British start-up wins £1 million AI prize for breakthrough slashing materials development from years to days
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-19)

A British AI-driven innovation that dramatically speeds up the development of materials used in wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries has won the UK government’s £1 million Manchester Prize.

- Polaron awarded £1 million for revolutionary AI technology transforming materials innovation.
- Breakthrough expected to fast-track new materials for energy, infrastructure, and electric vehicles.
- Manchester Prize helping to unlock AI innovation to drive growth as part of government’s Plan for Change.
A British AI-driven innovation that dramatically speeds up the development of materials used in wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries has won the UK government’s £1 million Manchester Prize.

Advanced materials are essential to modern life, from metal alloys reinforcing bridges and skyscrapers to batteries powering electric vehicles. Yet, developing them has traditionally been slow, costly and unpredictable.

Polaron, a spin out from Imperial College London, speeds up the development of these materials from years to days – which could be game-changing for the government’s Plan for Change (https://www.gov.uk/missions) to get Britain building, deliver economic growth and accelerate net zero through British innovation.

It will receive £1 million in UK government funding to further develop its groundbreaking AI solution which uses microstructural images - the microscopic features of a material visible under a microscope - to rapidly analyse and predict how materials will perform. This new approach helps manufacturers create stronger, lighter and more efficient materials for clean energy, transport and infrastructure.

Secretary of State Peter Kyle said:

Polaron exemplifies the promise of AI and shows how, through our Plan for Change, we are putting AI innovation at the forefront.

AI could generate £400 billion to our economy over the next five years, supporting trailblazing companies like Polaron is essential to achieving that vision.

Technologies like these will help us meet our net zero targets while creating new jobs and opportunities for working people. Our commitment is clear - we are fully embracing AI to drive growth, improve public services and position the UK as a global leader in AI innovation. 1

The Manchester Prize rewards innovative AI solutions addressing major societal challenges, with the first round focused on energy, environment, and infrastructure. Nearly 300 teams from across the UK competed in its first year, with ten finalists each receiving £100,000 and support to further develop their innovations.

Polaron’s win comes on the back of the UK government’s new blueprint for AI, which will unleash the technology to help deliver a decade of national renewal. Harnessing innovative AI solutions like this is key to realising the government’s Plan for Change and demonstrates the transformative potential of AI, not only to drive breakthroughs in industry but also to transform public services and improve the lives of citizens across the country.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

Our Plan for Change will deliver economic growth, and for that to succeed we need to support companies such as Polaron across the UK in delivering the cutting-edge materials of the future, supported by our Industrial Strategy.

This government is determined to embrace each and every opportunity of new technologies like AI, which will not only help British companies develop products we can use at home but also open up access for them to export them overseas.

The government has already taken steps to accelerate how game changing technologies and innovations can be put into the hands of the British public – announcing the new Regulatory Innovation Office which will reduce burdens for businesses hoping to bring new products and services to market. This will involve supporting regulators to update regulation, speeding up approvals, and ensuring regulators can work seamlessly together – bulldozing barriers to innovation to help grow the economy.

The Manchester Prize (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/manchester-prize) was launched in December 2023 by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) and is delivered in partnership with Challenge Works. It supports UK AI innovations which will help to tackle some of society’s biggest shared challenges.

The second round of the Manchester Prize was launched in November 2024, focussed on ‘AI for Clean Energy Systems’. The 10 finalists selected to receive £100,000 will be confirmed in Spring, before a panel of judges selects the winner who will secure a £1 million grand prize to further support their innovation.

Notes to editors
- Public First, ‘Google’s Impact in the UK 2023 (https://www.publicfirst.co.uk/googles-impact-in-the-uk-2023.html)’, 2024
For further information and to follow the Manchester Prize, visit www.challengeworks.org.uk//challenge-prizes/manchester-prize (https://challengeworks.org/challenge-prizes/manchester-prize/).

Challenge Works is a global leader in designing and delivering high-impact challenge prizes that incentivise cutting-edge innovation for social good.

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