Smarter Robot Bodies: Opportunity seeds
Opportunity seeds support ambitious research aligned to our opportunity spaces. We’re looking to challenge assumptions, open up new research paths, and provide steps towards new capabilities within ‘Smarter Robot Bodies’ by funding high-potential proposals with up to £500k each.
Please note that applications for this call are now closed. You can read general feedback on applications received here. We’ll be launching a second window for applications midway through 2025.
We want to find bold ideas within the ‘Smarter Robot Bodies‘ opportunity space, where Programme Director Jenny Read is exploring how we can exploit progress in AI, control, materials, and manufacturing to produce improved robotic hardware that approaches or even exceeds the capabilities of living bodies.
You can find the scope below and our evaluation criteria in our call for proposals [PDF] – beyond this we don’t have preconceptions about what ideas you might send our way.
In scope:
- Ideas that sit within the ‘Smarter Robot Bodies’ opportunity space. By this, we mean your proposal should show how your idea either aligns with or challenges the assumptions of the Summary, Beliefs, or Observations in the opportunity space [PDF].
- Ideas that could change the conversation about what is possible or valuable.
- Ideas that range from early stage curiosity-driven research through to pre-commercial science and technology.
Out of scope:
- Ideas that are within scope of the programme thesis [PDF].
- Ideas that are undifferentiated or are likely to happen without ARIA’s support.
- Commercial or close-to-commercial stage products.
If you are unsure whether your idea is in scope, ask us by sending an email to clarifications@aria.org.uk.
Document library
Some key resources to understand the context for this seed funding call:
- How opportunity seeds work within our model
- Opportunity space, ‘Smarter Robot Bodies’ [PDF]
- How we fund
Everything you need to know to apply:
- Call for proposals [PDF]
- How we select projects [PDF]
- Template funding agreements
- Walkthrough for the application portal [PDF]
- Funding FAQs
- Opportunity seed FAQs
- Clarification questions
If you require an accessible version of any of these documents, please contact clarifications@aria.org.uk
Who are we looking to fund?
If you have an important idea you’re obsessed with, but you don’t currently have the resources or support to take it forward, we’d like to hear from you. Ideas could come from anywhere, so we welcome applications from individuals and teams who are early in their career or who have atypical backgrounds – we care more about your idea and your intrinsic motivation than we do about your CV.
What budget and timeline can I propose?
We provide funding from £10k – £500k per project, inclusive of VAT (where applicable) and all associated costs (both direct and indirect).
There is no minimum length for a proposed project; the maximum length is three years.
Funding
This call is now closed – we’ll be launching a second window for applications midway through 2025.
Before submitting an application, please read the call for proposals [PDF].
After reading our FAQs on ARIA funding and opportunity seed-specific funding, if you have any further questions relating to the opportunity seed call, please email clarifications@aria.org.uk. Any questions or responses containing information relevant to all applicants will be provided to everyone that has started a submission within the application portal and published on our website here.
Meet Jenny
Jenny is a visual neuroscientist, previously trained in theoretical astrophysics. Her work focuses on how we can build smarter bodies for robots through new modes of sensing, transmission of sensory information, and actuation through hardware advances. Jenny joined ARIA from her role as Professor of Vision Science at Newcastle University.
