Funding for novel AI mechanisms
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is running the Efficient, Structured and Controllable AI Systems competition.
The competition aims to fund projects that create and experimentally validate new core artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) technologies. To be eligible, projects must show that a new AI mechanism could work in practice and be reused across future generations of AI products, platforms or services.
Projects must fit into at least one of the competition’s themes. These include AI systems that:
- use data and computing power more efficiently
- understand cause and effect to support better decisions
- reuse and combine parts of AI systems
- use structure from geometry, relationships or physics
Proposals do not need to develop a finished product, but they must show that the core technology is technically feasible. Projects must produce:
- a prototype AI algorithm, architecture or subsystem
- a way to test and validate the technology
- results against clear targets or a stated hypothesis
- a plan for further development
- a technical white paper
Projects must have total eligible costs of between £50,000 and £150,000. They must last between one and three months, start by 1 April 2027 and end by 30 June 2027.
This is phase 1 of a possible 2-phase competition. A second phase may follow, but no funding is currently allocated for it.
Who can apply
You can apply if you’re a UK-registered small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). The competition is mainly for businesses developing early-stage, proprietary AI technology, including research-intensive AI start-ups, deep tech SMEs, university spinouts and pre-commercial companies.
The deadline for applications is 11am on 18 November 2026.
Read the full Innovate UK competition brief before you apply. It sets out the full eligibility rules, project requirements and application process.
Source: nibusinessinfo
