Future Leaders Fellowships Round 10 (Business & Non-Academic) – 2025

Programme:UKRI

Awards:Up to ~£1.2–£1.5m

Geographical Scope:national

Beneficiaries:public

Key Features:Empower your rising R&D stars with up to £1.5 million in funding and bespoke support. UKRI’s Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF) Round 10 invites businesses and non-academic organisations to host the next generation of innovation leaders.

Key Information

Scheme: Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF) – Round 10 (2025)
Total Funding Available: ~£110 million
Grant per Fellowship: Typically £400k–£600k from UKRI over 4 years (up to ~£1.2m–£1.5m total including host contribution)
Fellowship Duration: 4 years, with an optional 3-year extension
Application Deadline: 5 November 2025
Who Can Apply: UK-registered businesses, charities, non-profits, and public sector organisations to host a named Fellow

Scope

Projects must align with UKRI’s broad remit, covering:

Science and engineering
Technology, AI, and data science
Social sciences and humanities
Creative industries and interdisciplinary innovation

Fellowship projects should:

Be ambitious, novel, and potentially transformative
Tackle significant economic or societal challenges
Deliver long-term impact through innovation and leadership

Examples of suitable business-led fellowships include:

A biotech company developing a next-generation therapy
A cleantech firm building a novel renewable energy platform
A digital SME creating a groundbreaking AI solution
An advanced materials innovator scaling up a prototype to production

Application Process and Timeline

The application follows a two-stage process:

Outline Expression of Interest (expected summer 2025)
Full Application due by 5 November 2025

Each application must include:

A detailed project proposal
The Fellow’s CV and track record
A Host Organisation Support Statement

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview in early 2026, with results announced by mid-2026. Fellowships are expected to start later in 2026.

Fellowship Overview

The Future Leaders Fellowships programme supports exceptional individuals in delivering transformative, high-impact R&D. Round 10 builds on earlier rounds by expanding opportunities for non-academic hosts, enabling businesses, charities, and research organisations to invest in long-term innovation through talented future leaders.

UKRI provides funding for:

The Fellow’s salary
Research costs (equipment, materials, travel)
Professional development and training

Fellows dedicate 100% of their time to the project, with the host organisation providing mentorship and support. The programme is ideal for:

Attracting or retaining top talent
Undertaking high-risk, high-reward innovation
Strengthening cross-sector collaborations
Building prestige as a leader in UK innovation

Eligibility

To host a Fellow, your organisation must:

Be UK-based and incorporated
Have the capacity to support R&D activity
Be a business (SME or large), charity, non-profit, or public sector research organisation
Commit to supporting the Fellow’s career development throughout the fellowship

The Fellow must:

Be a named individual at the time of application
Have ~3–8 years of relevant postdoctoral or equivalent experience
Demonstrate clear leadership potential and the ability to lead a high-impact project
Be an existing employee or new hire

Other requirements:

Project must fall within the remit of at least one UKRI council
Hosts are expected to provide ~30% of project costs
- For SMEs and charities: UKRI may fund up to 70%
- For larger companies: UKRI may fund 50–60%

Fellows may undertake secondments, lead collaborations, and are expected to develop leadership skills that will benefit both the host and the UK innovation ecosystem.

Why Apply and Strategic Impact

Hosting a Future Leaders Fellowship gives your organisation:
- A fully funded senior-level R&D staff member for 4 years
- A structured route to develop high-impact innovation
- National recognition as a UKRI host
- Access to wider research networks and strategic collaborations
Successful business-hosted fellows have:
- Created new research units
- Filed patents and IP
- Opened new international markets
- Become long-term leaders within their companies

FI Group Support - Maximising Your Success

Applying for an FLF is competitive and complex – FI Group can help you succeed with end-to-end support:

Candidate Identification: Source internal or external Fellows aligned with your strategy
Proposal Writing: Create a compelling, high-scoring technical and leadership case
Host Commitment Statement: Demonstrate your readiness to support the Fellow
Budget Planning: Ensure clear, eligible match funding and strategic resource allocation
Collaboration Building: Introduce suitable co-mentors, academic partners, or secondments
Compliance Review: Ensure every section aligns with UKRI’s Excellence, Impact, and Leadership criteria
Interview Preparation: Mock panels and presentation coaching
Submission Support: Navigate the Je-S system and paperwork with confidence

Book An Introductory Meeting

FI Group Support - Maximising Your Success

FI Group Support - Maximising Your Success

Applying for an FLF is competitive and complex – FI Group can help you succeed with end-to-end support:

Candidate Identification: Source internal or external Fellows aligned with your strategy
Proposal Writing: Create a compelling, high-scoring technical and leadership case
Host Commitment Statement: Demonstrate your readiness to support the Fellow
Budget Planning: Ensure clear, eligible match funding and strategic resource allocation
Collaboration Building: Introduce suitable co-mentors, academic partners, or secondments
Compliance Review: Ensure every section aligns with UKRI’s Excellence, Impact, and Leadership criteria
Interview Preparation: Mock panels and presentation coaching
Submission Support: Navigate the Je-S system and paperwork with confidence

Book An Introductory Meeting

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