Grants are available for UK organisations across all sectors to fund new ideas for digital approaches to tackling vocational learning problems.

The VocTech Activate scheme has been launched to support the development of new ideas that use digital tools and approaches to transform how people in the UK gain skills for work. The scheme is described as a ‘test bed’ where the first spark of an idea which could solve a vocational learning problem can be scoped and tested in a supportive environment.

The design, development and early stage testing of novel approaches to digital vocational learning will be funded. The aim is to help take those ideas through basic prototyping to the next stage of 'seeding the market' by delivering a first proof of concept prototype and planning a route to market. 

There is an overall budget of £900,000 available. Individual grants of between £30,000 and £60,000 will be awarded for projects lasting up to 12 months.

Applications are chiefly invited from UK-based early-stage businesses, smaller digital innovators and other organisations looking to test new digital approaches on a small scale. Charities, trade bodies, existing learning providers, and employers who would like to test new approaches to using digital technology for vocational learning, may also apply.

Applicants are encouraged to attend a grant workshop before applying to the fund. More details about these workshops are available at the funder’s website.

The fund will open for stage 1 applications on 11 January 2023. The deadline to apply is 8 February 2023 (17:00 GMT).

How To Apply

The funder encourages all applicants to attend a grant workshop before applying to the fund. More details are available at the funder’s website.

Following feedback from Stage 1, successful applicants will be invited to proceed to Stage 2 in late February 2023. The deadline for submission of Stage 2 applications is 15 March 2023 (17:00 GMT).

For more information, visit the VocTech Trust website.