UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £2 million in grant funding to deliver AI demonstrator projects. These projects are intended to benefit efficiency in supply chains and increase firm level productivity.
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £2 million in innovation projects. This funding is from Innovate UK’s BridgeAI programme.
These projects will be to accelerate the development and adoption of artificial intelligence solutions across supply chains of the UK economy. The projects are intended to benefit efficiency in supply chains and improve business decisions at firm level.
The aim of this competition is to develop a product or process that enables data from micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and large organisations to be shared in a trust less environment. The product or process must enable the development of new Artificial Intelligence solutions for the benefit of supply chain efficiency and firm level productivity. The output of these projects must be in the form of a demonstrator.
Your project must demonstrate clear monetisation strategies that incentivize data sharing and business models that span benefits across organisations and sectors.
We will fund late R&D projects that will demonstrate benefits for at least two of the three BridgeAI target sectors:
Your proposal must comply with the scope and eligibility requirements and include a consortium of SME and large organisations from at least two of the three key target sectors.
In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition has a funding limit, so we may not be able to fund all the proposed projects. It may be the case that your project scores highly but we are still unable to fund it.
This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated in this Innovate UK competition brief. We cannot guarantee other government or third party sites will always show the correct competition information.
Grant
Your project’s total grant funding request must be between £1.9 million and £2 million.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.
You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.
We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline.
You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Your project
Your project must:
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 or Belarusian entity as lead, partner or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian or Belarusian source.
Lead organisation
To lead a project your organisation must:
More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.
Academic institutions cannot lead or work alone.
Project team
To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:
Each partner organisation must be invited into the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) by the lead to collaborate on a project. Once partners have accepted the invitation, they will be asked to login or to create an account in IFS. They are responsible for entering their own project costs and completing their Project Impact questions in the application.
To be an eligible collaboration, the lead and at least four other organisations must apply for funding when entering their costs into the application.
Non-funded partners
Your project can include partners that do not receive any of this competition’s funding, for example, non-UK businesses. Their costs will count towards the total project costs.
Subcontractors
Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.
Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.
All subcontractor costs must be justified and appropriate to the total project costs.
Subcontractor costs are limited to 20% of each partners total costs.
Number of applications
A business, research and technology organisation (RTO) or not for profit organisation can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in two further applications.
If an RTO, not for profit or public sector organisation is not leading any application, it can collaborate in any number of applications.
An academic institution can collaborate on any number of applications.
Use of animals in research and innovation
Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.
Applicants must ensure that all of the proposed work within projects, both that in the UK and internationally, will comply with the UKRI guidance on the use of animals in research and innovation.
Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.
You cannot use a previously submitted application to apply for this competition.
We will not award you funding if you have:
This competition provides funding to enterprises using the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme.
The Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Scheme can be viewed on the subsidy database here: SC10780.
This is in line with the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Further information about the Subsidy requirements can be found within the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk).
Innovate UK is unable to award organisations that are considered to be in financial difficulty. We will conduct financial viability and eligibility tests to confirm this is not the case following the application stage.
EU State aid rules now only apply in limited circumstances. Please see the Windsor Framework to check if these rules apply to your organisation.
Further Information
If you are unsure about your obligations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022 or the State aid rules, you should take independent legal advice. We are unable to advise on individual eligibility or legal obligations.
You must always make sure that the funding awarded to you is compliant with all current Subsidy Control legislation applicable in the United Kingdom.
This aims to regulate any advantage granted by a public sector body which threatens to, or actually distorts competition in the United Kingdom or any other country or countries.
Up to £2 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.
Choose the applicable categories below:
Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme Category 1 Feasibility studies, you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:
Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme: Category 2 Industrial Research projects, you can get funding for your eligible project costs of:
Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme: Category 2 Experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:
For more information on company sizes, please refer to the company accounts guidance.
If you are applying for an award funded under State aid Regulations, the definitions are set out in the European Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003.
Research participation
The research organisations undertaking non-economic activity as part of the project can share up to 20% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation undertaking non-economic activity, this maximum is shared between them. Of that 20% you can get funding for your eligible project costs of up to:
The aim of this competition is to develop a product or process that enables data from micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and large organisations to be shared in a trust less environment. The product or process must enable the development of new Artificial Intelligence solutions for the benefit of supply chain efficiency and firm level productivity. The output of these projects must be in the form of a demonstrator.
