The UK Space Agency has opened International Bilateral Fund Call 3, a £12 million scheme offering up to £1.5 million per project for collaborations that strengthen the UK space sector’s international partnerships.

The call opened on 24 August 2026 and closes at 3pm on 4 November 2026. Projects can run for up to 18 months from 1 April 2027 and must be led by a UK organisation, with at least one international project partner included in the consortium.

For Earth observation companies, the important point is that no space subsectors are ruled out. The call FAQ says no subsectors or themes are out of scope, provided applicants can show how the project supports the fund’s international partnership objectives, economic growth aims and national security considerations where relevant.

That makes this a potentially useful route for EO firms looking to build export-led services, validate products with overseas partners or deepen relationships in markets the agency is encouraging applicants to target, including Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan and the USA.

The partnership requirement is central. A UK organisation must lead the bid, but funding can be distributed to international partners and subcontractors within the scheme’s caps. The FAQ also makes clear that applicants cannot rely on subcontractors alone to meet the overseas-collaboration requirement, so teams will need to line up genuine project partners rather than bolt on service providers late in the process.

There are practical constraints. Lead organisations are restricted to one application each, international partner costs are capped at 20 per cent of the total UK Space Agency grant value and matched funding must be secured at the point of application. That means bidders need a credible consortium structure, a clear commercial rationale and a realistic delivery plan well before the deadline.

For BARSC members, the opportunity is less about another generic funding notice and more about whether this call can help UK EO businesses turn bilateral relationships into revenue, market access and longer-term programme positions. Firms with propositions in climate services, infrastructure monitoring, agriculture, resilience, maritime intelligence or dual-use analytics may find that the international framing matches how customers are now buying EO-enabled services.

Primary sources: Find a Grant listing, UK Space Agency FAQ.