Deadline: 31 March 2026 — Made Smarter South East pilot ends. £325K still available. Applications typically processed in 2-4 weeks.
Get up to £20,000 in government funding for AI adoption. Our AI writes your application in 48 hours. You just need to show up for a 15-minute call.
Made Smarter is a UK government programme that funds manufacturers to adopt digital technologies — AI, automation, IoT, robotics, and data analytics.
The South East pilot launched in 2025 with a dedicated £325K budget. Businesses receive up to £20,000 in grant funding (50% match) plus free access to technology specialists and workshops.
The catch? The application forms are detailed, time-consuming, and most manufacturers don't know where to start. That's where we come in.
From first call to funded project in under 2 weeks.
We analyse your website, Companies House data, and a 15-minute call to understand your operations.
Our AI generates a complete Made Smarter application tailored to your business — project description, business case, budget breakdown, and milestones.
We review every word, prepare supporting evidence, and package everything in the exact format Made Smarter requires.
We submit on your behalf and handle any follow-up questions from the Made Smarter team. Post-approval, we can implement the technology too.
AI-generated, human-reviewed application document ready for submission.
Detailed costings showing Made Smarter contribution vs your match funding.
ROI projections, productivity savings, and competitive advantage analysis.
Supporting documentation: accounts summary, team structure, technology assessment.
Post-approval plan showing exactly how the funded technology will be deployed.
We handle the submission process and respond to any queries from the Made Smarter team.
Made Smarter South East is open to most manufacturers in the region.
Not sure? We'll check your eligibility for free during the 15-minute call. If you don't qualify for Made Smarter, we'll point you to other grants you can apply for.
50% recoverable if your grant is approved (effectively £1,250)
The maths: You pay us £2,500. Made Smarter grants you up to £20,000. Net return: up to £17,500 in funded technology for your business.
No payment until we've confirmed your eligibility. Full refund if application is rejected (hasn't happened yet).
AI software, automation tools, IoT sensors, robotics, data analytics platforms, cloud migration, and digital twin technology. We help you identify the right technology during the application process.
From your first call to submission: 48 hours. Processing by Made Smarter: typically 2-4 weeks. Total time from call to funded: under 6 weeks.
Full refund of your £2,500 fee. Though with the South East pilot's near-100% approval rate, this hasn't happened yet.
Yes. Kent AI Partners can be named as your Technology Adoption Specialist in the application, then deliver the implementation using the grant funding.
Yes. The South East pilot has a fixed end date. Applications submitted before March 31 will be processed, but the programme may not continue. Apply now while funding is available.
Book a 15-minute eligibility call. If you qualify, we write and submit your application within 48 hours. Deadline: 31 March 2026.
Book Eligibility CallFree call. No obligation. We check eligibility on the spot.