Apply for SMART Capital Equipment Fund to Invest in Innovative Equipment and Improve Productivity in Wales
Application Deadline:
25 September 2026
About Organisation
The Welsh Government is the devolved government responsible for a wide range of public policy and investment programmes across Wales. It works to support economic development, innovation, businesses, research, skills, sustainability and improvements in public services. Through funding programmes such as the SMART Flexible Innovation Support scheme, the Welsh Government helps organisations invest in technologies and approaches that can strengthen productivity and resource efficiency. The SMART Capital Equipment Fund forms part of this wider support landscape and is designed to encourage investment in innovative capital equipment, digitalisation, automation, advanced manufacturing and circular economy solutions that can deliver measurable benefits for organisations operating in Wales.
About the Grant
The SMART Capital Equipment Fund Competitive Call supports organisations in Wales seeking to invest in innovative capital equipment that can deliver measurable improvements in productivity, resource efficiency and circular economy performance. Grants range from £50,000 to £250,000 and typically cover up to 50% of eligible capital costs. Supported investments can include innovative machinery, automation systems, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing equipment and other productivity-enhancing assets. Projects should demonstrate benefits beyond simply replacing old equipment. Applicants are expected to show how the proposed investment will increase output, improve labour productivity, reduce waste, improve material utilisation or generate other measurable operational and resource-efficiency improvements.
Who can Apply?
The fund is intended for organisations operating in Wales, including small and medium-sized enterprises, large businesses, universities, research organisations, further education colleges, third sector organisations and NHS Health Boards. The proposed project activity must take place in Wales and funded capital assets must be located in Wales. Applicants should demonstrate the financial, technical and organisational capacity to purchase, install, commission and operate the proposed equipment. The investment should contribute to the objectives of the competitive call and produce measurable productivity, resource-efficiency or circular-economy benefits. Projects will also be subject to applicable subsidy control requirements and Welsh Government due diligence.
How to Apply?
Identify the productivity or resource-efficiency challenge your organisation faces and select the capital equipment needed to address it. Explain why the investment goes beyond routine replacement and quantify expected benefits such as increased output, reduced waste or improved labour productivity. Prepare an eligible capital budget, demonstrate project readiness and confirm that assets will be located in Wales. Complete the required application and comply with subsidy-control and due-diligence requirements.
Application Deadline
The application deadline is 25 September 2026.
Last Date To Apply
For more information, please visit the grant website here.
