Up to £7.7 Million for CHERI Cybersecurity Innovation – UKRI Impact Acceleration

The UKRI Translation: Impact Acceleration – CHERI Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) opportunity will fund the creation of a major UK centre focused on moving CHERI security-by-design technology from academic research towards commercial adoption. The programme is funded by EPSRC and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Up to £7.7 million total project value

• EPSRC will fund 80% of the full economic cost

• One Innovation and Knowledge Centre will be funded

• Up to £2 million can be incorporated as flexible funding for impact, commercialisation, proof-of-concept and demonstrator activities

• Funding for prototypes, demonstrators, research staff, technical support, training and eligible equipment

• Focus on commercialising CHERI memory-safe chipset architecture

• Strong collaboration between academia and industry is expected

• Projects will run for 39 months, from 1 January 2027 to 31 March 2030.

Who can apply?

• The lead must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for EPSRC funding

• Consortia can involve a single research organisation or multiple institutions with an identified UK lead

• Applications should demonstrate significant links with relevant businesses and industrial partners

• Industry partners are expected to provide meaningful cash or in-kind support

• International researchers may participate under specific EPSRC arrangements

• Proposals must specifically focus on CHERI technology — other approaches to memory-safe or security-by-design technologies fall outside the scope.

Application deadline: 17 September 2026 at 4:00pm UK time.