Your project must:
You must also demonstrate benefits for at least two of the three key sectors areas:
Portfolio approach
We want to fund a variety of projects across markets, technological maturities and research categories. We call this a portfolio approach.
Your project can focus on one or more of the following:
We will fund feasibility studies, industrial research and experimental development projects, as defined in the guidance on categories of research.
We are not funding projects that are:
We cannot fund projects that are:
24 June 2024
Online briefing event: watch the recording
24 June 2024
Competition opens
9 July 2024
Live Q&A Webinar: watch the recording
21 August 2024 11:00am
Competition closes
27 September 2024
Applicants notified
27 September 2024
Applicants notified
You must read the guidance on applying for a competition on the Innovation Funding Service before you start.
Before submitting, it is the lead applicant’s responsibility to make sure:
You can reopen your application once submitted, up until the competition deadline. You must resubmit the application before the competition deadline.
What we ask you
The application is split into four sections:
Accessibility and Inclusion
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments, for people who have a disability or a long-term condition and face barriers applying to us.
You can contact us at any time to ask for guidance.
We recommend you contact us at least 15 working days before this competition’s closing date to allow us to put the most suitable support in place. The support we can provide may be limited if you contact us close to the competition deadline.
You can contact Innovate UK by email or call 0300 321 4357. Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
This section provides background for your application and is not scored.
Application team
Decide which organisations will work with you on your project and invite people from those organisations to help complete the application.
Application details
Give your project’s title, start date and duration.
Research category
Select the type of research you will undertake.
Project summary
Describe your project briefly and be clear about what makes it innovative. We use this section to assign the right experts to assess your application.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Public description
Describe your project in detail and in a way that you are happy to see published. Do not include any commercially sensitive information. If we award your project funding, we will publish this description. This can happen before you start your project.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Scope
Describe how your project fits the scope of the competition. If your project is not in scope, it will not be sent for assessment. We will tell you the reason why.
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
The assessors will score all your answers apart from question 1, 2 and 3. You will receive feedback for each scored question. Find out more about how our assessors assess and how we select applications for funding.
You must answer all questions. Do not include any website addresses (URLs) in your answers.
Question 1. Applicant location (not scored)
You must state the name and full registered address of your organisation and any partners or subcontractors working on your project.
We are collecting this information to understand the geographical location of all applicants.
Question 2. Animal testing (not scored)
Will your project involve any trials with animals or animal testing?
You must select one option:
We will only support innovation projects conducted to the highest standards of animal welfare.
Further information for proposals involving animal testing is available at the UKRI Good Research Hub and NC3R’s animal welfare guidance.
Question 3. Permits and licences (not scored)
Will you have the correct permits and licences in place to carry out your project?
We are unable to fund projects who do not have the correct permits or licences in place by your project start date.
You must select one option:
Question 4. Need or challenge
What is the business need, technological challenge, or market opportunity behind your innovation?
Explain:
Your answer can be up to 800 words long.
Question 5. Approach and innovation
What approach will you take and where will the focus of the innovation be?
Explain:
Your answer can be up to 800 words long.
You can submit one appendix to support your answer. It can include diagrams and charts. It must be a PDF, up to 2 A4 pages long and no larger than 10MB in size. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Question 6. Team and resources
Who is in the project team and what are their roles?
Explain:
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
You can submit one appendix, with a short summary of the main people working on the project to support your answer. It must be a PDF, up to 4 A4 pages long and no larger than 10MB in size. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Question 7. Market awareness
What does the market or markets you are targeting look like?
Describe:
If your project is highly innovative, where the market may be unexplored, describe or explain:
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Question 8. Outcomes and route to market
How are you going to grow your business and increase long term productivity as a result of the project?
Explain:
If there is any research organisation activity in the project, describe:
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Question 9. Wider impacts
What impact might this project have outside the project team?
