The UK’s Division of Science, Innovation and Expertise is looking on cutting-edge innovators to enter the second Manchester Prize. This yr, the Manchester Prize is rewarding UK-led breakthroughs in synthetic intelligence that can speed up motion in the direction of the UK’s world-leading goal to decarbonise the electrical energy grid to ship inexperienced energy by 2030 and attain internet zero by 2050.
Final yr’s occasion targeted on overcoming challenges within the fields of vitality, atmosphere and infrastructure (learn concerning the ten finalists here).
As much as 10 of essentially the most promising options will every be supported with £100,000 in seed funding, £60,000 in compute credit, and extra non-financial help to develop options able to profitable the £1 million grand prize in spring 2026. The profitable resolution will reveal not solely technical innovation but additionally an evidenced street map to near-term (2030) adoption, scale and influence.
The Manchester Prize is a multi-million-pound problem prize to reward UK-led breakthroughs in synthetic intelligence for public good. Yearly for a decade, it is going to reward improvements that can assist to remodel the lives of individuals throughout the UK and proceed to safe the UK’s place as a worldwide chief in innovation.
Minister for AI, Feryal Clark mentioned:
“AI can remodel our public companies, make us extra productive and deal with among the greatest shared challenges in society. AI is already having a optimistic influence on so many elements of our lives, however there’s rather more ready to be tapped into.
“The second round of the Manchester Prize will bring brilliant British innovation to bear to deliver a clean, secure energy future for the UK. Whether in energy, healthcare, or beyond, we’re backing AI innovations to deliver real and lasting change across the country.”
Chief Scientific Adviser on the Division for Power Safety and Internet Zero, Professor Paul Monks mentioned:
“The best long-term problem we face is the local weather and nature disaster: that’s why we’ve got our world main targets to decarbonise the electrical energy grid by 2030 and to succeed in internet zero by 2050.
“We need an ambitious approach to using artificial intelligence across the development, engineering and operation of our energy systems and so I am pleased to see the Manchester Prize recognising that with its dedicated new round on decarbonisation.”
The Manchester Prize is encouraging groups of innovators, teachers, scientists, engineers, start-ups and entrepreneurs to submit their options.
Entries to the second Manchester Prize ought to reveal a use of AI that accelerates the UK’s adoption of fresh vitality applied sciences at scale; permits environment friendly or low-cost operations of fresh vitality methods; and/or considerably reduces vitality demand or optimises vitality utilization.
Functions of AI in clear vitality methods may embrace rising energy outputs from wind and photo voltaic farms; co-ordinating the reliability of a decentralised vitality community; predicting and integrating dynamic energy provides; rising vitality effectivity throughout industries and in our properties, and; rising the resilience of present infrastructure in a altering local weather.
The Manchester Prize is funded by the Division for Science, Innovation and Expertise and is being delivered by Problem Works – a Nesta enterprise.
Tris Dyson, Managing Director, Problem Works mentioned:
“Science and technology makes its greatest advances when multiple ideas from diverse perspectives are applied to solving the same problem. Challenge prizes support open innovation with a level playing field for established and previously untested innovators alike, enabling the most promising ideas to progress with funding and expert capacity building support.”
Entries to the Manchester Prize should be UK-led, nevertheless, the groups can embrace innovators and companions from around the globe. To search out out extra concerning the Manchester Prize and to enter earlier than 1200 GMT on 17 January 2025, go to manchesterprize.org
