The second round of the ACORN Culture Scheme is now open. This funding supports activities that build an inclusive, place‑based robotics and AI ecosystem across Cumbria and Oxfordshire, including outreach, skills development and community engagement. Applications must be led by academics from EPSRC‑eligible research organisations and cannot be submitted by non‑academic or standalone external partners. Proposals must clearly demonstrate meaningful local impact, engagement with new or underrepresented audiences, and alignment with ACORN’s mission; generic events or low‑impact activity will not be supported. Applications must be collaborative, proportionate in cost, deliverable within the timeframe, and submitted by the published deadline for competitive assessment at the next decision point
Apply for funding
Our funding will simplify the path to testing, proving and commercialising technologies to deliver immediate impacts and benefits to decommissioning operations.
Funding rounds
ACORN Collaboration Scheme Round 2
Applications open
02 July 2026Applications close
30 September 2026Notification of acceptance
11 November 2026ACORN Culture Scheme Round 2
The second round of the ACORN Culture Scheme is now open. This funding supports activities that build an inclusive, place‑based robotics and AI ecosystem across Cumbria and Oxfordshire, including outreach, skills development and community engagement. Applications must be led by academics from EPSRC‑eligible research organisations and cannot be submitted by non‑academic or standalone external partners. Proposals must clearly demonstrate meaningful local impact, engagement with new or underrepresented audiences, and alignment with ACORN’s mission; generic events or low‑impact activity will not be supported. Applications must be collaborative, proportionate in cost, deliverable within the timeframe, and submitted by the published deadline for competitive assessment at the next decision point
Applications open
02 July 2026Applications close
30 September 2026Notification of acceptance
11 November 2026Future funding
ACORN aims to allocate up to £5 million in funding across our three schemes.
Funding will be distributed across up to five rounds. Specific information about each round will be published above on this page.
Our intention is to allocate spending early where possible, to allow more time for the projects. As a result, later rounds may be limited as funds diminish.
