--- title: "ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Smarter Robot Bodies" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-047de9" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-047de9" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-047de9.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-047de9.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "ADVANCED RESEARCH AND INVENTION AGENCY" published: "2024-07-16" --- # ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Smarter Robot Bodies Buyer: ADVANCED RESEARCH AND INVENTION AGENCY Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-047de9 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-047de9) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-047de9.json) ## Summary The Advanced Research and Invention Agency is seeking proposals for the tender titled "ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Smarter Robot Bodies" in the research services category. The call is at the active stage, with an application deadline set for 27 August 2024. The opportunity involves exploring how advancements in AI, control, materials, and manufacturing can enhance robot capabilities. The procurement method is selective, with a competitive procedure with negotiation. The submission is via electronic means, and the tender period ends on 27 August 2024. This tender by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency presents a lucrative opportunity for businesses involved in research services, particularly those with expertise in AI, control systems, materials science, and robotics. The agency is looking for innovative ideas that challenge existing assumptions and open new research avenues. Businesses with ambitious proposals aligned with the Smarter Robot Bodies opportunity space document are encouraged to apply. The estimated funding value is significant, with potential for multiple contracts and grants to be awarded, making it an attractive proposition for businesses seeking to expand their research capabilities. ## Notice Breakthroughs require finding people who think differently about what's possible - and empowering them to follow their vision. To support scientific and technological breakthroughs, outside of programmes, ARIA Programme Directors can award opportunity seeds to support ambitious research aligned to the opportunity spaces they've identified. To understand how opportunity seeds work within our model, see how we're working here (https://www.aria.org.uk/how-were-working/). ### Lot Information Lot 1 The opportunity space, Smarter Robot Bodies (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ARIA-Smart-machines-need-smarter-bodies-v1.0.pdf), led by Programme Director Jenny Read, asks how we can exploit progress in AI, control, materials, and manufacturing to build robots that approach or even exceed the capabilities of living bodies. We're looking to fund high potential proposals with up to PS500k each. We initially expect to fund up to 10 opportunity seeds in this space. We're looking for bold ideas that could challenge assumptions, open up new research paths, or provide steps towards new capabilities. If you have an important idea you're obsessed with, but you don't currently have the resources or support to take it forward, we'd like to hear from you. Ideas could come from anywhere, so we welcome applications from individuals and teams who are early in their career or who have atypical backgrounds. We care more about your idea and your intrinsic motivation than we do about your CV.To help you decide if this is the right funding call for you, below is some guidance on the scope. In scope: Ideas that sit within the Smarter Robot Bodies (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ARIA-Smart-machines-need-smarter-bodies-v1.0.pdf) opportunity space. By this, we mean your proposal should show how your idea either aligns with or challenges the assumptions of the Summary, Beliefs, or Observations in the opportunity space document (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ARIA-Smart-machines-need-smarter-bodies-v1.0.pdf). Ideas that could change the conversation about what is possible or valuable. Ideas that range from early stage curiosity-driven research through to pre-commercial science and technology. Out of scope: Ideas that are within scope of the programme Robot Dexterity - Handling our future (https://www.aria.org.uk/robot-dexterity/). Such ideas should be submitted to that programme funding call (https://www.aria.org.uk/robot-dexterity/). If you are unsure whether your idea is in scope of the programme, ask us by sending an email to clarifications@aria.org.uk. Ideas that are undifferentiated or that are likely to happen without ARIA support. Commercial or close-to-commercial stage products. Beyond this scope and our evaluation criteria outlined in the opportunity seed call for proposals document on ARIA's website here, we don't have preconceptions about what ideas you might send our way. You don't need to contort your project to fit our goals: we want to hear what you really want to do. Options: The estimated total funding value is the maximum budget available. We expect to fund multiple applicants.Funding is anticipated to be award via both contracts and grants. Additional funding, scope and duration could be added to any contracts awarded. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021926-2024 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Competitive procedure with negotiation | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 16 Jul 2024 | | Submission deadline | 27 Aug 2024 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | ADVANCED RESEARCH AND INVENTION AGENCY | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | North West London | | Postcode | NW1 2DB | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI36 Camden | | Local authority | Camden | | Electoral ward | St Pancras & Somers Town | | Westminster constituency | Holborn and St Pancras | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 73110000 - Research services ## Release History - 16 Jul 2024 at 16:58 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021926-2024 ## Notice URLs - https://www.aria.org.uk - https://www.aria.org.uk/how-were-working/ - https://www.aria.org.uk/robot-dexterity/ - https://www.aria.org.uk/seeds-smarter-robot-bodies/ - https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ARIA-Smart-machines-need-smarter-bodies-v1.0.pdf ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-047de9. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-047de9.json.