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AI Champions: Frontier AI Phase 1
Funding
Contact funder
Location
England
Applications
Open until 29 April 2026
This grant gives UK small and medium businesses up to £175,000 to test cutting-edge AI and machine learning ideas. You can get up to 70% of your project costs covered. Your project must cost between £150,000 and £250,000 total. The work focuses on proving your AI technology works in four areas: health and life sciences, advanced materials, national security, or foundational AI. Projects last 3-6 months and must start by August 2026. This is Phase 1 of a three-stage programme. Only successful Phase 1 projects can apply for Phase 2 funding later.
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- SME only
- UK registered
- no collaborations allowed
- 3-6 month projects
- AI/ML focus
- TRL 3 or below
Sectors
Regions
UK registered SME businesses can apply for a share of up to £3m to deliver feasibility studies for frontier artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies.
Applications open on 17 March 2026 and close on 29 April 2026. Email support@iuk.ukri.org or call 0300 321 4357 for questions about applying.
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Last updated: 29 April 2026