New UK Research Agency for High Risk Science and Technology

The UK government has announced its intention to make a replacement research agency for top risk, high reward science and technology. The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) will empower leading scientists to spot and fund potentially groundbreaking research, in an effort to determine the united kingdom as a worldwide scientific leader.

A date has not been set for the launch of the agency but it’s hoped it’ll be fully operational by 2022. the govt is currently recruiting for a CEO and chair.

WHY IT MATTERS

ARIA will add on to the UK’s existing Research and Innovation body, UKRI. it’ll be influenced by similar organisations that have already proved successful, like ARPA and DARPA within the US, which were crucial to the inspiration of the web , GPS and therefore the development of the mRNA vaccine.

ARIA are going to be dedicated to seeking out and fostering radical innovation at speed through funding, business engagement and therefore the simplification of R&D bureaucratic processes. it’ll experiment with different funding models, have a better tolerance for project failure and can continually assess project funding options counting on their success.

It will be supported by £800 million put aside by Chancellor Rishi Sunak within the March 2020 Budget.

THE LARGER PICTURE

In July last year, the united kingdom began its R&D Roadmap which promised “to strengthen our global position in research, unleash a replacement wave of innovation, enhance our national security and revitalise our international ties”. This included a commitment to foster R&D in lower-uptake areas and take away barriers to innovation.

In November, the Spending Review pledged to take a position £14.6 billion on R&D in 2021 and 2022, supporting the government’s ambition of paying 2.4% of its GDP on R&D by 2027.

ON THE RECORD

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng commented on the advantage of launching ARIA: “Led independently by our most exceptional scientists, this new agency will specialise in identifying and funding the foremost cutting-edge research and technology at speed. By stripping back unnecessary bureaucratic procedure and putting power within the hands of our innovators, the agency are going to be given the liberty to drive forward the technologies of tomorrow, as we still build back better through innovation.”

Science and Innovation Minister Amanda Solloway added: “ARIA will unleash our most inspirational scientists and inventors, empowering them with the liberty to drive forward their scientific vision and explore game-changing new ideas at a speed like never before. this may help to make new inventions, technologies and industries which will truly cement the UK’s status as a worldwide science superpower.”

Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, CEO UKRI, said: “ARIA has tremendous potential to reinforce the united kingdom and global research and innovation system. The agency will have the liberty to experiment with pioneering new funding models, extending the reach of the present system to support people and concepts in new and alternative ways . Working closely together, UK Research and Innovation and ARIA will catalyse a good more diverse, dynamic and artistic funding system which will ensure transformative ideas, whoever has them, can change people’s lives for the higher .”