Reporting and policies
Pursuing potentially transformative technologies requires a highly responsible approach. At the heart of this responsibility is a commitment to transparency and accountability.
Learn more about our policies and reporting standards below.
Quarterly reporting on our procurement pipeline contracts and financial transactions.
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This past quarter we continued to build momentum at ARIA, with our growing portfolio moving deeper into delivery.
In May, Kathleen Fisher marked her first 100 days as CEO. Since joining, Kathleen’s set out a clear priority for ARIA’s next phase: ensuring the scientific breakthroughs we fund translate out of the lab to deliver lasting impact.
Across our portfolio, we announced the 11 Creator teams we’re funding through the £57m Sustained Viral Resilience programme. We also backed 14 new opportunity seed projects within Engineering Ecosystem Resilience, launched an open rolling call for opportunity seeds across multiple opportunity spaces and shared our latest programme thesis: Hypersensory Intelligence: Olfactory Perception.
The quarter also saw key milestones in translation and ecosystem-building. We launched a new £100m call for our second cohort of Activation Partners in April, expanding scope to include organisations bringing frontier AI capabilities to our Creator teams.
We announced our first cohort of Innovator Circles: high-trust peer groups for researchers working at the frontier of science and technology. We received close to 130 applications from around the country, selecting 10 leads focused on topics ranging from democratising access to biomechanics research, to defining computational models of human experience.
Looking ahead, the next quarter will see us announce our second cohort of Activation Partners, and launch the Hypersensory Intelligence: Olfactory Perception programme. We’ll also open applications for our third cohort of Programme Directors, inviting ambitious scientific and technical leaders to join us and lead multi-year R&D programmes. - See the data
In our third year, ARIA moved decisively from setup to delivery. We expanded our portfolio and strengthened the pathways from breakthrough R&D to real-world impact. We also welcomed Kathleen Fisher as CEO, bringing new leadership to ARIA’s next phase.
Our 16 Programme Directors now sit at the heart of a growing Creator community. We launched seven new programmes, ranging from Precision Mitochondria and Sustained Viral Resilience, to Universal Fabricators and Massively Scalable Neurotechnologies. Together, these new programmes extend ARIA’s focus across health, climate resilience, manufacturing, and more.
We’ve also continued to experiment with new ways to catalyse breakthrough R&D. We committed £50m to create the Scaling Inference Lab, a national testbed for UK AI startups and scaleups. We have deployed £6m over 9 months through our AI Scientist work, testing whether AI systems can autonomously plan and run scientific experiments in the real world.
Additionally, we launched a £100m call to recruit up to 10 new Activation Partners. Our second cohort will design and run bespoke initiatives to strengthen the delivery and impact of our work, with a particular focus on enhancing AI capabilities for our funded R&D.
As we shift further towards delivery and impact, we’re building the leadership and capabilities needed for ARIA’s next phase. We’ve begun the search for our third cohort of Programme Directors, who will open up new frontiers for us to explore.
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In our second year, we’ve begun to scale the ambition we set out in year one — extending our model, growing our portfolio, and deepening our commitment to long-term, transformative science and engineering. We launched our first set of seven programmes, and multiple seed calls, allocating more than £400 million in funding to the R&D ecosystem over the next three to five years. This work backs research aimed at breakthroughs ranging from catalysing a new generation of major crops that are more productive, resilient, and sustainable, to reimagining safety standards for transformational AI – all fundamental leaps toward technologies that seem intractable today, yet could prove critical for the future of UK industries. Our portfolio now includes over a hundred projects across universities, start-ups, and private organisations.
We also launched our Activation Partners initiative — partnerships with nine deeply technical, entrepreneurial organisations, from world-class research labs to cutting-edge science accelerators. They’ll play a vital role in developing talent, accelerating routes to market, and creating the conditions to help ensure the breakthrough R&D we fund translates into real-world impact.
With our second cohort of Programme Directors in place from April, we’re expanding into new scientific domains — broadening ARIA’s reach and unlocking breakthroughs with the potential for outsized societal and economic impact.
- See the dataARIA was created to be bold and agile, focusing on long-term transformation rather than quick wins. In our first year, we have built a strong foundation supporting that mandate: building a dedicated team, robust operations and infrastructure, and developing a new approach to funding R&D aimed at catalysing breakthroughs. Over the course of our first year, we developed seven opportunity spaces – areas we believe are ripe for discovering new technologies that seem intractable today but could prove critical for the UK long-term. These spaces span climate science, neurotechnology, AI and more. From these opportunities spaces, we launched our first two funded programmes – Scaling Compute and Safeguarded AI – and first set of opportunity seed awards in Nature Computes Better. Throughout this period we have prioritised engagement with experts across the R&D ecosystem. Through workshops, public calls for feedback, and open solicitations, we’ve invited input to help us consider different directions and surface new ideas – on the shape of our research programmes, as well as ARIA’s approach and operations.
