Digital Catapult has opened applications for its Digital Twin Adoption Accelerator Programme 2026, a nine-month initiative designed to support partnerships developing proof-of-concept digital twin solutions.
The Accelerator provides up to £100,000 in Innovate UK grant funding per successful project, alongside technical expertise, mentoring and access to specialist facilities. Support is intended to help partnerships develop and refine functional proof-of-concept solutions that address real-world adoption challenges, demonstrate feasibility and business benefits, increase technology readiness and support future deployment.
The call is open to pre-formed partnerships made up of a UK technology SME and an industry organisation seeking to adopt digital twin technologies. Either partner may act as the lead applicant. The SME must work in at least one of six enabling technology areas underpinning digital twins:
- Cyber-physical systems
- Data services
- Security and trustworthiness
- Immersive technologies and user experience
- Intelligence
- Integration and interoperability
Industry adopters must operate in one of the eligible sectors: automotive, agri-tech, maritime, aerospace including space, defence, clean energy, creative industries or life sciences. Proposed projects should focus on adoption challenges within these sectors and include plans to test and validate solutions in real-world environments.
The Accelerator will support up to nine partnerships. In addition to the grant, participants will receive one-to-one mentoring throughout the nine months, support from Digital Catapult’s innovation and technology teams and input from UK Digital Twin Centre industry partners. Collaborations are also expected to establish pathways for scalability and adoption beyond the proof-of-concept stage.