From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Feb 11: UK has launched a new £ 2 million challenge fund focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science innovations in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The fund is aimed at advancing research and development of projects in AI and Data Science as well as encourage industry and academic collaboration on tech solutions tackling social, economic and environmental challenges.
The fund invites proposals in nine challenge areas: healthcare, environmental protection, water management, energy, future mobility, agriculture, education, increasing access to information and financial inclusion.
Proposals must be led by an Indian not-for-profit organisation. They can either develop original ideas or adapt successful technologies, techniques or processes from other fields. The last date to apply for the first stage is April 7, 2020.
UK expects to make 4 to 10 awards of between £ 200,000 and £ 500,000 over to the next 24 months.
Successful bidders will likely have international partners, including from the UK, said a media release. The Innovation Challenge Fund is one of several exciting new initiatives from UK-India Tech Partnership.
UK government also recently launched a £ 2 million Future Mobility Innovation Challenge Fund in Maharashtra. The overall value of the Fund is £4 million.
Further details can be found at http://bit.ly/UKIndiaAIFund
British Deputy High Commissioner Bengaluru, Jeremy Pilmore-Beford said: “I am excited to announce the launch of the AI and Data Innovation Challenge Fund in Bengaluru. The UK is a global tech powerhouse and we are proud of our cutting-edge expertise in a range of areas including artificial intelligence and data sciences.
Over the years, tech collaboration between the UK and India has grown from strength to strength and initiatives like these will help the UK and India in tackling the key challenges facing our countries and the world.”
Leading scientists, prominent industry representatives, businesses and innovators in Karnataka’s artificial intelligence and data science sectors, along with a large UK Artificial Intelligence trade delegation attended the launch event at JW Marriot, Bengaluru.