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ARIA’s mission is to pursue new technological options that are currently intractable but have transformative potential for humanity. Research at the edge of the possible often means there is limited research or societal consensus, and requires a highly responsible approach.
Find out more about our approach to ethics and social responsibility in the design and delivery of programmes, and how we handle the professional ethics and integrity of the research we support.
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This policy sets out the principles and rules for declaring and managing conflicts of interest at ARIA. ARIA’s objective is to ensure that the influence of third parties does not compromise our decision making or independent judgement. Find out more about this policy, which is applicable to anybody working with ARIA.
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This policy sets out ARIA’s requirements in respect to research and innovation involving animals. This policy is based on the UKRI Policy on Research and Innovation Involving Animals. ARIA has adopted this policy to help contribute to consistent standards across the research community in the UK, making minor changes to account for differences in operating model.
Find out more about our approach to funding in this area by downloading the policy below.
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This policy sets out ARIA’s requirements in respect to clinical trials.
Find out more about our approach to funding in this area by downloading the policy below.
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This policy sets out ARIA’s requirements in respect of the planned use of human tissue in ARIA projects.
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This Annual Report and Accounts covers the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
- Read the Corporate Plan 2026
Explore how our opportunity spaces and programmes have developed, how we work with our Activation Partners, and how we continue to pursue research at the edge of the possible.
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This Annual Report and Accounts covers the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
- Read the Corporate Plan 2025
Read ARIA's second Corporate Plan. Discover our programme areas, the key role played by our Activation Partners, lessons from the past two years and what’s next for ARIA.
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This is ARIA’s first Annual Report and Accounts and covers the period from its establishment on 25 January 2023 to 31 March 2024.
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ARIA’s Corporate Plan 2024
This register of Board, Committee Member + Programme Directors interests includes public appointments, directorships, business interests and affiliations.
Personal shareholdings, interests of minimal value, recently expired interests, and the interests of connected individuals, have been disclosed but not published. We’ll refresh and publicly update this register every quarter.
Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) Responses
This is a disclosure log of ARIA's responses to requests under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 which include material likely to be of wider public interest.
Select to explore more:
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 5 August 2024
"Please confirm whether the final award decisions have been taken for ARIA’s Scoping Our Planet project." "Please provide the names of each organisation which has been allocated money under ARIA’s Scoping the Planet project. For each grant/organisation, please also include a. The value of the grant b. A summary of the project c. The research outputs to be delivered 3. Please also state how many proposals were received in total for Scoping Our Planet."
Summary of response:
Date of responses: 23 October 2024, 18 February 2025 and 27 February 2025
The information provided as part of this response is included in the attached document.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 25 April 2025
"Please provide details for all geoengineering activities (research, experiments, pilots, or deployments) including planned activities up to 2030": including "project details", "costs and funding", "substances and methods", "oversight and collaboration", and "transparency and public access".
Summary of response:
Date of response: 20 June 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached document, including:
- Exploring Climate Cooling - extracts from website including the list of applicants who will receive funding, anticipated start dates for projects, locations where activities will be conducted and descriptions of projects
- Initial proposals submitted by applicants who will be the recipient of ARIA funding (not yet finalised)
- Advanced Research and Invention Agency Act 2022 and ARIA Framework Agreement
- Programme thesis - Exploring Climate Cooling
Please note that the proposals included are only the initial research proposals submitted by the applicants. In many cases they do not represent the final version of the project which ARIA is funding. Details of the agreed projects can be found on the programme page - Exploring Climate Cooling Programme.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 25 April 2025
"Please provide information relating to geoengineering" including "documents, correspondence, research proposals, internal briefings, funding decisions or commissioned work held by ARIA", "past, current or proposed funding awarded by ARIA", "records of public consultation or engagement (or internal discussions about such consultation)", "ethical assessments, environmental impact assessments, or internal risk reviews concerning the social or environmental consequences of geoengineering or solar dimming projects", "records of meeting or correspondence with third parties" and "any legal or policy documents relating to the UK's obligations under international agreements".
