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Innovate UK Efficient, Structured and Controllable AI Systems

Innovate UK · Project work must be carried out in the UK, results must be exploited in the UK, and most of the funding must be spent within the UK.
Grant Applications open

Competition opens Monday 12 October 2026. Phase 1 of a potential 2-phase competition; a Phase 2 may follow, subject to Business Case approvals, with no funding currently allocated.

Innovate UK will fund UK SMEs to experimentally validate prototype AI systems built on novel reusable mechanisms for efficient, structured and controllable learning systems. The competition is aimed mainly at research-intensive AI startups, deep tech SMEs, university spinouts and pre-commercial companies with proprietary AI technology. Funding is a grant covering a share of eligible project costs of between £50,000 and £150,000.

Programme terms

Amount
up to £1.66 million
Funding type
Grant
Stages
Idea, MVP
Industries
AI & Machine Learning, Science & Research
Regions
Europe
Applications
November 18, 2026
Who can apply
UK registered SME businesses can apply; to work alone, the organisation must be a UK registered micro, small or medium sized enterprise. Total eligible project costs must be between £50,000 and £150,000. Projects must last between 1 and 3 months, start by 1 April 2027 and end by 30 June 2027. Projects must start at TRL 1, 2 or 3. Subcontractors are not allowed. An eligible organisation can only lead on one application. Applications must demonstrate that any use of an existing frontier model remains technically material above the base model. Phase 2 is not currently funded.
Apply on the programme's site
What happens when you click: The button goes to the organiser's site, where the form lives. Copy the questions and come back: the assistant answers them from your project.
Remind me before the deadline

1 email, 7 days before applications close. So you don't have to keep it in your head.

One email about this programme. No newsletter, no digest, one-click unsubscribe.
Data checked: October 29, 2026. Organisers change their terms. Check their site before you apply.

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