Funding: Technical Area 2, Cybersecurity
Submit your application by 1 July 2026 (14:00 BST).
As part of our updated programme thesis, we seek to test and accelerate the hypothesis that AI-enabled formal methods can make high-assurance cyber defence practical at scale.
Within Technical Area 2, this funding call pursues the question: given the advances in AI and formal methods, what are the most ambitious, security-critical systems we can verify today?
We will fund teams to build production-grade, security-critical software components whose key security properties are backed by machine-checked proofs, validated through coordinated red-team exercises.
We will evaluate teams for their credible interest and ability to carry developed capabilities towards large-scale deployment, whether themselves or through spinouts, partnerships, upstreaming, or other routes.
Two Tracks
The call is structured as two tracks: Track 1 (Blue Teams) for building and verifying security-critical components, and Track 2 (Red Team) for adversarial evaluation.
Track 1 | Blue Teams: We will fund 3–6 teams to build production-grade, security-critical software components whose key security properties are backed by machine-checked proofs, under clearly stated threat models and assumptions, using AI as a central means of reaching levels of ambition for formal proof that would otherwise not be tractable.
Track 2 | Red Team: We are also looking for applications to fund one central Red Team. They will be responsible for executing, within each sprint cycle, a thorough pen-testing effort of every Blue Team’s system, and document the results in a report. Just like for Blue Teams, the intelligent use of AI will play a central role in thorough Red Teaming.
Funding for the track 1 Blue Teams will be provided under our R&D funding terms, while funding for the track 2 Red Team will be provided under our commercial service terms. Please read the call for proposals for details on each.
Note that Red and Blue Teams need to be independent. While applicants are free to apply to both tracks, we will not appoint the same organisation or team to serve in both capacities.
Who should apply?
We welcome applications from across the R&D ecosystem, including startups, industry and academia. We typically require the majority of the project work to be conducted in the UK (i.e. >50% of project costs and personnel time).
Join a team
We have a live teaming tool that allows applicants to find complementary expertise. After a quick registration, you can browse other researchers and request an introduction from the ARIA team to explore potential collaborations.
For more information read the call for proposals and apply below.
Application deadline: 1 July 2026 (14:00 BST)
Resources
Clarification questions
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