AI for public good

The Manchester Prize is a multi-million pound, multi-year challenge prize, launched in 2023 and funded by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology to reward UK-led breakthroughs in artificial intelligence for public good.

The prize aims to reward innovations that will help transform people’s lives across the UK and continue to secure the UK’s place as a global leader in cutting-edge innovation. The themes and aims of the prize change on an annual basis, directing resources and funding at areas in most need and with the biggest opportunities.

The multi-year prize is now in the second round of delivery.

Our Prizes

Round Two of the Manchester Prize: Clean Energy Systems

The second round, which launched in December 2024, has a focus on the application of AI to speed up the UK’s adoption of Clean Energy Systems.

The 10 finalists with solutions enabling the UK to accelerate towards a net zero energy system will be announced in spring 2025. The teams will receive £100,000 and support to develop their solutions.

Learn more about the Prize

A women with a laptop inspecting plants.

Round One of the Manchester Prize: Energy, Environment & Infrastructure

The first year’s challenge sought breakthrough ideas for overcoming challenges in the fields of energy, environment and infrastructure.

We are delighted to announce that the grand prize winner is Polaron, an artificial intelligence technology that dramatically accelerates the development of new advanced materials from decades to just a day.

Read our blog on the winning team here.