Clarification received: 9 May 2025
Information limited to the 21 applicants who received ARIA funding and finalised documentation detailing the research proposals.
Summary of response:
Date of response: 23 June 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached document, including:
- Exploring Climate Cooling – extracts from website including the list of applicants who will receive funding and an outline of the corresponding projects.
- Initial proposals submitted by applicants who will be the recipient of ARIA funding (not yet finalised)
Please note that the proposals included are only the initial research proposals submitted by the applicants. In many cases they do not represent the final version of the project which ARIA is funding. Details of the agreed projects can be found on the programme page - Exploring Climate Cooling Programme.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 26 April 2025
"I am seeking details regarding any projects involving the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) and GE Engineering (or General Electric) that pertain to atmospheric or environmental experimentation" including "project information", "study locations", "risk and environmental controls", "oversight and regulation" and "Potential human health/wildlife health/environmental health risks".
Summary of response:
Date of response: 23 May 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 19 August 2025
"1. All documents, planning materials, or research summaries related to the “Exploring Climate Cooling” programme, including any work involving: Solar Radiation Management (SRM), Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI), Marine Cloud Brightening, Albedo Modification, Aerosol-based cooling technologies
2. A breakdown of the £56.8 million funding allocation
3. A list of all collaborators, research bodies, or international partners involved in the programme.
4. Any records of: Field trials or test deployments, Proposed UK airspace experiments, Environmental risk assessments, Public engagement or consultation activities
5. Copies of any internal or external communications (emails, memos, reports) that reference SRM or climate intervention techniques."Summary of response:
Date of response: 19 August 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 6 June 2025
"I understand you are the department responsible for the UK’s solar geoengineering trials, which are exploring several Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) techniques aimed at reflecting sunlight to cool the planet." "I am writing to you as the department which is implementing this test to request a copy of the environmental impact assessment, the reports into this technique and also the areas within the UK where you are planning on conducting these trials."
Summary of response:
Date of response: 3 July 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 6 May 2025
"Could you please disclose any correspondence, policy or guidance regarding the process for ARIA's identification, assessment and recruitment of members of the "independent oversight committee" for the "Exploring Climate Cooling Programme". Similarly I would like you to disclose any policy, guidance or correspondence that covers the definition and process for disclosure of interests or conflicts of interest for members of the committee."
Summary of response:
Date of response: 2 July 2025
On 3 June 2025, the requestor chose to narrow their request to "internal ARIA email correspondence" relating to the oversight committee.
Full details of ARIA's response, along with correspondence regarding the scope of the request, are provided in the attached correspondence.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 7 August 2025
"Please let me have details of all geo engineering projects in or around the Yorkshire area, including specific ting which substances/aerosols are being used."
Summary of response:
Date of response: 26 August 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 28 April 2025
"1. A list of all outdoor weather modification or geoengineering experiments planned, approved, or conducted since the programme’s inception.
2. Copies of any Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) conducted prior to the commencement of any experiments.
3. Specific details of all chemical agents, substances, or particulates proposed or used in any outdoor experiments.
4. Risk assessments relating to human health, biodiversity, air quality, and ecosystems for all projects under the programme.
5. Documentation of any public consultations undertaken in relation to these experiments.
6. Names of private contractors, institutions, or third parties collaborating with ARIA on these projects.
7. Funding amounts allocated specifically for environmental field experiments in the UK."Summary of response:
Date of response: 23 May 2025
Following ARIA's response, the requestor requested an internal review of the response to be conducted.
Full details of ARIA's response, along with its response to the request for internal review, are provided in the attached correspondence.
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Summary of request:
Date of Request: 27 August 2025
"[W]ould you please confirm that your experiments are indeed taking place over Leigh (Greater Manchester) and the names of the materials that have been used to date."
Summary of response:
Date of response: 23 September 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter. - Read the document
Summary of request:
Date of Request: 27 August 2025
“Please can you advise on what chemicals/aerosols are known to be considered for such geo-engineering exercises and how the public will be consulted upon?”Summary of response:
Date of response: 23 September 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter. - Read the document
Summary of request:
Date of request: 10 October 2025
"What chemical substances are being utilised in UK cloud seeding operations?"
Summary of response:
Date of response: 14 October 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 10 November 2025
"I have several questions about ARIA's exploration of climate cooling that I would be most grateful for responses to:
1. Could ARIA provide details of its ethical framework?
2. Why is ARIA exempt from FOI requests (given their stated respect for transparency)?
3. Could they provide details of ARIA's internal governance structures?
4. What grants have ARIA awarded to date related to climate engineering research?
5. How does ARIA distinguish between operations/programmes and research?
5. Could they provide their environmental impact statement?
6. Could they provide their details of their risk assessment policy?
7. Could they comment on these mainstream articles earlier this year that seem to be indicating that ARIA are deploying solar GE in the UK?
