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The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) is the UK's dedicated research funding agency for transformative, breakthrough innovation. ARIA funds ambitious research programmes that seek to unlock scientific and technological advances capable of delivering long-term benefits for the UK and beyond.
Rather than supporting incremental innovation, ARIA focuses on bold, high-risk ideas that have the potential to redefine entire fields. Its programmes are developed and led by expert Programme Directors, who identify underexplored opportunity spaces and fund research that could lead to significant technological breakthroughs.
Key Dates and Funding
Opens: 14 January 2025
Closes: 16 January 2028
Funding: Funding value varies depending on the specific ARIA programme and funding opportunity.
Programme Overview
ARIA has been established to empower researchers and innovators to pursue ambitious projects that may be considered too speculative, interdisciplinary, or technically challenging for traditional funding mechanisms.
Each funding programme is built around an Opportunity Space - an area with significant potential for scientific or technological advancement that remains underexplored. Programme Directors define these opportunity spaces and develop funding programmes designed to catalyse breakthrough discoveries through targeted research investments.
Funding opportunities may include seed funding, programme grants, and other flexible funding mechanisms depending on the objectives of each programme.
Eligible Countries
Applicants should refer to the individual ARIA funding calls for specific eligibility requirements. Opportunities are generally aimed at organisations capable of delivering research and innovation that benefits the UK.
Who Can Apply
ARIA welcomes applications from across the research and innovation ecosystem, including:
Applications involving interdisciplinary collaboration across academia, industry and the public sector are encouraged. Applicants may also submit multiple proposals to the same funding call, provided each represents a distinct project.
Programme Objectives
ARIA aims to:
Why Apply?
ARIA offers a unique funding environment that encourages ambitious thinking and scientific freedom. By supporting projects that may not fit within traditional research funding programmes, ARIA enables innovators to pursue transformative ideas with the potential to reshape industries, address major societal challenges, and create new pathways for economic growth.
How Inventya Can Help
Applying for ARIA funding requires more than an excellent research idea. Successful proposals must clearly demonstrate why the research is transformative, how it addresses an important opportunity space, and why a bold, high-risk approach is justified. Inventya helps organisations develop compelling applications that align with ARIA's vision for breakthrough innovation.
Our support includes:
With extensive experience supporting research organisations, universities, SMEs, and innovative businesses across UK and international funding programmes, Inventya helps applicants present ambitious ideas with the clarity, credibility, and strategic focus needed to compete for highly competitive research funding.
