Notice

Sovereign AI Open Call: Autonomous Labs (preliminary market engagement)

Published 24 November 2025

1. Background and purpose 

The integration of robotics, AI, and high-throughput experimentation in autonomous labs represents a transformative opportunity to accelerate discovery and innovation.

The Sovereign AI Unit are seeking ambitious, high-potential teams building  autonomous lab capabilities that can transform the UK’s scientific landscape.

We welcome proposals that aim to:

• develop or scale autonomous lab platforms that demonstrate integration of AI-driven experimentation, closed-loop optimisation, and real-time data analytics,
• build unique UK capability, and
• foster collaboration between academia, industry, and public sector partners.

This call is an early market engagement aimed at identifying teams building in this space, understanding the market’s expectations from government and supporting the development of potential government interventions.

All eligible proposals will enter a structured discovery stage, where teams will engage Sovereign AI leads to co-design potential interventions, refine delivery models, and shape the most impactful path forward. Your response to this engagement call should set out the kind of support being sought from the Sovereign AI Unit, and how we could work together to accelerate or scale the activity.

2. Eligibility 

To be eligible for this call, proposals should present a clear case for:

• strategic alignment,
• technical ambition,
• feasibility,
• potential for unique UK capability development and ecosystem impact, and
• a partnership and collaboration model.

3. Indicative future offer

Through this call, the Sovereign AI Unit will work with applicants to understand how the development of autonomous labs capabilities could be accelerated through access to a tailored package of support. This may include:

• investment or funding to accelerate development and deployment
• preferential access to national compute infrastructure, including Isambard-AI and other sovereign compute assets
• technical collaboration
• facilitation of public-private partnerships

Please note, this package of support is not available as part of this early market engagement exercise. Funding and other support will always be subject to success in a competitive process.

4. How to apply 

Please complete this online form.

Applications will be reviewed against the eligibility criteria by an independent panel, and all eligible applications will be invited to participate in the structured discovery phase.

Further information

• This is early market engagement for a potential future opportunity. Funding and other support will always be subject to success in a competitive process and participation in this market engagement will not impact on the outcomes of any future competitions.
• The department is not able to provide individual feedback on proposals received as part of this engagement exercise.
• The department is not obligated to run a competition following this activity and reserves the right to cancel the exercise at any point.
• The departments is not liable for any costs associated with participating in this early engagement.
• Respondents should acknowledge that this request contains information that is preliminary and may change in any future opportunities.

5. Deadline 

Please apply by  11.59 pm on 19 December 2025.

Future opportunities to access compute through the AIRR will be published on this page and via the UKRI Funding Finder webpage.