This page is for Scotland-based businesses. Based in England? Visit our England grant support page →
Microsoft for Startups PartnerAI Grant Support · Scotland · Scottish Enterprise · Innovate UK · BridgeAI · Free Service
Get Your AI Project Funded
Free Grant Writing for Scotland-Based Businesses
We Help You Apply for Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK and BridgeAI Grants — Then Deliver the Work
Scotland-based businesses have access to more AI funding than most realise — through Scottish Enterprise, the SMART: SCOTLAND programme, Innovate UK, and BridgeAI. Most businesses don't know they're eligible, or how to write an application that gets funded. We help Scotland-based businesses identify what grants are available, support the application for free, and deliver the AI consultancy work once you're funded. One condition: Skirr AI must be named as the primary AI consultant and developer on the project.
Free Service · Scottish Enterprise · Innovate UK · BridgeAI · Scotland-Based · No Obligation
What we offer
Free AI Grant Application Support
This is a free service. We help you identify relevant Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK and BridgeAI grants, assess your eligibility honestly, and support your application from scoping to submission. We do not charge for this.
The one condition is straightforward — Skirr AI must be named as the primary AI consultant and developer on the funded project. We help you get funded. We deliver the work. Both parties win.
✓ Free grant identification
We assess your eligibility across Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK and BridgeAI programmes — and tell you honestly what you're likely to qualify for.
✓ Free application support
We help you scope the project, structure the application, and write the sections that assessors score most highly.
✓ Funded delivery
Once awarded, we deliver the AI audit, consultancy or implementation work — on time, within budget, to grant reporting standards.
How it works
We Review Your Business Before the Call — So Every Minute Counts
This isn't a generic discovery call. Before we meet, you complete a short form telling us about your business, your AI project, and what you're trying to achieve. We review your answers in advance — so when we talk, we already have relevant grant options, eligibility assessment and honest advice prepared.
01 — Complete the Form
Tell us about your business, your sector, your team size, and the AI project you have in mind. Takes 5 minutes. The more specific you are about the business problem you're trying to solve, the more useful the call will be. Select a time that works for you. We'll confirm your booking once we've reviewed your submission.
Apply for a Grant Identification Call →02 — We Review Before We Meet
We assess your eligibility across Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK and BridgeAI programmes, and prepare specific recommendations for your situation. You won't be briefing us from scratch on the call — we'll already have done the groundwork. We discuss your project, the grant options available, and whether an application is worth pursuing. We will tell you directly if we don't think you're eligible or if the timing isn't right. If we both agree it makes sense to proceed, we start immediately.
03 — We Write the Grant — and Deliver the Work
Once agreed, we begin writing the application straight away. We may need some additional information as we go — we'll tell you exactly what and when. Once funded, we deliver the AI consultancy, audit or development work the grant was awarded for.
The terms
Straightforward Terms — No Hidden Conditions
What this service covers
Grants from £5,000 to £50,000. Project submissions within 30 days of our call. Project start within 3 months of award.
The one condition
Skirr AI must be named as the primary AI consultant and developer on the funded project. This is non-negotiable — it's how we make the free support service sustainable. If you want to use a different delivery partner, we're not the right grant support service for you.
Outside these parameters?
Grants over £50,000 and longer project timelines are considered on a case-by-case basis. Get in touch via the form and we'll tell you honestly whether we can help.
We will tell you if we can't help
If we review your form and don't think we can help — because you're not eligible, the timing doesn't work, or the project isn't fundable — we'll tell you before you book a call. We won't waste your time with a call that won't go anywhere.
Available funding
Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK and BridgeAI Grants Available to Scotland-Based Businesses
Important: Grant availability and eligibility criteria change regularly. The programmes below were active as of May 2026. We check current availability on every identification call and will tell you honestly what's open and relevant to your situation.
SMART: SCOTLAND — Scottish Enterprise R&D Grant
SMART: SCOTLAND is administered by Scottish Enterprise and supports Scottish SMEs conducting feasibility studies for high-risk, ambitious R&D projects with a clear commercial endpoint. AI projects that represent a significant technological advance for a UK sector and have a clear commercial goal are well-placed to apply. Your business must be registered and based in Scotland. This is often the fastest route to AI project funding for Scotland-based businesses that don't operate in BridgeAI's priority sectors.
Eligible: Scotland-registered SMEs only
Innovate UK BridgeAI Programme
BridgeAI is the UK Government's flagship AI adoption programme — open to Scotland-based businesses as well as England-based firms. Scotland-based SMEs can apply for grants from £25,000 to £50,000 for five-month AI proof-of-concept projects. Priority sectors include agriculture, construction, creative industries, transport, logistics and warehousing. Scotland has significant representation in several of these sectors — particularly agriculture, construction and creative industries.
Eligible sectors: Agriculture · Construction · Creative Industries · Transport · Logistics · Warehousing
Innovate UK Core AI Competitions
Innovate UK runs multiple open competitions throughout the year — many directly relevant to AI projects across manufacturing, health, energy, financial services, professional services and more. Scotland-based businesses are eligible for the full range of Innovate UK competitions. Applications are assessed on innovation quality, commercial viability and delivery capability. Match funding is typically required at 30–50% of total project costs.
