Deadline Date: May 5, 2026
The Universal Fabricators Programme is inviting grant applications to advance protein-programmed manufacturing systems capable of producing scalable and functionally advanced materials.
Focus Areas, Manufacturing Abundance opportunity space, protein-based material manufacturing, programmable protein assembly systems, scalable manufacturing processes, development of protein instruction sets, creation of multi-functional materials, production of advanced inorganic materials, technological superiority over current material manufacturing methods, industrial-scale protein manufacturing, technology readiness level development (TRL 4–5), manufacturing readiness level (MRL 4), field and flow induced alignment processes, post-processing techniques, scalable production systems, in-house metrology, R&D collaboration, interdisciplinary research ecosystem participation.
The programme has total funding of approximately £50 million, with around £34 million allocated to be distributed across up to 9 creator teams over a three-year period, with flexibility to further invest in high-performing teams to accelerate their progress.
The programme aims to develop scalable processes that use proteins as programmable systems for assembling materials with complex structures that are currently not possible to mass manufacture. It focuses on unlocking a new generation of material fabrication techniques under the broader vision of Manufacturing Abundance.
A central objective of the programme is to solve the protein assembly challenge by developing a programmable instruction set that enables proteins to self-organise into large and multi-functional structures. This capability is intended to transform how advanced materials are designed and manufactured at scale.
The initiative also focuses on ensuring scalability by advancing protein-based manufacturing systems to a level where they can support industrial production. This includes reducing technical risks and improving resilience and volume capacity to enable transition toward large-scale manufacturing environments.
The programme seeks teams working on protein-programmed materials manufacturing platforms that are highly iterative and adaptable. Priority is given to processes that support protein assembly through alignment mechanisms and post-processing techniques, as well as approaches grounded in first-principles scalability and supported by in-house metrology capabilities.
The programme is not focused on metrology benchmarking partnerships, software development, modelling as standalone tools, or scaling protein production itself. Instead, it prioritises integrated experimental and manufacturing platform development.
Applications are welcomed from across the research and development ecosystem, including individuals, universities, research institutions, companies of all sizes, charities, and public sector research organisations.
For more information, visit ARIA.
