About ARIA
From climate change to AI, society faces challenges and opportunities that can be uniquely addressed by science + technology.
Who we are
Created by an Act of Parliament, and sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, ARIA funds breakthrough R&D in underexplored areas to catalyse new paths to prosperity for the UK and the world.
What we do
We empower scientists and engineers to pursue research that is too speculative, too hard, or too interdisciplinary to pursue elsewhere. ARIA’s programmes are shaped and led by our Programme Directors, scientific and technical leaders with deep expertise and a focused, creative vision for how technology can enable a better future.
How we do it
Our independence allows us to pursue bold, long-term outcomes but that is only made possible through robust accountability. As a public body, we are accountable to Parliament and our Board of Directors plays a critical role in scrutinising our strategy. We also engage broadly and seek open feedback to shape our research, baking in ethics and governance considerations from the start to ensure we pursue breakthroughs responsibly.
What success looks like
Our success is shaped by one question: when the children of the UK grow up, how will their lives have been transformed by ARIA’s work? Whether through life-changing technology or a burgeoning new industry, it should be obvious that ARIA played a catalytic role.
"History is made up of periods of steady progress, but there are moments when we make a sudden leap forward. Whether it’s transistors, personal computers, vaccines, or even wind power, that shift is typically instigated by a small group of people who are willing to think differently about what might be possible. That’s what we’re betting on at ARIA."
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Meet our Activation Partners
We're infusing communities across our opportunity spaces with the entrepreneurial drive to convert our work into widespread impact.
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