Scottish Enterprise Regional Selective Assistance (RSA)
RSA funding is administered by Scottish Enterprise and supports capital investment and job creation in designated Assisted Areas of Scotland. For AI projects that involve significant investment and create employment in eligible Scottish regions, RSA may provide additional or alternative funding to Innovate UK programmes. We identify whether this applies to your situation on the grant identification call.
Eligible: Scotland-based businesses in designated Assisted Areas
Innovate UK Growth Catalyst — New Innovators
The Growth Catalyst programme supports early-stage Scotland-based innovators with disruptive AI concepts and clear commercial applications. Particularly relevant for Scottish AI startups and early-stage technology businesses developing novel AI applications with strong commercial potential.
Why apply with us
We're Free, We're Fast, and We're the Ones Doing the Work
Most grant application support services charge £2,000–£5,000 to write a single Innovate UK application. Grant brokers typically take 5–10% of the awarded amount as a success fee — meaning a £50,000 BridgeAI grant costs you £2,500–£5,000 before you've spent a penny on the actual project.
We charge nothing. And we move faster.
Because we're the delivery partner — not a broker — there's no handoff, no briefing process, no waiting for a third party to get up to speed. We review your form before the call, we start writing immediately once agreed, and we target submission within 30 days. A typical grant broker needs weeks just to understand your business. We've already reviewed it before you pick up the phone.
We are a Scotland-based AI consultancy. We have delivered for Scottish Futures Trust, Fife Council and the Scottish Building Standards Hub — all Scottish organisations. We understand Scottish Enterprise processes, Scottish Government procurement frameworks, and the practical reality of AI adoption for Scottish businesses. We are a Microsoft for Startups partner and listed on Crown Commercial Service. That track record goes in your application — not just ours.
£0
What we charge — versus £2,000–£5,000 at a typical grant broker
100%
Of your grant award goes toward the actual AI project — no success fee deducted
30 days
Target submission from our first call — faster than most brokers take just to onboard you
9,000 hrs
Savings identified for Scottish Futures Trust — the kind of outcome grant assessors want to fund
Apply for a grant identification call
Tell Us About Your Business and Your AI Project
Complete the form below. We review every submission before confirming your call. If we don't think we can help — we'll tell you, and point you in the right direction. If we think there's a real opportunity, we'll confirm your call within one working day.
Questions
What Scotland-Based Businesses Ask Before Applying
Is this service really free for Scotland-based businesses?
Yes — completely. We don't charge for grant identification, eligibility assessment, or application support. Our model is straightforward: we help you get funded, then we deliver the AI work the grant pays for. The one condition is that Skirr AI must be named as the primary AI consultant and developer on the funded project. If you don't get funded, we earn nothing from the support. That keeps us honest.
What's the difference between Scottish Enterprise grants and Innovate UK?
Scottish Enterprise administers Scotland-specific programmes — including SMART: SCOTLAND and Regional Selective Assistance — available only to Scotland-based businesses. Innovate UK runs UK-wide competitions that Scotland-based businesses are also eligible for. In many cases, Scotland-based businesses can access both — giving you more funding options than England-based businesses. We identify the best route for your specific situation on the grant identification call.
What AI projects are typically fundable?
Scottish Enterprise and Innovate UK fund projects that demonstrate genuine AI innovation — not just implementing off-the-shelf software. The strongest applications involve developing AI proof of concepts that address a clear business challenge in a novel way, implementing AI in ways that advance your sector's knowledge, or using AI to create measurable commercial impact. If your project is primarily about buying and configuring existing tools, it's likely not fundable. We'll tell you that honestly.
Do I need match funding for Scottish Enterprise grants?
It depends on the programme. SMART: SCOTLAND has specific match funding requirements depending on project type. Innovate UK competitions typically require 30–50% match funding. RSA funding has its own criteria. We clarify the exact requirements for each programme on the grant identification call and help you structure project costs to meet them.
How long does a grant application take?
Scottish Enterprise applications vary by programme — typically 4–6 weeks for a strong SMART: SCOTLAND application. BridgeAI and Innovate UK competitions typically require 4–8 weeks preparation. Our service targets submissions within 30 days of our call. We'll give you a realistic timeline on the identification call based on which programmes are open and relevant.
What if we don't get the grant?
We'll tell you before you apply if we think the application is unlikely to succeed. If you apply and are unsuccessful, we can help you identify alternative Scottish Enterprise or Innovate UK routes, or discuss whether a self-funded AI audit makes sense. Our Scotland Starter audit starts from £2,750 — accessible without grant funding for most Scottish businesses that are serious about AI adoption.
Ready to find out what you're eligible for?
Find Out Which Scottish Enterprise or Innovate UK Grant Your Business Can Apply For
Complete the form above and we'll review your submission within one working day. If there's a genuine grant opportunity, we'll confirm your call. If there isn't, we'll tell you — and point you somewhere more useful.
Apply for a Grant Identification Call →Free service · Scotland-based businesses · Scottish Enterprise · Innovate UK · BridgeAI · Grants from £5,000–£50,000 · 48 hours minimum notice · Skirr AI named as primary delivery partner required