Request for Applications: AI Solutions to improve Productivity in Key Sectors (UK)

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £32 million in innovation projects.

The aim of this competition is to support the development and adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) solutions in the priority sectors of transport, construction, agriculture and creative industries.

Your proposal must:

• identify an end user for your solution within one of the priority sectors
• clearly indicate how your solution will improve business productivity or efficiency in one of the priority sectors

Specific Themes

Your project can focus on one or more of the following:

• data driven decision making
• automation of administrative tasks
• project management optimization
• supply chain optimisation and forecast models
• waste management
• intellectual property (IP) management
• design

Funding Information

• Project size: Your project’s total grant funding request must be up to £100,000
• Up to £32 million has been allocated to fund innovation projects in this competition. Funding will be in the form of a grant.
• If your organisation’s work on the project is commercial or economic, your funding request must not exceed the limits below. These limits apply even if your organisation normally acts non-economically but for the purpose of this project will be undertaking commercial or economic activity.
• For feasibility studies and industrial research projects, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:
  • up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
  • up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation
  • up to 50% if you are a large organisation
• For experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:
  • up to 45% if you are a micro or small organisation
  • up to 35% if you are a medium sized organisation
  • up to 25% if you are a large organisation

Who can apply?

• Your project
  • Your project must:
    • last between 4 and 8 months
    • carry out all of its project work in the UK
    • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
    • start on 1 April 2024
    • end by 31 March 2025
  • Projects must always start on the first of the month and this must be stated within your application. Your project start date will be reflected in your grant offer letter if you are successful.
  • You must only include eligible project costs in your application.
  • Under current restrictions, this competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian and Belarusian entity as lead, partner or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian and Belarusian source.
• Lead organisation
  • To lead a project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size.
• Subcontractors
  • Subcontractors are not allowed in this competition.
• Number of applications
  • A business can only lead on one application.

For more information, visit Innovate UK.