How to secure ‘Match Funding’ the easy way

Funding, Partners
Sprk Funding

As part of our ‘Overcoming Barriers to securing R&D Grant Funding’ series, we look at how common challenges to securing R&D grants can be navigated by working with specialist partners.

In part one, we take a look at Sprk Capital, a specialist financing partner who offer a alternative, non-dilutive source of capital for matched funding.

R&D Grant Funding

R&D Grants will often fund a percentage of the overall project costs – 70% grant funding is common for UK and European grants for an SME. The other 30% (referred to as Match Funding) must come from the applicant. Match funding is normally over £100k. What if you don’t have the match funding?

Likewise, R&D grants will often require the applicants to cashflow the first quarter of the project – there is not always an up-front grant payment. The first quarter of an R&D grant-funded project is often £100k+. What if you don’t have sufficient cashflow?

Venturenomix has partnered with Sprk Capital to help overcome this barrier of match funding / cashflow funding an R&D grant.

Sprk Capital offers:

  • Quick turnaround on a lending decision in line with the tight timeframe between the award of the grant and the start of the project
  • Flexible borrowing facility that acts as a credit line throughout the R&D project that you can draw on as and when needed, quarterly or monthly
  • No personal guarantees required to secure the lending
  • Lending for match funding and/or project cashflow
  • Funding for R&D Tax Credit Claims as well as R&D Grant Funding

Sprk was founded to solve the cashflow needs companies engaged in innovation.  A Sprk Advance provides a solution to companies to allow them to invest without the requirement for other dilutive forms of capital such as raising equity. Speed, certainty and transparency of finance are core to our business. Working alongside advisors with a strong track record in Grant applications is key for us and we’re pleased to be partnering with Venturenomix.”  

Dominick Peasley, CEO
Sprk

We have seen how hard-won R&D grant funding can be lost due to cashflow / match funding barriers – it is very frustrating for all parties. So, if you would like an introduction to Sprk Capital, get in touch with us or visit their website directly.

More to explore

Below, you’ll find links to related external content that expand on the topics discussed in the article above. Please note that these links are provided for additional information and we are not responsible for the content on external sites.

More from Venturenomix

""

Grant to cover IP costs open for EU entities

The EUIPO’s SME Fund 2026 is a European Commission grant scheme that reimburses small businesses for the cost of protecting their intellectual property.  Who Can Apply? Any SME established in ...
Keeping confidential data safe

Is Your Confidential Information Safe in a Grant Application?

“What actually happens to the sensitive information I submit in an R&D Grant application?” Grant applications often require detailed explanations of your technology, business model, and intellectual property. If you’re ...

Underspend of £71.7m (72%) in Innovate UK Innovation Loans in 2025

Data from a recent Freedom of Information request shows that the Innovate UK Innovation Loans team had a £100m budget across 4 competitions in 2025, and only awarded £28.3m in ...