Introducing the Manchester Prize
Throughout history, British innovators have been pivotal to the advancement of computer and information technology that has transformed the world we live in.
As we enter a new era where artificial intelligence plays an increasing role in the way we live, work, learn and enjoy ourselves, the UK is playing a leading role in pioneering new AI solutions to some of the most important and difficult challenges in society.
The Manchester Prize, an initiative of the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, will award £1 million every year to a team of innovators with the most cutting-edge AI solution for public good.
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£0 billion
of economic value could be generated by AI-powered innovation to the UK economy by 2030
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More than 0k
people work in AI, with the size of the market in the UK set to grow by more than 15% in the next six years
The first Manchester Prize is seeking innovation from UK-led teams with breakthrough ideas for overcoming challenges in the fields of energy, environment and infrastructure. The 10 finalist teams were announced on the 21st May 2024, and will receive £100,000 each, as well as a generous package of non-financial support and access to free computing power to develop their innovation. One finalist will win the £1 million grand prize in early 2025.
Who are the finalists?
Meet the 10 finalists teams with cutting edge AI innovation in energy, the environment and infrastructure below.
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Aiolus by the University of Warwick
Aiolus leverages AI and creates digital twins to enhance wind farm operations and predict maintenance needs, boosting energy capacity, lowering the average cost of electricity for people and accelerating the UK towards its Net Zero target.
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AssetScan by CC Informatics
AssetScan is an AI system which aims to identify defects in buildings and infrastructure assets from large photographic datasets, such as those collected by drones, using an image-to-image processing technique.
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CRE.AI.TIVE by Phytoform Labs
CRE.AI.TIVE is a foundational genomics model, that learns about the genome of plants and accelerates the search for useful mutations to increase the resilience of crops.
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EvoPhase Explore by Evophase
EvoPhase Explore leverages evolutionary algorithms to reduce energy consumption, minimise waste, and enhance overall efficiency in manufacturing processes.
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gAIn Water by UKCRIC
gAIn Water leverages advanced predictive AI technologies to integrate real-time sensor data from the UK’s water network with environmental and demographic inputs, including weather, soil conditions, pipe integrity, and population trends.
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Greyparrot Insight by Greyparrot
The Greyparrot AI waste analytics system “sees” and tracks every piece of waste entering a sorting or recycling plant via monitoring units positioned over conveyor belts.
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Polaron by Polaron
Polaron rapidly analyses potential material designs, revolutionising battery manufacturing and unlocking the next generation of materials.
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Quartz Solar AI Nowcasting by Open Climate Fix
Quartz Solar AI Nowcasting leverages satellite imagery and live solar generation data to better manage solar energy resources and balance a renewables-heavy grid.
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Sapphire by HR Wallingford
Sapphire reduces water pollution from storm overflows, agriculture, and urban spaces, ultimately resulting in better water quality across the nation.
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TraffEase by Transhumanity
TraffEase supports intuitive natural language queries, empowering city authorities to effectively manage transport to enhance the journey experience for the public.
