Advanced Research and Invention Agency
{{Short description|UK government's R&D funding agency}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Advanced Research and Invention Agency
| logo = Advanced Research and Invention Agency logo.jpg
| established = 26 January 2023
| type = Non-departmental public body
| leader_title = CEO
| leader_name = Ilan Gur
| leader_title2 = Chair
| leader_name2 = Matt Clifford
| parent_organisation = Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
| staff =
| website = {{Official URL}}
| remarks =
| formerly =
| footnotes =
| bodystyle =
}}
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency, or ARIA, is a research funding agency of the UK government, announced on 19 February 2021 and formally established on 26 January 2023.{{cite news |title=UK to launch £800m science research agency |url=https://www.ft.com/content/eff4b46e-7a10-4353-959a-0305fd051a8e |access-date=19 February 2021 |publisher=Financial Times |date=19 February 2021}}{{cite web |title=UK to launch new research agency to support high risk, high reward science |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-launch-new-research-agency-to-support-high-risk-high-reward-science |website=GOV.UK |publisher=UK Government |access-date=19 February 2021}}{{Cite news|last=Swinford|first=Steven|title=Secrecy for high-risk tech research agency Aria|newspaper=The Times|language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/secrecy-for-high-risk-tech-research-agency-aria-h72lql80k|access-date=2021-02-17|issn=0140-0460}}
History
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency Act 2022 created the legislative framework for the agency and it was formally established as an independent research body in January 2023.{{Cite news |last=Cookson |first=Clive |date=2023-08-26 |title=Taking 'bold' bets: new UK agency prepares to fund breakthrough technologies |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/c32a974b-f0b1-4b4a-bfc3-a35f3beccac2 |access-date=2023-08-26}}
With a similar remit to that of its US equivalent, DARPA, the agency will fund "high-risk, high-reward" research.{{cite news |title=UK to launch 'high risk' science agency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56117560 |access-date=19 February 2021 |agency=BBC News |date=19 February 2021}}{{cite news |title='Licence to fail': £800m for new scientific agency that will focus on high-risk, high-reward projects |url=https://news.sky.com/story/licence-to-fail-800m-for-new-scientific-agency-that-will-focus-on-high-risk-high-reward-projects-12222158 |access-date=19 February 2021 |agency=Sky News |date=19 February 2021}} Organisationally, it will be small, independent of UKRI (the main UK government funding body), with autonomy to operate at speed innovate funding, (for instance with X-Prize type inducements around research goals), rapid "seed" funding, with successful seeds entering a much smaller tier of large-grants, and bonuses for accomplishing research goals.{{Cite web |title=Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA): policy statement |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advanced-research-and-invention-agency-aria-statement-of-policy-intent/advanced-research-and-invention-agency-aria-policy-statement |access-date=2021-06-02 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}} The agency avoids DARPA’s connection to military research.{{Cite news |last=Gaind |first=Nisha |date=September 13, 2024 |title=The UK’s $1-billion bet to create technologies that change the world |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02995-1 |access-date=September 22, 2024 |work=Nature}}
As of 2024, the agency's initial budget is confirmed to be £800 million.{{Cite web |last=Kwarteng |first=Kwasi |date=2022-07-19 |title=Advanced Research and Invention Agency Statement made on 19 July 2022 Statement UIN HCWS218 |url=https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-07-19/hcws218 |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=UK Parliament}}
Aria is designed to operate with a large degree of autonomy and is exempt from Freedom of Information requests. In March 2021 Labour Party Member of Parliament Dawn Butler said this would "raise alarm bells" about how taxpayer money is spent, in light of a scandal over how the UK government procured PPE contracts during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kwasi Kwarteng, who was Business Secretary at the time, insisted the "corporate governance arrangements are very robust" and that MPs would be able to scrutinise the agency's accounts.{{cite news |title=Health department was 'smoking ruin' on Covid - Cummings |work=BBC News |date=17 March 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56427280 |access-date=21 March 2021}}
On 20 July 2022, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced that ARIA's first CEO would be Ilan Gur and its first Chair would be Matt Clifford.{{Cite web |title=Innovation heavyweights appointed to lead new Advanced Research and Invention Agency |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/innovation-heavyweights-appointed-to-lead-new-advanced-research-and-invention-agency |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}} In early 2023, it was announced that Nobel prize-winning organic chemist Chemistry Sir David MacMillan and Dame Kate Bingham entrepreneur who headed the successful Vaccine Taskforce, would join the board, advancing the high-risk/high-reward research agenda.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-27 |title=Nobelist and ex-vaccines chief join newly established Aria |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/nobelist-and-ex-vaccines-chief-join-newly-established-aria |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}
See also
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://aria.org.uk}}
{{Department for Science, Innovation and Technology}}
Category:Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Category:Funding bodies in the United Kingdom
Category:Higher education organisations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Research funding agencies
Category:Research and development in the United Kingdom
Category:Innovation in the United Kingdom
Category:Public bodies and task forces of the United Kingdom government
Category:Advanced Research and Invention Agency