Describe and, where possible, measure the economic benefits from the project such as productivity increases and import substitution, to:
Describe and, where possible, measure:
Describe any expected social impacts, either positive or negative, on, for example:
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Question 10. Project management
How will you manage your project effectively?
Explain:
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
You must submit a project plan or Gantt chart as an appendix to support your answer. It must be a PDF, up to 2 A4 pages long and no larger than 10MB in size. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Question 11. Risks
What are the main risks for this project?
Explain:
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
You must submit a risk register as an appendix to support your answer. It must be a PDF, up to 2 A4 pages long, and no larger than 10MB in size. The font must be legible at 100% zoom.
Question 12. Added value
How will this public funding help you to accelerate or enhance your approach to developing your project towards commercialisation? What impact would this award have on the organisations involved?
Explain:
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Question 13. Costs and value for money
How much will the project cost and how does it represent value for money for the team and the taxpayer?
In terms of your project goals, explain:
Your answer can be up to 400 words long.
Each organisation in your project must complete their own project costs, organisation details and funding details in the application. Academic institutions must complete and upload a Je-S form.
For full details on what costs you can claim see our project costs guidance. You can also view our Application Finances video.
This section is not scored but will provide background to your project.
Each partner must complete the Project Impact questions before being able to submit the application.
More information can be found in our Project Impact guidance and by viewing our Impact Management Framework video.
Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.
You can access this report to understand what we mean when we refer to Responsible and Trustworthy AI.
Applicants are encouraged to incorporate considerations of data quality through adherence to recommendations from the Data Quality Hub. The Data Quality Hub was established as a result of the National Data Strategy and has adopted the DAMA Six Dimensions of Data Quality framework. This approach offers a valuable perspective to enhance transparency and trust in AI applications, aiding users in determining the suitability of the AI and its underlying data for their specific needs.
Additionally, participants must consider the Technology Code of Practice from the Central Digital and Data Office, applying its principles within the constraints and opportunities of low technology readiness levels (TRL) R&D initiatives.
If relevant to business case, applicants are also encouraged to utilise, and provide feedback on, the Data Discovery Playbook. The Playbook has been developed in line with the Technology Code of Practice by the National Digital Twin Programme (NDTP). The Playbook aims to assist any organisation working with data, including those working with AI, by providing practical steps which will help them to comply with the recommendations of the Code of Practice.
This award is being offered under the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme in accordance with section 10(4) of the Subsidy Control Act 2022.
Projects funded must meet the following definitions:
Category 1 - Feasibility study
The evaluation and analysis of the potential of a project, which aims at supporting the process of decision-making. This is done by objectively and rationally uncovering its strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as identifying the resources required to carry it through and ultimately its prospects for success.
Category 2 - Industrial research
The planned research or critical investigation that is aimed at the acquisition of new knowledge and skills for developing new products, processes or services. It can also be for projects that are aimed at bringing about a significant improvement in existing products, processes or services.
This would include digital products, processes or services, in any technology, industry or sector, including, but not limited to, digital industries and technologies, such as super-computing, quantum technologies, block chain technologies, artificial intelligence, cyber security, big data and cloud technologies.
Industrial research comprises the creation of component parts of complex systems. It may include the construction of prototypes in a laboratory environment or in an environment with simulated interfaces to existing systems as well as of pilot lines. Where necessary, this would be for the industrial research and notably for generic technology validation.
Category 2 - Experimental development
Means acquiring, combining, shaping and using existing scientific, technological, business and other relevant knowledge and skills with the aim of developing new or improved products, processes or services.
This includes:
This may also encompass, for example, activities aimed at the conceptual definition, planning and documentation of new products, processes or services.
Experimental development may comprise prototyping, demonstrating, piloting, testing and validation of new or improved products, processes or services in environments representative of real-life operating conditions. This would be where the primary objective is to make further technical improvements on products, processes or services that are not substantially set.
This may include the development of a commercially usable prototype or pilot which is necessary for the final commercial product and which is too expensive to produce for it to be used only for demonstration and validation purposes.
Experimental development does not include routine or periodic changes made to existing products, production lines, manufacturing processes, services and other operations in progress, even if those changes may represent improvements.
