How we fund

Our research model

At the heart of our approach are our Programme Directors, who retain creative control over how and who they fund within the opportunity spaces they've defined. Our research model is built around two primary modes: 

1.
Programmes (£50–80M):

Our programmes are designed to advance complex, large-scale ideas which require coordinated investment and management across disciplines and institutions. To build a programme, each Programme Director directs the review, selection, and funding of a portfolio of projects which work in tandem to drive breakthroughs. 

2.
Opportunity seeds (up to £500k):

With smaller budgets and less structure than programmes, seeds support individual research teams to uncover new pathways that could inspire future programmes or might justify additional support as a standalone project.

We fund differently to change what’s possible.

We do our best to maximise the chance of breakthroughs by aligning the research we fund with viable paths to deployment and minimising barriers to scale. This means:

  • We fund the best ideas and talent, across professional backgrounds, types of organisations and geographies

  • We do not retain IP rights to the work we fund

  • We generally do not require match funding

  • We do not take any equity ourselves and place a cap on the equity that organisations we fund can hold in spinouts commercialising ARIA-funded IP

  • We take an active role in managing projects and foster connectivity between them

Antonia Jenkinson

“Our funding terms are designed to encourage inventor-led start-ups and provide a stimulus for science entrepreneurship in the UK.”

Antonia Jenkinson Chief Financial and Operations Officer
Related pages

The Creator experience

What you can expect as a recipient of ARIA funding

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Application resources

The process of applying for ARIA funding, key resources and FAQs

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Funding calls

Past, present and upcoming funding opportunities

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