--- title: "ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Scalable Neural Interfaces" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04c181" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04c181" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04c181.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04c181.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "ADVANCED RESEARCH AND INVENTION AGENCY" published: "2024-12-02" --- # ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Scalable Neural Interfaces Buyer: ADVANCED RESEARCH AND INVENTION AGENCY Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04c181 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04c181) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04c181.json) ## Summary The ADVANCED RESEARCH AND INVENTION AGENCY (ARIA) has initiated a public procurement process titled "ARIA Opportunity Seeds: Scalable Neural Interfaces", classified under research services (CPV code 73110000). The procurement stage is currently in the Tender phase. The objective is to fund ambitious research proposals aligned with scalable neural interfaces. The procurement is set within the UK, and the application deadline for proposals is 13 February 2024 (13:00 GMT). Shortlisted applicants will be invited to meet with the Programme Director, Jacques Carolan, on 12 March 2025, with final award decisions announced on 21 March 2025. The procurement method involves a competitive procedure with negotiation, and the total funding value is anticipated to accommodate multiple applicants through both contracts and grants. This tender presents significant opportunities for innovative businesses and research teams aiming to make advancements in neurological interfaces. It is particularly suited for individuals or groups with pioneering ideas that challenge existing assumptions and open new research paths. Early-career professionals, as well as those with non-traditional backgrounds, are encouraged to apply. Successful proposals can receive up to £500,000, fostering substantial business growth and facilitating breakthroughs in understanding and treating neurological disorders. The focus on bold, high-impact ideas ensures that participating businesses will engage in potentially transformative projects within the research services industry. ## 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 Programme Director Jacques Carolan's opportunity space, Scalable Neural Interfaces (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ARIA-Precisely-interfacing-with-the-human-brain-v1.0.pdf), asks if we could solve the mysteries of neurological disorders by interfacing in new ways - at scale - with the human brain. 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 ideas 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 Scalable Neural Interfaces opportunity space (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ARIA-Precisely-interfacing-with-the-human-brain-v1.0.pdf). 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/2023/12/ARIA-Precisely-interfacing-with-the-human-brain-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 target Jacques Carolan's programmatic goal to unlock new methods to understand, identify, and treat neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, as described in the programme thesis (https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ARIA-Precision-Neurotechnologies-for-Human-Therapeutics.pdf) and programme funding call (https://www.aria.org.uk/precision-neurotechnologies/) (applications for the programme funding call have now closed). 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/038766-2024 | | 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 | 2 Dec 2024 | | Submission deadline | 13 Feb 2025 | | 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 2DA | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI36 Camden | | Local authority | Camden | | Electoral ward | Regent's Park | | 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 - 2 Dec 2024 at 14:11 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038766-2024 ## Notice URLs - https://www.aria.org.uk/ - https://www.aria.org.uk/how-were-working/ - https://www.aria.org.uk/precision-neurotechnologies/ - https://www.aria.org.uk/scalable-neural-interfaces-opportunity-seeds - https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ARIA-Precisely-interfacing-with-the-human-brain-v1.0.pdf - https://www.aria.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ARIA-Precision-Neurotechnologies-for-Human-Therapeutics.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-04c181. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04c181.json.