University of Southampton’s Future World to support scalable, socially responsible, AI start-ups
AIR26, a new fully-funded, fast-track program for AI start-ups is launching this September. Backed by Future Worlds, the accelerator from the University of Southampton will support researchers from across the UK, helping them to turn their ideas into scalable, socially responsible start-ups.
Designed in collaboration with Responsible AI UK and the UCL Centre for Digital Innovation (CDI), the program aims to catapult research ideas into impactful start-ups.
AIR26 will launch in September 2025 with a free two-day Bootcamp held that month acting as a gateway to the six-month program, where they will receive expert insights, skills training, and technical support from AI specialists.
“This is about helping brilliant minds across the UK make the leap from research to real-world impact,” explains Dr Alice Iles, Head of Tech Acceleration at Future Worlds and AIR26 Programme Manager.
“The UK is home to some of the world’s most exciting AI research and with AIR26 we want to help turn that into responsible, investable, and scalable startups. I can’t wait to meet aspiring founders and hear about their research at Bootcamp in September.”
Previous Future Worlds alumni have appeared in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and raised more than £110 million in investments.
