Innovate UK unveils 1m Agentic AI Prize to accelerate breakthroughs in manufacturing, health and creative sectors

"Innovate UK has launched a new £1 million competition to fast-track breakthroughs in agentic artificial intelligence (AI) across three of the UK's highest-growth sectors: advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and the creative industries. The Agentic AI Pioneers Prize aims to support AI systems capable of taking initiative, collaborating with humans, co-creating new ideas and coordinating complex tasks-capabilities that are expected to reshape productivity and innovation across multiple industries."

"Agentic AI differs from traditional AI models by acting autonomously within defined parameters, automating workflows and enhancing decision-making. Potential applications range from accelerating drug discovery and optimising factory processes to driving generative design in creative production. The competition is open to UK-registered businesses of all sizes, with up to four winners set to share the £1 million prize fund. The first-place winner in each category will receive £250,000, with a further £250,000 awarded to the strongest overall solution across all sectors."

Innovate UK has launched a £1 million Agentic AI Pioneers Prize targeting advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and the creative industries. The prize supports agentic AI systems that take initiative, collaborate with humans, co-create ideas and coordinate complex tasks. Agentic AI operates autonomously within defined parameters, automates workflows and improves decision-making, with applications from drug discovery and factory optimisation to generative design. Up to four winners will share the fund, with category first-place winners receiving £250,000 and an additional £250,000 for the strongest overall solution. Winners receive expert mentoring, national exposure and strategic networking opportunities to scale commercial outcomes.

Read at Business Matters