Applied AI Growth Sprints FAQs

Applied AI Growth Sprints is a targeted support programme, delivered by Digital Catapult and funded by Innovate UK, designed for high-potential UK AI companies transitioning from validated pilots toward scalable, deployment-ready capability. 

Participants will gain access to a structured acceleration environment designed to tackle AI scaling challenges.  

Benefits 

• Deep expert support across critical scale-up areas, including AI systems and infrastructure, commercialisation and go-to-market strategy, and risk identification, security and privacy. 

• Clear pathways to scaling, through identification and prioritisation of individual key barriers, strengthening deployment readiness, and improving both technical and operational maturity 

• Focused, time-bound sprint modules designed to minimise disruptions of business operations. Each sprint combines cohort-based workshops, specialist deep dives, practical frameworks and tools, and tailored advisory support 

• Development of practical, high-value outputs, including capability roadmaps, positioning and market narratives, and risk frameworks 

• Guidance aimed at de-risking the scale-up journey, through early identification and mitigation of key risks and barriers, increasing the likelihood of successful deployment and strengthening confidence in progression to market readiness 

• Joining a curated cohort of UK AI companies navigating similar scale-up challenges across multiple sectors and technology domains 

• Increased visibility within the UK innovation ecosystem, with opportunities for follow-on engagement across the broader AI and innovation landscape 

A sprint is a time bound focused module designed to support your scale-up journey by addressing specific topics in a structured and practical way. Sprints are all designed to be focused, practical, and outcomes driven. Most sprints run for two weeks, and each sprint requires no more than 3 hours of mandatory participation per week. The sprint format will vary, but most sprints will include a group workshop alongside a 1:1 expert deep dive. 

• Open Call Live – Monday 13th July 2026* 

• Open Call Deadline – Sunday 16th August 2026, 23:59 

• Q&A Sessions – 17, 24, 31 July, 7, 14 August*  – Book a call now

• Notification of shortlisted projects and Invitation to interview – 28th August 2026* 

• Interviews – w/c 31st August and w/c 7th September 2026* 

• Notification of Successful Projects – 11th September 2026* 

• Contracting – 14th – 21st September 2026 

• Programme Start Date – 21st September 2026 

• Programme End Date – 26th February 2027 

*Dates and activities can be subject to change. Digital Catapult will endeavour to provide as much notice as possible to applicants/participants should any changes arise. 

Participants must be willing to commit to the following key obligations: 

• Attend the online kick-off event hosted by Digital Catapult in September 2026.  

• Attend all compulsory sprints hosted by Digital Catapult from October 2026 to February 2027. 

• If participating in additional sprints, attend all compulsory activities set out by the Sprint Owner. 

• Develop an artefact for each sprint, decided by the Sprint Owner.  

• Participant agrees to be visibly (name and logo) associated with the Programme, whilst in the Programme, and afterwards as a former participant and beneficiary.  This includes marketing collateral, such as website, print and digital materials.  

• For a maximum period of five years following the Project end date, Participant shall use its reasonable endeavours to answer specific questions from Digital Catapult relating to its growth and progress to assist Catapult demonstrate the impact of its activities. This shall include: (i) participation in an annual telephone conversation of one hour, and (ii) participation in a two early survey issued by Digital Catapult. 

You do not have to complete all 12 sprints offered on the programme.  

Participants must complete the 6 compulsory sprints.  

Participants will be allocated optional sprints based on their business need. Attendance to all activities on your allocated sprints is mandatory. Sprints activities will be maximum 3 hours per week. 

If there are certain recommended sprints that you feel are not relevant to your business or that you already have a strong understanding of, you may express this to the Digital Catapult team to ensure you are not allocated them.  

Participants can complete up to all 12 sprints that the programme offers. However, please note that the 6 optional sprints will be allocated based on business need.  

It is your responsibility to have the necessary data ready or a plan to obtain the data required by your AI solution. Digital Catapult will not ask you to share your data and, if access is given, these will be regarded as confidential information. Digital Catapult will not be signing NDAs for this specific programme.  

Match funding is not required for this call but we do welcome cash or in kind match contributions. Please let us know in your proposal and budget if you already have confirmed income or are expecting it. We also know that you will bring your own time, money, resources and networks to the work – this is of huge value and we will work with you to capture and recognise this as a match. 

