Digital Science 2026 Catalyst Grant: Agentic AI Workflows

Digital Science is offering a 2026 Catalyst Grant with up to £25,000 in equity-free funding for innovative technology ideas. The grant focuses on "Agentic Workflows You Can Trust," seeking applications that use agentic AI across the research lifecycle. Here's the thing: Digital Science wants to fund early-stage ideas for new software tools that advance research. This means submissions can range from prototypes to well-developed concepts, but applicants must clearly explain the problem they're addressing and how their solution fits a trustworthy agentic workflow. What's interesting is that this year's program reflects the evolution of AI. They are looking for AI agents capable of carrying out complex, multi-step tasks, rather than just generating or analyzing content. They are particularly interested in trusted authorship, enterprise research workflows, trusted decision agents, and trusted publication workflows. The bottom line: This grant aims to support the development of AI tools that researchers and institutions can truly rely on.