Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer to Question 189253 on Innovate UK published on 21 June 2023, what the total annual value of grants will be for the Begin and Build programme; and what sums were granted by (a) Women in Innovation and (b) Young Innovators in each of the last three years for which data are available.

Innovate UK, is investing up to £6 million though 225 separate awards comprising the Begin and Build strands of Diverse Innovators Award. Applications for this competition open on 10 July 2023, and it is designed to deliver increased impact by widening the doors to invite a wider range of under-represented innovators with great ideas to engage with Innovate UK as they start and build their businesses.

The specific sums granted were:

For Women in Innovation, £2m in 2020 and 2021 and increasing to £2.5m in 2022.

For Young Innovators, £1.59m in 2020 and 2021 and increasing to £2.4m in 2022.