Our funding explained

ACORN funds robotics & AI researchers to forge and strengthen collaborations with local and national organisations and accelerate impact in nuclear decommissioning.

Our funding model

Providing funding to connect researchers and the nuclear industry to deliver the next generation of decommissioning.

If you’re part of a UK research organisation, you can access funding to build strong partnerships with the nuclear industry. Helping you to translate your ideas into practice, collaborate with the industry and deliver measurable economic and social impact.

Access our funding to support networking events, establish secondments to share the intelligence and resources, faculties and facilities, and to activate collaborations with the nuclear supply chain.

Applications will be assessed by reviewers representing local nuclear supply chain, civic bodies, site operators and third sector organisations. Funding will be awarded to eligible research organisations on a direct award and on a competitive basis depending on the scheme.

This is your opportunity to help shape the future of nuclear decommissioning. By growing skills, nurturing people and strengthening a collaborative, inclusive culture we can deliver safer and more effective outcomes.

The schemes

Our funding schemes are open to collaborative applications from research organisations working in partnership with commercial organisation.

Collaboration - A funded way for researchers to explore working with the nuclear industry

Designed to help researchers and partners meet, learn, build skills and test ideas.

This funding supports early exploratory collaboration between researchers and the nuclear industry, helping partners build shared understanding, skills and confidence before committing to larger projects. It offers flexible, proportionate support for short activities such as workshops, site engagement and secondments that fit alongside existing commitments.

By lowering barriers to entry and valuing learning and relationship building the scheme creates space for stronger impact ready collaborations.

Contact the ACORN team to explore collaboration

Round 2 Collaboration Funding

Opens – Thursday, 2nd July 2026

Deadline for Applications – Wednesday, 30 September 2026

Moderation (6 weeks) – October 2026

Award Announced – Wednesday, 11 November 2026

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Round 3 – December 2026
Round 4 – June 2027
Round 5 – December 2027

Creation - Funding projects ready to move from research to real world impact

This funding supports translation ready research with demonstrable feasibility and engagement from end users, enabling projects to progress from development to delivery and impact (TRL5-7). It is intended for teams able to evidence a need, relevance and pathway to use, providing targeting support for activities such as prototyping, validation, demonstrators, scale-up testing and early-stage commercialisation.

By making selective time-limited investments at the right moment, the scheme helps turn academic collaboration into impact with real end users in nuclear decommissioning.

Talk to the ACORN team about project readiness.

Round 2 Creation Funding

Opens – Thursday, 1 October, 2026

Deadline for Applications – Saturday, 30 January 2027

Moderation (6 weeks) – February – March 2027

Award Announced – 30th March 2027

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Round 3 – October 2027

Culture - Developing skills, talent and inclusive pathways into nuclear innovation

Culture activity focuses on developing skills, talent and inclusive pathways into nuclear innovation by providing open, ongoing opportunities for people to engage, learn and build confidence.

Through training, outreach events and shared learning, it supports practical upskilling, knowledge exchange and awareness of opportunities across research, industry, education and local communities, By lowering barriers to participation and valuing people, place and potential, culture activity helps connect innovation to jobs and careers creating a stronger more diverse and confident pipeline of future talent.

Get involved and build skills for the future nuclear workforce.

Round 2 Culture Funding

Opens – Wednesday, 1 July 2026

Deadline for Applications – Wednesday, 30 September 2026

Moderation (6 weeks) – October 2026

Award Announced – Wednesday, 11 November 2026

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Round 3 – December 2026
Round 4 – June 2027
Round 5 – December 2027

Acorn
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