Innovate UK has announced a £2 million competition under its BridgeAI programme aimed at driving innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) across essential sectors in the UK. This initiative seeks to enhance AI competency in the fields of construction, transport and logistics, creative industries, agriculture, and food processing. The competition focuses on fostering responsible and ethical AI-based learning solutions that support upskilling, reskilling, and competency development within these sectors. Here, we explore the programme’s objectives, requirements, and what applicants need to keep in mind to qualify for funding. The competition opens on 11th November with the deadline set at 11am on 29th January 2025.

Objectives of the BridgeAI Programme

The primary goal of the BridgeAI competition is to accelerate the development of AI competencies tailored to specific industry needs. The competition is designed to encourage responsible and ethical approaches to AI education, ensuring that new technologies are not only effective but also aligned with industry standards and values. Proposals submitted to the competition should address how they will meet the following key objectives:

  1. Accelerating AI Competency Development: Projects should demonstrate how their proposed solutions will enhance AI skills relevant to the sector in a responsible and ethical manner.
  2. Supporting High-Quality Education: By leveraging evidence-based teaching and learning methodologies, applicants are expected to promote effective learning practices that are aligned with industry standards.
  3. Aligning with Competency Frameworks: The BridgeAI programme highlights the importance of aligning learning content with both sector-specific standards and the AI Skills for Business Competency Framework to ensure the potential for future accreditation.
  4. Upskilling and Reskilling the Workforce: Each solution must address the need for upskilling and reskilling existing professionals within the sectors, allowing them to stay current with the latest AI developments.
  5. Piloting with End Users: Applicants must have a clear plan for piloting their solutions with real-world end users, providing a tangible demonstration of the project’s applicability and effectiveness.

Funding and Project Scope

To be eligible, projects must meet several essential requirements outlined by Innovate UK:

  1. Eligible Costs and Compliance: The competition offers grants ranging between £50,000 and £100,000 and only eligible project costs should be included in the application.
  2. Project Duration and Timeline: Projects should have a duration of 6 to 10 months, starting no later than 1st June 2025, and concluding by 31st March 2026.
  3. Location of Work: All project activities must be carried out in the UK, with the aim to exploit results within the country as well.
  4. Alignment with Learning Personas: The project must focus on at least one learner type outlined in the AI Skills for Business Competency Framework, including AI Workers, AI Professionals, or AI Leaders, ensuring that solutions are adapted to different levels of experience within the AI landscape.
  5. Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: The programme places significant emphasis on promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, encouraging applicants to design personalised learning journeys that are accessible and fair.

Organisational Requirements

Applicants must be UK-registered businesses of any size, and to be eligible for funding, projects must involve at least one UK-registered micro, small, or medium-sized enterprise (SME). Innovate UK also welcomes collaborations with a variety of UK-registered entities, including academic institutions, charities, non-profits, public sector organisations, and research and technology organizations (RTOs).

In collaborative projects, the lead organization must invite other partners to join the project through the Innovation Funding Service (IFS) platform, where partners will enter their project costs and respond to questions on project impact. Both the lead organisation and any collaborators seeking funding must complete these steps to qualify for the competition.

Portfolio Approach

Innovate UK’s portfolio approach seeks to fund a diverse range of projects, ensuring that the benefits of AI competency development are distributed across various regions and industries. This approach enables Innovate UK to maximise the impact of the BridgeAI programme by investing in innovative solutions across different sectors, meeting the unique needs of each one. Projects that align with the specific themes of AI competency development in key sectors, support diverse learning personas, and uphold inclusive values are particularly valued under this approach.

Specific Themes for Applicants

To align with Innovate UK’s vision for the BridgeAI programme, applicants should ensure their projects address specific themes relevant to the competition:

  1. Industry-Specific AI Competency Development: Each project must aim to develop AI competencies in at least one of the programme’s target sectors, such as construction, transport and logistics, creative industries, agriculture, or food processing.
  2. Learner Personas: By focusing on different learner personas within the AI Skills for Business Competency Framework, including AI Workers, Professionals, and Leaders, projects should offer personalised learning pathways that cater to diverse levels of expertise and roles in the industry.
  3. Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: The competition strongly encourages projects that consider equality, diversity, and inclusion in their learning approaches, thereby ensuring AI competency development is accessible to a broad range of individuals.

Application Tips

Given the competitive nature of this funding opportunity, applicants are encouraged to focus on building a strong case for how their project will accelerate sector-relevant AI competency development while meeting all the programme’s ethical and responsible AI standards. Highlighting clear, evidence-based educational methods, demonstrating an understanding of industry standards, and showing an actionable plan for piloting with end users will increase the chances of selection.

You can read the full competition details here.

Other posts you might like