Matched funding is available for UK SMEs adopting AI, and most businesses we speak to qualify. The forms put people off. That's the bit we take off your plate: eligibility, scoping, write-up, submission. You answer a few questions and sign.
"Matched" means the funder pays a share of your project cost and you pay the rest. It's not a loan and it's not a tax break, it's a contribution towards a project you'd struggle to justify on your own. The catch is that the application takes time and reads like a small dissertation. We do that bit.
We're not a broker and we're not a generic grant agency. We only put forward applications where the underlying AI project is one we'd build and stand behind ourselves, that's why the write-up holds water.
Typically a meaningful share comes from the funder. We'll walk you through the exact split before you commit anything.
Established UK SMEs with a real AI use case. We check it free in under a week and tell you straight if it's a no.
Worker setup & rental, full rollouts, private AI, training. We choose the project shape that fits the scheme.
We write everything. You answer the founder-only questions (vision, customers, financials) and sign the submission.
The worker, the playbook, the data, the relationships. Funding pays for the project. You keep the outcome.
Predictable, low-risk, low-time-cost. We do the heavy lifting; you keep the steering wheel.
You spend about 30 minutes filling in the EOI form. We come back within one working day with a yes/no on eligibility.
A 45-minute call to firm up the project shape, costs and outcomes. We agree the split and what you're applying for.
We draft the application, evidence pack and budget. You review, tweak the founder bits, sign. We submit.
On award we start the build. The funder pays their share against milestones; you pay yours on the same schedule.
Match-funded projects shaped around the work that needs doing in your business, not the other way round.
Setup, integration and a defined period of managed worker rental rolled into a single funded project. The easiest first AI hire for most teams, with a clear monthly cost.
End-to-end AI rollout across multiple roles. Bigger projects, bigger match, bigger impact on your week. Ideal when one worker has already proved its worth.
On-prem or tenant-isolated AI for regulated work. Funding meaningfully reduces what is otherwise a chunky capex, especially for legal, finance and healthcare firms.
Practical workshops for owners and staff. Often the easiest piece to get over the line and the fastest payback, with very high uptake from busy SME teams.
Most established UK SMEs we speak to qualify. We run a free eligibility check before you commit any time. If it's not a fit, we tell you straight away and point you at what is.
No. The eligibility check and the application service are free. You only pay your share of the matched project cost once the funding is awarded and the work begins.
From your expression of interest to a decision is usually a few weeks, not months. We aim to come back to you within one working day, complete eligibility within a week, and submit a polished application shortly after that.
Yes, depending on the scheme. Matched funding usually covers the setup and a defined period of the rental, plus training and integration costs. We'll walk you through exactly what's covered before you sign.
You owe us nothing for the application work. We'll talk through the reasons, and if there's a stronger angle or a different scheme that fits, we'll put that to you. Most rejections are recoverable with a re-frame.
Anything that lands real, measurable AI use inside your business. Examples we've shaped applications around: an AI worker for inbox and quoting, a private AI for regulated client data, training and rollout for a whole sales team. The funder wants to see a clear before/after, and that's exactly how we frame the case.
Spend 30 minutes telling us about your business. We'll come back within one working day with a clear yes/no, and the next step.