Industrial digital technologies driven by artificial intelligence, robotics and the Internet of Things have the potential to significantly increase the productivity of UK manufacturing.

The Made Smarter Review 2017 estimated that industrial digitalisation could increase productivity by more than 25%.

Now, the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s Manufacturing Made Smarter Challenge aims to raise productivity by 30% by 2030, by investing in projects that support industrial digitalisation.

The challenge aims to support projects that can achieve short-term impact and rapid technology development across a range of sectors from aerospace to food and drink and pharma.

While projects can be led by any sector, they must show how they could be applied to at least two other sectors.

Projects should fit into one of four themes: smart connected factory, including the use of real-time data to optimise efficiency and the capture, analysis and visualisation of manufacturing processes; connected and versatile supply chain, including information integration, communication, traceability and trust; design, make and test, including transforming product design through digital technologies and virtual product testing, verification and modelling, quality monitoring and inspection; and adaptable flexible manufacturing operations and skills, including culture change and skills development, and human-centric automation and autonomy.

The competition is already open, and businesses of any size can apply.

Projects are expected to range in size between £250,000 and £10 million, and the deadline for applications is midday on 21 August.

Further details can be found at the Web site (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/404/overview#summary).