Isambard-AI and Dawn AIRR Super

Application Platform: AIRRPortal

Application Sections: Online form including project details, resource request information and project team membership, plus supporting documentation covering project details and assessment questions

Assessment Process: Applications undergo a light touch review by the UKRI and DSIT delivery team against criteria including alignment with AIRR scope, novelty of AI use and expected research outputs

Co-Funders: Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Innovate UK, Medical Research Council (MRC), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Collaboration Rules: Collaborative projects are allowed but the route is not intended for large research consortia

Competitiveness: Not specified

Consortium Requirements: Not specified

Decision Risks: Applications may be rejected if they do not follow application guidance, fail eligibility requirements or do not align with AIRR programme scope

Decision Timeline: GPU resources are allocated through fortnightly batching rounds with an estimated time to resource access of around one month after submission

Eligible Expenses: No grant funding is provided. The opportunity provides access to compute resources only

Eligible Scope: Projects exploring AI research including algorithm development, benchmarking workflows, AI assisted research processes, AI enhanced simulations, data generation and AI driven data processing

Funding Intensity: Not applicable

Important Notes: Successful projects may request a one time additional allocation of up to 50% of the original GPU hours if more than 90% of the original allocation has been used and sufficient project time remains

Ineligible Projects: Not specified

International Collaboration Requirement: Not specified

Interview Stage: Not specified

Key Requirements: Projects must clearly demonstrate innovative use of AI computing resources and explain how outcomes will benefit research or innovation activities

Lead Organisation Requirement: The project lead must have a contract longer than the proposed project duration with the host organisation

Match Funding Requirement: Businesses undertaking feasibility studies, industrial research or experimental development must ensure the remaining project costs are funded by their organisation

Project Duration: GPU resources must be used within three months of project start

Project End Date: Three months after project start unless exceptional extension is approved

Project Start Date: Applicants may request a preferred start date up to one month after submitting the application

Publication Date: 2025-08-18 00:00:00

Renewal Rules: Not specified

Research Category: Fundamental research, feasibility studies, industrial research and experimental development

Research Organisation Funding: Academic organisations are not required to declare project costs

Subcontractors: Not specified

Total Fund Available: Not specified