This week, Connected Places Catapult has launched the first application call for 2026 aiming to award up to £2,385,000 across up to 53 projects, receiving up to £45,000 each.
TRIG (Transport Research and Innovation Grants) is the flagship innovation programme funded by Department for Transport and delivered by Connected Places Catapult (CPC). It supports innovators developing bold ideas that help shape a safer, greener, more accessible and more resilient transport network.
Over the last 12 years, TRIG has supported 474 projects and provided £17.4 million in funding across 18 funding calls. In that time, solutions funded by TRIG have raised over £199m in further grant investment and secured over £250m in private investment.
TRIG is open to virtually all UK-registered legal entities – public, private and third-sector organisations of any size, including start ups, scale ups, academic organisations, charities, and local or combined authorities.
Applications are particularly encouraged from women-led business, underrepresented innovators and those based outside London and the South East of England.
Application support webinar
On 19 May 2026, Connected Places Catapult is holding a support webinar to give applicants the opportunity to find out more about the programme offering, challenges, application process, scoring criteria, and the assessment process.
Find ot more and register here
Open call closes on Friday, 5 June 2026 at 12:00pm.
(Image – Connected Places Catapult)