Programmable Plants
The opportunity – Plants have paved the way for human existence and hold tremendous potential to solve some of our most pressing challenges such as food insecurity, climate change and environmental degradation. Programmable plants can secure our future on earth – providing not just food, but a sustainable and thriving biosphere for future generations.
What’s next – Applications for our Synthetic Plants programme are now closed. We’ll be launching opportunity seed funding within Programmable Plants in 2025.
Future Proofing Our Climate and Weather
The opportunity – If an abrupt alteration in a climate system were to unfold, we would have no tools to mitigate the effects. Through research, we could understand the science behind how we might intervene to responsibly manage the climate and weather. Read more in this Q&A with Mark and ARIA CEO Ilan Gur.
What’s next – We are now accepting full proposals for our Exploring Climate Cooling programme.
Programme thesis
Scalable Neural Interfaces
The opportunity – Neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders are the cause of an overwhelming societal and economic impact. We need to build highly targeted, minimally invasive technologies that enable us to interface, at scale, with the human brain.
What’s next – We’re currently accepting applications for seeds within the opportunity space. We’ll announce Creators within our Precision Neurotechnologies programme soon.
Nature Computes Better
The opportunity – We can redefine the way computers process information by exploiting principles found ubiquitously in nature. In doing so, we can better understand how the natural world around us performs computation and build dramatically more efficient computers.
What’s next – We have announced our first Creators in Nature Computes Better – further information on the recipients of funding in this opportunity space are coming soon.
Scoping Our Planet
The opportunity – Current Earth system measurements have serious gaps that lead to uncertainties in weather forecasting and climate predictions. By harnessing the power of optics we can fill these gaps, equipping society to respond confidently to the climate crisis.
What’s next – Applications for our Forecasting Tipping Points programme are now closed.
Mathematics for Safe AI
The opportunity – We don’t yet have known technical solutions to ensure that powerful AI systems interact as intended with real-world systems and populations. A combination of scientific world-models and mathematical proofs may be the answer to ensuring AI provides transformational benefit without harm.
What’s next – The third solicitation for our Safeguarded AI programme (TA1.4) is now open – apply by 2 January 2025 [12:00 GMT].
Smarter Robot Bodies
The opportunity – Throughout history, humans have used tools and machines to reduce the burden of physical labour. We are entering a new era with robots smart enough to act independently in complex and dynamic environments. But smart machines with dumb bodies will only get us so far.
What’s next – Applications for our Robot Dexterity programme are now closed. We’ll select and announce respective Creators for the programme and opportunity seeds soon. We’ll also put out a second call for opportunity seed funding within Smarter Robot Bodies midway through 2025.