Partners' Grow London Global programme, which supported 265 scale-up businesses to export in 2025-26, generating £595 million in gross value added, with more than 6,600 jobs expected. Scale UK Connect is designed to spread that kind of support across the UK, rather than concentrating it in the capital.

Sources: GOV.UK, UK Politics Decoded.