London Innovation Hub: Grants, Accelerators & Support for Founders

London has more startup support than most founders realise. The trouble is that it’s spread across government agencies, universities, corporates, investors and community groups, each with its own rules and deadlines. This guide pulls the London innovation hub together into one place so you can see what exists, who it suits and where to start.

One caution before we begin: schemes change often. Always check eligibility and deadlines on the official website before you apply.

Government grants and funding

Innovate UK

Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency and the main source of non-dilutive grant funding for R&D. It runs competitions throughout the year, often focused on specific sectors or challenges such as net zero, health or AI. Grants usually require match funding and a detailed project plan, so plan weeks ahead rather than days.

Start Up Loans

The government-backed Start Up Loans programme offers personal loans for business purposes, along with free mentoring. It suits founders who need modest early capital and don’t want to give away equity.

R&D tax relief

If your company spends money developing new technology, you may be able to claim research and development tax relief. The rules have changed in recent years, so speak to an accountant who specialises in R&D claims.

Tax relief for your investors: SEIS and EIS

The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) give UK investors generous tax relief for backing early-stage companies. Many angels in London will only invest if you have SEIS or EIS advance assurance from HMRC, so apply for it early. It’s one of the simplest ways to make your round more attractive.

Accelerators and incubators

London has accelerators for almost every stage and sector. Well-known options include:

• Entrepreneur First: helps individuals find co-founders and build companies from scratch, with a strong technical focus.
• Seedcamp: one of Europe’s best-known seed funds, backing companies at the earliest stage.
• Founders Factory: builds and accelerates startups with corporate partners.
• Plexal: an innovation centre at Here East in Stratford running programmes in cyber, mobility and other fields.
• Level39: a fintech and cyber community in Canary Wharf.

Big corporates, including banks and telecoms groups, also run their own accelerator programmes, often with a route to a pilot contract.

University programmes

If your idea comes from research, universities are a powerful ally. Imperial College London, UCL, King’s College London and Queen Mary all run incubators, founder programmes and technology transfer offices. They can help with intellectual property, introductions to investors and lab space. Imperial’s White City campus is especially strong for health tech and life sciences.

Community and networking

Not all support is formal. Meetups, founder dinners and events such as London Tech Week each June are where many introductions happen. The investor and founder networks around Shoreditch, King’s Cross and Canary Wharf are surprisingly open if you show up regularly and are clear about what you need.

Common mistakes to avoid

Founders often apply for everything at once and end up with half-finished applications. Pick two or three schemes that fit your stage, prepare properly and ask previous participants what the programme actually delivered.

How to choose the right support

1. Pre-idea or solo founder: look at programmes that help you find a co-founder.
2. Early product, no revenue: apply for SEIS assurance, angel networks and pre-seed funds.
3. Deep tech or research-led: combine Innovate UK grants with university support.
4. Selling to corporates: sector accelerators can open doors to pilot customers.

For sector-specific context, read our guides to the London AI hub and London fintech hub. If you’re still choosing a base, our comparison of the tech hubs of London helps, and the London Tech Hub homepage links to every guide.