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/12/solar-geoengineering-uk"Summary of response:
Date of response: 4 December 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 3 December 2025
"What Scottish airports and authorities are these cooling flights running from. Why was this experiment halted in America."
Summary of response:
Date of response: 18 December 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 28 December 2025
"Are you flying planes over stockport For solar radiation management SRM, how often and what’s is being released into the atmosphere? What tests have been done to ensure no harms to public and environment?
What areas are being sprayed?
How often? Start and end date
What is being sprayed?
Was there any tests on harms?
Was there a consultation period?"Summary of response:
Date of response: 7 January 2026
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 7 January 2025
"Please provide the current list/register of projects funded under ARIA’s “Exploring Climate Cooling” programme, and for each project provide:
1. Project title and summary
2. Lead organisation and key delivery partners
3. All locations (UK and overseas) where fieldwork/outdoor activity is planned or taking place
4. Planned timeline (start/end dates and key milestones)
5. Whether any outdoor experiment is planned (Yes/No)
6. Whether any outdoor release of any material/particle/aerosol is planned (Yes/No). If Yes: material(s), approximate
quantities/order-of-magnitude, method of release, and expected duration/persistence
7. Monitoring planned during/after any outdoor activity (e.g., environmental sampling/air measurements) and who conducts it"Summary of response:
Date of response: 20 January 2026
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response lette
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 21 October 2025
"Please provide information demonstrating your compliance with your Environment Act 2021 biodiversity duty."
Summary of response:
Date of response: 18 November 2025
Following ARIA's response, the requestor requested an internal review of the response to be conducted.
Full details of ARIA's response, along with its response to the request for internal review, are provided in the attached correspondence.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 3 November 2025
"1. Where is the benefit in 'cooling the planet' when cloud seeding blocks the sun and causes people to put on their
home central heating? Surely, this only benefits the fossil fuel industry?
2. Sea water is known to have high levels of untreated sewage draining into it everyday. Surely seeding with sea
water is feeding the same sewage into our atmosphere and ultimately into our lungs?
3. It was inconvenient for the government to keep receiving complaints and FOIs regtarding cloud seeding. Does
transferring the practice to private enterprise mean that answering important questions truthfully can be avoided?
4. Does this seeding practice stop during Winter months?"Summary of response:
Date of response: 1 December 2025
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request:
6 December 2025
"Why aren't these experiments restricted to unpopulated areas of the UK instead of towns and cities? Seeding over large woodland or moorland areas for example would cause less side effects for human health and safety. This was not detailed in your response.
Do you agree that any actions which cause extra use of home central heating systems are detrimental and should obviously be avoided? This was not confirmed in your response.
What specific form will the 'meaningful public engagement' take with Aria to allow the UK public to give feedback and objections to 'side effects' in real time? There are already mass respiratory problems amongst the UK population to which they have no redress or pathway to complain. This requires more detail for the public's peace of mind.
What measures are taken to ensure any and all sewage content is removed from seawater that is used for cloud seeding? This is not detailed in your previous response.
Looking at a historical graph of temperature over time in Millions of years, the Earth appears to be in a relatively cool period:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidbressan/2024/09/22/new-study-shows-485-million-years-of-earths-temperature/
How does this relate to claims of global warming and plans to cool the planet?"Summary of response:
Date of response: 7 January 2026
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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Summary of request:
Date of request: 11 January 2026
"I am requesting copies of correspondence (including but not limited to emails, letters, meeting notes and briefings) held by ARIA between 1 September 2024 and the date of your search which concerns ARIA’s “Exploring Climate Cooling” programme and relates to any of the following:
1. Approvals, conditions or constraints for outdoor experiments (including any references to locations, methods, scale or duration).
2. Environmental, legal or regulatory assessment requirements for the programme or for specific projects (for example, EIA, marine licensing, airspace permissions, ethics/governance reviews).
3. Any requirements, plans or decisions regarding public consultation or community engagement in relation to outdoor experiments.
4. Any discussion or decision about ARIA’s obligations under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, including how ARIA will handle requests for information about this programme and its environmental impacts."Summary of response:
Date of response: 6 February 2026
Full details of this response are provided in the attached response letter.
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