Introducing the winner of the Manchester Prize: Polaron
AI that rapidly designs advanced materials for next-gen batteries wins first Manchester Prize
The annual multi-million-pound challenge prize from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, rewards British-led breakthroughs in AI for public good.
Advanced materials underpin every facet of modern life – from metal alloys that support infrastructure to lithium-ion batteries powering electric vehicles. Despite their importance, traditional methods for developing new materials are slow, costly, and inefficient due to complex manufacturing processes.
Increasing the energy capacity of batteries
Polaron leverages state-of-the-art generative AI and microstructural image data – the microscopic features of a material visible under a microscope – to bridge the gap between the way materials are made and their performance.
The technology empowers engineers to characterise materials, quantify microstructural variation, and optimise microstructural designs faster than ever before.
Polaron has demonstrated a more than 10% improvement in the energy density of batteries, roughly equivalent to adding 20 extra miles of range to a typical electric vehicle.
Its AI models can explore thousands of material designs in under a day – a task that would take current state-of-the-art physics-based simulations around 50 years.
Polaron was founded by Dr Isaac Squires, Dr Steve Kench and Dr Sam Cooper, spinning out their research at Imperial College London in November 2023. The growing start-up unites AI, engineering, and materials science, paving the way for material innovations in batteries and beyond.
Announcing the Polaron as the winners at a celebration event in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on 19 March 2025, Minister for AI, Feryal Clark said:
“The Manchester Prize shows how we’re putting AI to work for people all over the country – supporting breakthroughs and innovations which will unlock so much positive change in our lives.
“Polaron’s work in developing advanced materials will have a range of uses, including in driving forward new efficiencies for the batteries powering electric vehicles – giving drivers more miles on the road – and in delivering homegrown energy like wind turbines – supporting lower cost, clean, secure power for the British people.
“The innovative work we’re supporting will mean that we can fast track untold numbers of new AI breakthroughs which put improvements into the hands of British citizens in mere days rather than years. This is how we’re putting our Plan for Change into action.”
Rewarding AI innovations for the public good
Polaron is the first-ever winner of the Manchester Prize. Launched in 2023, the first year of the Manchester Prize called upon the innovators, academics and entrepreneurs in the UK to enter AI solutions that would deliver public good, our open call for submissions received nearly 300 entries.
In May 2024, 10 finalist teams were selected and awarded £100,000 each to develop their solutions, £90,000 in compute credits and a comprehensive support package to help accelerate ideas and business models, including investor readiness support, marketing and PR advice, business modelling support and access to a network of experts. The finalist teams included ideas and solutions such as the use of AI to boost renewable power generation by finding efficiencies, AI for water and wastewater management, and AI to improve and streamline infrastructure maintenance.
The ten finalists were Aiolus, AssetScan, CRE.AI.TIVE, EvoPhase Explore, gAIn Water, Greyparrot Insight, Quartz Solar AI Nowcasting, Sapphire, and TraffEase.
What’s next?
The second Manchester Prize was launched in November 2024, which will award £2 million to AI-breakthroughs that help make Britain a clean energy superpower.
10 finalists will be announced in Spring 2025, each receiving £100,000 in seed funding, £60,000 in compute credits, and additional non-financial support to develop solutions capable of winning the £1 million grand prize in 2026.
Polaron has set the bar high, we’re looking forward to seeing what comes next!
