About this programme
The Innovation Voucher is a £10,000 award from Invest Northern Ireland that pays for expertise, not cash to the business. It lets a Northern Ireland-based SME, social enterprise, third-sector organisation, or pre-trading entrepreneur buy time from a public-sector Knowledge Provider — a university, college, institute of technology, or research organisation across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland — to work on a specific innovation problem.
No money passes to the applicant at any stage. Invest NI pays the Knowledge Provider directly, up to £10,000, once the agreed project work is delivered. The programme exists because SME innovation levels in Northern Ireland trail the UK average, and it is built to seed first-time collaboration between a business and an academic or research department it has not worked with before.
The voucher covers expert time and specialist facilities on projects such as developing or improving a product, process, or service; identifying new materials; exploring new technologies; or scientific research support. It explicitly does not fund business plans, market research, website or app development, general marketing, training, or equipment purchases, and it cannot be used with a private-sector provider.
Invest NI runs three to four application calls a year, each open for about three weeks, so eligibility to apply is cyclical rather than always-on. Applicants who already qualify for support under another Invest NI programme are directed there instead of being awarded a voucher.
How it works
A single voucher is worth up to £10,000 (or euro equivalent) and is paid direct to the chosen Knowledge Provider — never to the applicant.
A business can hold only one 'active' voucher at a time, and cannot apply for a further voucher until the account with its current Knowledge Provider is fully settled, VAT included.
An applicant may receive up to 3 Innovation Vouchers over a rolling five-year period (the count was reset in May 2020, so all applicants currently start from a clean slate).
The voucher value tapers on repeat use: the 1st voucher covers 100% of a £10,000 project; the 2nd covers 80% of project cost (business pays the remaining 20% plus VAT); the 3rd covers 70% (business pays the remaining 30% plus VAT). Each of the three vouchers is capped at £10,000.
The award is exclusive of VAT, and VAT is always payable by the applicant — even if the business is not VAT-registered — invoiced directly by the Knowledge Provider on completion.
Up to five separate businesses can each apply for their own voucher and 'pool' them into a single larger piece of work with one Knowledge Provider — called a Pooled Project.
In limited cases, up to 20% of a voucher's value can be sub-contracted by the Knowledge Provider to an external party outside the approved provider list, where the Knowledge Provider lacks the specific skills required and Invest NI is notified in advance.
A voucher is valid for nine months from its issue date, and the project must be completed within that window.
Any foreground IP generated during the project belongs to the applicant business by default, unless the business and the Knowledge Provider agree otherwise.
Who can apply
Open to Northern Ireland-based SMEs, social enterprises, and third-sector organisations, including sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, new start-ups, and pre-trading entities or individuals with a project that could be commercialised.
Small enterprises (fewer than 50 employees) qualify with annual turnover and/or balance sheet not exceeding €10 million.
Medium enterprises (50–249 employees) qualify with annual turnover not exceeding €50 million or balance sheet not exceeding €43 million, and must not have received assistance under Invest NI's Grant for R&D programme in the last five years.
Companies in the transport and primary agricultural sectors are excluded under State Aid rules.
Where a ready private-sector solution already exists for the stated need, a voucher is unlikely to be awarded — the programme is for access to public-sector research expertise specifically.
How to apply
- Complete the preliminary eligibility questions at investni.com/innovation to confirm you qualify before the application form opens.
- Register on the MyINI portal with an email address and password (or log in with an existing account) to access the online application.
- Complete the application during one of Invest NI's three to four open calls per year, each running for about three weeks; a draft can be saved and returned to, but must be submitted before the call closes.
- Attach any supporting material (e.g. a sketch, drawing, or photograph) via the 'Attach Documents' button — each file capped at 10MB. Business plans, financial information, and market research should not be uploaded.
- Submit before the call's closing deadline, always 3pm on the final day — late submissions are not accepted, and printed applications are not accepted.
- Track progress by logging into the MyINI portal and checking the 'Submitted' tab; Invest NI aims to notify applicants of the Assessment Panel's decision within four weeks of the call closing.
- If awarded, contact a Knowledge Provider (self-selected or via Invest NI's directory) and agree a Terms of Reference covering scope, timeframe, deliverables, and cost; the Knowledge Provider forwards the ToR to Invest NI for approval before work can start.
Frequently asked
How much is an Innovation Voucher worth?
Up to £10,000 (or euro equivalent) per voucher, paid directly to the Knowledge Provider rather than to the applicant business. An applicant can hold up to three vouchers over a rolling five-year period, but only one active at a time.
Do we receive the £10,000 as cash?
No. Invest NI states plainly that the programme does not involve payment of funds directly to businesses. The voucher pays the Knowledge Provider for their time and expertise once the agreed project is delivered.
Is the Innovation Voucher application always open?
No. Invest NI runs three to four calls a year, each open for roughly three weeks, with the next call date published at investni.com/innovation. Applications submitted outside a live call are not accepted, and the submission deadline within a call is always 3pm on the closing day.
Do we pay VAT on the voucher?
Yes, always. The voucher is issued exclusive of VAT and its value cannot be used to cover VAT — the applicant pays VAT on the full project cost regardless of whether the business is VAT-registered (e.g. £2,000 VAT on a £10,000 project). A further voucher application will not be considered until VAT on the current one is settled.
Can we use the voucher with a private company or consultant?
No. The voucher can only be used with an approved public-sector Knowledge Provider — a university, college, institute of technology, or research organisation in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. Up to 20% may be sub-contracted externally only if the Knowledge Provider lacks the needed skills, and only with Invest NI's prior knowledge.
What can and cannot an Innovation Voucher pay for?
It funds expert input on developing or improving products, processes, services, or business models, and access to new materials, research, or technology expertise. It explicitly excludes business plans, market research, website/app development, marketing, training purchases, equipment purchases, and any work already eligible under another Invest NI programme.
How many vouchers can one business get, and what happens after the first?
Up to three, over a rolling five-year period, one active at a time. The first voucher covers 100% of a £10,000 project. The second covers 80% of project cost (business pays the remaining 20% plus all VAT), and the third covers 70% (business pays 30% plus VAT) — each still capped at £10,000.
How long do we have to complete the project once awarded?
Nine months from the date of issue. Each voucher carries its own issue and expiry date, and applicants approaching the deadline without finishing are asked to contact the Innovation Voucher team at Invest NI as early as possible.
Who owns the intellectual property that comes out of the project?
Foreground IP created by the Knowledge Provider during the project belongs to, or is assigned to, the applicant business by default, unless the business and the Knowledge Provider have agreed a different arrangement in advance.
Can several small businesses combine vouchers for one larger project?
Yes, as a Pooled Project. Up to five businesses can each apply separately, each note in their application that it is a pooled submission, and — if all are successful — combine their individual £10,000 vouchers with a single Knowledge Provider for a larger piece of work.
Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.