This competition is operated by Innovate UK, data will be shared with the following agencies (each and agency):
Any relevant information submitted and produced during the application process concerning your application can be shared by one agency with the other, for its individual storage, processing and use.
This means that any information given to or generated by Innovate UK in respect of your application may be passed on to Innovate UK Business Connect, BSI group, the Alan Turing Institute, the Hartree Centre and vice versa. This would include, but is not restricted to:
Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect, BSI group, the Alan Turing Institute, the Hartree Centre are directly accountable to you for their holding and processing of your information, including any personal data and confidential information. Data is held in accordance with their own policies. Accordingly, Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect, BSI group, the Alan Turing Institute, the Hartree Centre will be data controllers for personal data submitted during the application.
Innovate UK Business Connect Privacy Notice
Innovate UK complies with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is committed to upholding data protection legislation, and protecting your information in accordance with data protection principles.
The Information Commissioner’s Office also has a useful guide for organisations, which outlines the data protection principles.
If you want help to find a project partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect.
If you receive an award, you will be contacted about working with an innovation and growth specialist at Innovate UK Business Growth. This service forms part of our funded offer to you.
These specialists focus on growing innovative businesses and ensuring that projects contribute to their growth. Working one-to-one, they can help you to identify your best strategy and harness world-class resources to grow and achieve scale.
We encourage you to engage with Innovate UK Business Growth, delivered by a knowledgeable and objective specialist near you.
Your application will be reviewed by five independent assessors based on the content of your application and their skills or expertise relevant to your project. All of the scores awarded will count towards the total score used to make the funding decision unless you are notified otherwise.
You can find out more about our assessment process in the General Guidance.
Your submitted application will be assessed against these criteria:
BridgeAI Supply Chain Demonstrator - Assessor guidance for applicants.pdf (opens in a new window)
Download the briefing slides.
APPLICANT BRIEFING 1960 BridgeAI Supply Chain Demonstrator.pdf (opens in a new window)
If you are successful with this application, you will be asked to set up your project.
You will be notified by email on the date published for this competition. Notifications may be sent any time up to 5pm.
You must follow the unique link embedded in your email notification. This takes you to your Innovation Funding Service (IFS) Set Up portal, the tool that Innovate UK uses to gather necessary information before we can allow your project to begin.
You will need to provide:
In order for us to process your claims, you must make sure you have a valid UK business bank account. It can take several weeks for a new account to be created if required. We recommend starting this process as early as possible to avoid any delays to your project start date.
The bank account which grant is to be paid into must:
Online accounts are eligible as long as they meet the above criteria.
Innovate UK will accept most banking societies apart from:
If you have any doubts that your bank account will not meet Innovate UK's funding criteria, you can use the sort code checker. If you input the sort code and find a tick next to the ‘BACS Direct Credit payments can be sent to this sort code’, this will give you an indication that the bank account you hold is acceptable.
Finance checks
We will carry out checks to make sure you are an established company with access to the funds necessary to complete the project.
You must check your IFS portal regularly and respond to any requests we have sent for additional information to avoid any delays.
Failure to complete project setup may result in your grant offer being withdrawn.
Your Grant offer letter (GOL)
Once you have successfully completed project setup, we will issue your GOL.
The GOL will be made available on your IFS portal. You will need to sign and upload this for us to approve. Once approved we will send you an email with permission to start your project on your confirmed start date.
You must not start your project before the date stated on your email and GOL. Any costs incurred before your agreed start date cannot be claimed as part of your grant.
If your GOL is approved on or before the fifteenth of the month it will be dated from the first of that month. If your GOL is approved after the fifteenth, it will be dated the first of the next month.
If you are unsuccessful with your application this time, you can view feedback from the assessors. This will be available to you on your IFS portal following notification.
Sometimes your application will have scored well, and you will receive positive comments from the assessors. You may be unsuccessful as your average score was not above the funding threshold or your project has not been selected under the portfolio approach if this is applied for this competition.
If you need more information about how to apply or you want to submit your application in Welsh, email support@iuk.ukri.org or call 0300 321 4357.
Our phone lines are open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm UK time, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Innovate UK or any of our partners will not tolerate abusive language in any written or verbal correspondence, applications, social media or any other form that might affect staff.