ARIA is the UK’s Advanced Research and Innovation Agency, sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology. ARIA funds breakthrough R&D in underexplored areas to catalyse new paths to prosperity for the UK and the world.
ARIA’s £50m Massively Scalable Neurotechnologies programme sits within the Scalable Neural Interfaces opportunity space and is seeking radically new ways to deliver responsive neurotechnologies to the brain without brain surgery.
This funding call is for Technical Area 1 (TA1), focused on engineering non-surgical neural interfaces through a delivery-first, two-phase approach. The work is organised around three functional pillars: high-fidelity biological readout systems (TA1.1), wireless actuators for deep-brain modulation (TA1.2), and their integration into autonomous, closed-loop systems to restore physiological function (TA1.3). In the initial three-year phase, teams will prioritise establishing safe, targeted access to the brain via the body’s natural pathways. Once these access routes are validated, the final two years will focus on optimising system performance and generating the pre-clinical evidence required to transition these technologies into real-world therapeutic applications.
This technical area will form the core technology development activity of the Massively Scalable Neurotechnologies programme, comprising three sub-areas defined by interface functionality:
TA1.1 | Readout + biomarkers: This sub-area is developing neural interfaces capable of recording and reporting time-series neural data (e.g. neural activity, local field potentials, molecular or genetic markers related to neural activity) and transmitting this information to external systems. This transmission can range from wireless communication to an external receiver, or through a peripheral device like a blood test. We are particularly interested in approaches that can record signals from well defined regions of the brain rather than integrating signals across the entire brain. These capabilities will enable minimally invasive monitoring of disease state and therapeutic response.
TA1.2 | Remote modulation: This technical area will develop neural interfaces capable of remotely modulating neural activity. We are particularly interested in approaches that can target and modulate well defined, clinically validated deep brain regions, or other clinically validated brain targets, such as the subthalamic nucleus (Parkinson’s disease), anterior nucleus of the thalamus (refractory epilepsy), ventral capsule/ventral striatum or subcallosal cingulate (treatment-resistant depression).
TA1.3 | Closed-loop control: This technical area will develop closed-loop neural interfaces that can sense their environment, compare signals to a physiological baseline, and modulate local activity to restore or maintain a desired neural state. Closed-loop neuromodulation applies the principles of control theory to the brain. This technical area may draw on tools from diverse fields such as synthetic biology, molecular biology and CMOS engineering to enable closed-loop control of neural circuits, providing a foundation for dynamic, self-regulating therapies.
Details of what’s in and out of scope can be found in the call for proposals.
Who can apply?
ARIA expect to fund a wide range of fields including bioengineering, neuroengineering, electrical engineering, and applied physics. Critically, we believe that for this programme some of the most impactful projects may come from fields that do not traditionally consider themselves ‘neurotechnologists’, including molecular and cellular biology, synthetic biology, immunotherapy, and developmental biology. We anticipate these teams may come from academic research labs, non-profit research organisations, hospitals, veterinary labs (for large animal work), early-stage VC-backed startups, small to medium enterprises, and more established industry partners.
We encourage collaborative teams (a teaming tool is available here), but solo applicants are also invited to apply and we can assist in forming teams. Applicants can be based in the UK or abroad.
Briefing and support
ARIA will hold a webinar for prospective applicants on Monday 2 March 2026, 16:00-17:00 GMT.