UKRI and DSIT launch moonshot initiative to identify bold, ambitious, and transformative priorities for the UK
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) are seeking ideas to help solve the big challenges facing the UK today. The plan is to identify future innovation investment opportunities which with public funding can be addressed here in the UK.
Based off the ambitious moonshot programme that took place in the United States in the 1960's and 1970's to send a human to the Moon and to return them home safely within a decade, the term moonshot seeks to envision ambitious and inspiring activity that will help UKRI and DSIT understand the big research and innovation opportunities today.
Bringing together diverse teams from across research, industry and small and large business to work together to develop ideas to:
- help UK Government design the most promising opportunities to transform tomorrow together
- help UK GOvernment identify bold and ambitious ideas for pioneering moonshots
The first stage of this process is for community members to submit your idea for a moonshot.
Moonshots should be submitted before 10 July 2023.
If you have any questions regarding the process, you can refer to the Further Information page and the Moonshot framework. Furthermore there is the ability to contact the relavant team via email at [email protected].
The project is most interested in ideas related to the four broad strategic priorities of Pioneer Innovation, part of UK government’s contingency plan to Horizon Europe. These are:
- health innovations (human, animal and plant)
- green industrial growth
- resilient UK
- transformative technologies.
However, the project says it is particularly interested in proposals with a high level of creativity and adventure that take research and innovation beyond current frontiers to create transformative value for society

Laura Foster
Laura is techUK’s Head of Programme for Technology and Innovation.

Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.