Contracts for Innovation: FOAK 2025 – AI for Complex Processes (UK)

About

Innovate UK and the Department for Transport are collaborating to accelerate innovation in the UK rail industry through the FOAK 2025 program, offering funding of up to £200,000 for projects focusing on AI solutions to automate and optimize complex processes, improve decision-making, and enhance productivity in the railway sector.

Benefits

• Up to £4.7 million allocated across all four themes
• Contracts of up to £200,000 awarded for prototype development and field testing
• Funding for a minimum of two projects per theme and up to 23 projects across all themes.

Eligibility Criteria

• Projects must start by 1 September 2025 and end by 31 March 2026
• Projects must last between three to seven months
• Total costs of projects must not exceed £200,000, inclusive of VAT
• Projects must start on the first of the month
• Projects must be approved by Innovate UK before starting
• Only eligible project costs should be included in the application
• Projects must be led by a single legal entity
• Majority of project work and key deliverables must be completed in the UK
• Subcontractors can be used for specialist skills
• Integration supporter must be included in the project
• Demonstration should be in a suitable railway environment.