Guidance

PRIMA: Public Research Innovation and Market Accelerator

A structured market discovery programme supporting public sector organisations to explore the commercial potential of their Knowledge Assets.  

• From: Government Office for Technology Transfer and Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
• Published: 19 February 2026
• Last updated: 14 October 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 14 October 2026

     Changes made: Updated the introduction, removed the key dates section, updated the how to apply section and removed references to the fourth cohort/PRIMA 4.

  2. 19 May 2026

     The title has been updated to use clearer, GOV.UK style language. The opening paragraph has been revised to clearly set out who is involved. Open and close dates have been added as the key dates applicants need to know. Eligibility is now set out directly on the page rather than linking out. The application section now makes it clear that applications are managed externally by The Helix Way. A clear “How to apply” section has been added.

  3. 19 February 2026

     First published.

The Public Research Innovation and Market Accelerator (PRIMA) programme is delivered by the Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT) in partnership with Innovate UK.

PRIMA is a free, 10-week part time programme designed for UK government research organisations. Through expert led support, market validation and tailored business development, PRIMA equips teams with the skills and tools to identify customer segments, develop value propositions and begin their commercialisation journey.

What the programme includes

The programme includes:

• up to £2500 support early-stage market discovery and customer validation activities
• a two-day in person bootcamp focused on business model development and customer engagement
• a personalised Market Explorer report covering analysing potential customers, competitors, suppliers and the intellectual property landscape.
• eight weeks of tailored market validation with weekly coaching from a specialist
• one day of online pitch training, including feedback and refinement
• the opportunity to pitch to an experienced panel of funders and investors

Throughout the programme, participants have weekly access to a team of experts and a network of entrepreneurs, investors and funders.

Hear from PRIMA participants

PRIMA participants discuss their experience of the programme and reflect on their learning - Introducing PRIMA - Public Research Innovation and Market Accelerator.

Who can apply

PRIMA is open to UK Government Research Organisations, including Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) wholly owned institutes, and other public sector bodies that undertake research as a primary function. A full list of eligible organisations is available on the GOTT About us page on GOV.UK.

How to apply  

Applications for the current PRIMA cohort are now closed. To register your interest in future opportunities, please complete the online form.

For any questions, please email KACE@dsit.gov.uk.