Funding and Support
Advancing ideas, technologies and businesses across the UK's creative industries.
Using our extensive industry expertise and cutting-edge facilities, we're uniquely placed to support every stage of business and IP development.
Follow us to hear about our exceptional opportunities, from free social impact workshops to competitions funding innovators to develop the world's most advanced creative IP and workflows.
To find out one of the ways you can benefit from our support, meet our 2025 CoSTAR Ideate cohort who talked to us at their showcase in Dundee last year.
CoSTAR Emerge-AI
Take the next step towards making your product a reality with this tailored programme, providing essential support as you develop your early stage concepts. Closes 18 August 2026
CoSTAR Screen Lab: Spatial Audio in Virtual Production
CoSTAR Screen Lab invites companies, technologists, and creatives to explore innovative applications of spatial audio to enhance audience interaction with visual assets in virtual production. Closes 19 August 2026.
CoSTAR Realtime Lab: Realtime Performance & Scene Intelligence
CoSTAR Realtime Lab invites partners from the creative technologies, film, gaming animation or virtual production industries to collaborate on an ambitious research initiative aiming to deliver transformative end-to-end workflows for on-set filmmaking, in-engine game animation, and real-time streaming. Closes 19 August 2026.
Webinar seriesR&D Tax Relief for the Creative Industries
Join CoSTAR National Lab, in partnership with Ad Valorem, for a three part webinar series on R&D Tax Relief for the Creative Industries.
Industry Access Programmes
CoSTAR runs a range of Industry Access Programmes giving UK companies and partners access to the infrastructure and expertise of the entire CoSTAR Network, with the aim of building and strengthening the UK's creative technology ecosystem. Our programmes take different forms; some accelerate individual creative R&D projects, while others focus on broader business growth opportunities.
Between them, our Industry Access Programmes represent £7m investment in innovation and business support for the creative industries. We provide:
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Funding calls
Funding calls for creative R&D projects which require access to key infrastructure in order to advance. Many of these calls also offer access to funding. Find out about our previous calls here.
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Business accelerators
Business accelerator programmes such as CoSTAR Ideate which invited early-stage companies to develop their prototypes. Find out more about CoSTAR Ideate.
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Workshops
Focussed workshops inviting companies to explore challenges and share knowledge related to particular technology or industry themes such as AI in production, sustainability and social impact. Find out about our previous workshops.
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Mentoring
Mentoring opportunities through calls like Evolve, connecting established companies with industry mentors to coach them in ways to expand their business and gain investor buy in. Find out more about mentors and Evolve.
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Inside Xtra Reality’s CoSTAR Ideate Residency
Xtra Reality create memorable, story-led experiences that blend live performance with spatial technology. During their CoSTAR Ideate residency at CoSTAR Live Lab, Xtra Reality tested different approaches to producing mixed-reality content, exploring the creative and practical benefits this could unlock.
HoloEdge
Ideate company HoloEdge used 5G and the CoSTAR Network to unlock new creative opportunities enabling performers and directors to collaborate in real time.
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Previous calls and funding programmes
