Innovation
Demonstrate: Design it, deliver it, demo it
Build a product or process demonstrator in under 12 months.
About this competition
If you are a UK-based company at an early stage in your product or process development, or if you need a short, sharp sprint to get your technology to ready stage, then Demonstrate is for you.
By the end of the programme, the demonstrator you build will enable your business to capitalise on market opportunities or help drive cost competitiveness and have the potential to attract further investment.
Successful applicants will also have the opportunity to showcase their demonstrator at one of the biggest events in the UK automotive industry’s calendar, Cenex Expo.
Please note:
- Application deadline 1 October 2025
- Applicants informed 4 November 2025
- Project start from 1 February 2026
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- Deliver your demonstrator within a 9-12 month period (complete by 31 January 2027)
- Grant-funding available between £500,000 and £1.5 million, a minimum of 50% match-funded
- Achieve TRL5-6 or MRL4-5 on completion
- Open to single applicants or collaborative teams
- Showcase your demonstrator and your company at Cenex Expo 2027
Testimonials
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“The cross-partner project team worked seamlessly together to successfully deliver a functional demonstrator fuel-cell vehicle along with its digital twin – the first of its kind in Ford of Europe. ARMD enabled the project to achieve all its goals, by offering funds, and by facilitating a collaborative framework, with project management support.”
— Simon Palmer, Chief Engineer Ford of Europe
Scope
Your project must fall within one or more of the following themes:
Zero-emission vehicles:
Focus on product and process innovations that contribute toward achieving zero-emissions for on-board vehicle applications throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
Manufacturing competitiveness:
Use R&D innovation to improve the efficiency, productivity, and cost-competitiveness of manufacturing plants and their related supply chain, enabling the competitive transition to manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles in the UK and/or lowering embedded carbon emissions in the manufacturing process.
Software Defined Vehicles (SDV) and Electronic and Electrical Architectures (EEA):
Focus on innovations in automotive software and EEA to enhance zero-emission vehicle functionality and reduce time to market. These projects will leverage the UK’s established reputation for innovation and build global product competitiveness.
For more detailed scope and eligibility criteria, visit the IFS website.
Success stories
Delivering the goods: prototype fuel cell electric Transit van
For this project, Ford UK and AVL Powertrain UK partnered to deliver a demonstrator light commercial fuel cell electric vehicle.
APC UK Highlights from Cenex-LCV and Cenex-CAM 2021
Catch up on the highlights from our activity at Cenex's #LCV2021 #CAM2021.
How to apply
Applications for Demonstrate open twice a year. If you’ve got an exciting project that fulfills the eligibility criteria outlined above, you can apply on the Innovation Funding Service website by clicking the button below.
To support you with the application process, we’ve put together an applicant briefing webinar with our partners at the Department for Business and Trade and Innovate UK. You can watch the recording here or download our info pack.
All grant-funding is subject to Ministerial and His Majesty’s Treasury approval and will be awarded in accordance with the Minimal Financial Assistance provision outlined in the Subsidy Control Act 2022.