The participants will have full ownership of their intellectual property created. For full details, please refer to the programme terms and conditions. 

The Applied AI Growth Sprints activities are planned to be delivered remotely/online. If an in-person event is organised, participants will be informed with plenty of notice.  

We only use your application information for the purpose of the programme. If information is shared outside Digital Catapult (for example, with programme partners) this will be made clear in the T&Cs and/or participation agreement.  

Yes, you will be able to save it during the application process, so that you can complete it in more than one session if you need to. 

Applications will be assessed and scored equally against three criteria. All applications must have an AI/ML use case to take part in the programme, but we welcome and encourage applications that wish to integrate any additional advanced digital technologies. 

1. Market and Strategic Fit (30%)

The significance and clarity of the customer or industry problem being addressed, and the extent to which the company offers a compelling and differentiated AI-enabled solution, and how strongly the opportunity aligns and contributes to the strategic objectives of the programme.

What we look for 

• Clear pain point and identifiable customer 

• Strong value proposition 

• Differentiation from existing alternatives 

• Defensible advantage (data, workflow integration, IP, speed, distribution, etc.) 

• Relevance and importance of the market opportunity 

• Evidence of strategic fit with the programme’s goals 

2. Product Maturity and Technical Capability (35%)

The credibility, maturity, and robustness of the technical solution, including evidence that the company can successfully deploy, operate, and scale the product in real-world environments.  

 What we look for 

• Technical feasibility and credibility 

• Product maturity 

• Deployment readiness and reliability 

• Evidence from pilots, users, or customer validation 

• Responsible AI, governance, security, or compliance where relevant 

• Capability of the technical team 

3. Growth Potential (35%)

The ambition and credibility of the company’s growth strategy, including its route to market, commercial model, scalability, and the team’s ability to execute rapid growth.  

What we look for 

• Clear go-to-market strategy 

• Scalable business model 

• Commercial traction or momentum 

• Realistic but ambitious growth plans 

• Team capability to execute 

• Potential for UK economic impact and scale 

Scoring Criteria 

The scoring criteria will be assessed based on statements in the areas above. Each criterion will be scored on a range from 0 to 5.
0 being an “Unacceptable or No submission” score for each criterion and 5 being an “Excellent” score for each criterion. This scoring will be applied to all applications. 

The application form will seek more details about your: 

• Company information and lead applicant 

• Market and Strategic Fit 

• Product Maturity and Technical Capability 

• Growth Potential 

Yes. We are holding a Q&A session every Friday morning during the application window. Please select a 15-minute slot here to speak to one of the Digital Catapult team about your application. They are intended to be informal, open, and accessible to anyone who wishes to participate in the programme, regardless of their background or experience level. They will not have an impact on the judging of your application. 

Applicants are reviewed by the Digital Catapult team and are assessed only on the information provided in the application. Following the first screening, successful candidates will be invited to an interview. For further information, please see the application process. 

Because of the number of applications we receive, we can’t provide feedback on applications that do not progress to the interview stage. 

Yes, you are welcome to apply for any other Digital Catapult accelerator programme. 

Unless the Digital Catapult or external programme brief or agreement states otherwise, you can still take part in Digital Catapult programmes, as long as the timings do not cause a conflict of interest and you are eligible to participate. 

If you have been part of any previous Digital Catapult programme you are also welcome to join. 

If you are facing difficulties applying through the SimplyDo platform or require any accessibility arrangements or considerations, please email [email protected] or please select a 15-minute slot here to speak to one of the Digital Catapult team.  

As well as meeting the selection criteria for this programme, you will need to be able to show that: 

• Applicants must develop solutions enabled by Artificial Intelligence. 

• Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed solution is at a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-5 at the time of application, meaning the technology has been validated in a laboratory and/or relevant environment but has not yet reached full commercial readiness. 

• Applicants must be a UK based registered company or prove they are a company that has an establishment in the UK, and undertake all activity in the UK. 

• Applicants must be eligible to receive £25,933 in State Assistance. 

• Applicants must be a UK-registered Startup or SME. An SME is any organisation that has fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than €50 million or a balance sheet total less than €43 million.