Restricted call: NRF Singapore AI for Science Catalytic call (internal deadline: 3rd September 2025)

The National Research Foundation (NRF), Singapore has launched an AI for Science (AI4S) Catalytic call

This will provide funding of up to 2 million SGD for 2 to 3-year projects.  The AI4S Funding Scheme seeks to support collaborative teams of scientific domain and AI researchers, to pursue cutting-edge basic science in Singapore which will significantly advance the development of AI methods and tools for scientific research and leverage these AI solutions to make a transformative step-change in scientific discovery.

This is a call evaluated in two stages. However, applicants are required to submit both the Stage 1 (Video & Slides) and Stage 2 (Full Proposal) materials together, during the grant call’s submission window, to facilitate a shorter review cycle. Applications are to be submitted via the Integrated Grant Management System (IGMS) (https://www.researchgrant.gov.sg).

The proposed AI4S Challenge research programme must clearly articulate potential for impact in one or more thematic area(s) of relevance to Singapore’s strategic priorities, including but not limited to:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Aviation and Maritime Technologies
• Health and Biomedical Sciences
• Energy and Climate Resilience
• Digital Trust
• Education
• Financial Services

There are a number of unique requirements/features of this call:

• The project must be co-led by two PIs and at least one will be a PI based at one of the Singapore public Institutes of Higher Learning (including autonomous universities) or an A*STAR Research Institute.
• Either the Singapore institution or a CREATE (Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise) entity will be the host for financial and administrative purposes: for the University of Cambridge, the relevant CREATE entity is the Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research in Singapore (CARES).
• Further international collaborators may be included as needed but, where included, the team should reflect a balanced composition of Singapore-based and international PIs.
• Cambridge Co-Lead/Team PI(s) are expected to have reasonable time commitment (guideline of at least 20% and 10% of  respectively) for conducting research activities within Singapore, and contributing to the aims of the project. This time commitment can be fulfilled by conducting research activity in Singapore, and remotely.
• PLEASE NOTE (change in previous call terms):  The salary of international PI(s) is not supportable under the AI4S Catalytic Grant. Residency of international PI(s) in Singapore may be budgeted for in the proposal and is supportable by the grant. Eligible items for residency include travel, accommodation, and cost of living allowance (to cover meals, transport, incidentals).
• Reference to Singapore priorities in AI is strongly recommended.

Further guidance is available from CARES affiliated staff in Singapore and Cambridge. Please contact Élana McNaught, the CARES Coordinator in Cambridge, and Elizabeth MacRae, CARES Chief Operating Officer (Singapore) to discuss any details of the call requirements.

University Internal selection

NRF has allocated each CREATE entity a submission quota of one Whitepaper. Therefore, this call will be managed according to the University’s restricted calls procedure.  To take part in the internal selection, please complete our online form by 3^rd September 2025.  (NB: if asked to log-in, please use your crsid/Raven details)

Please note that CARES-affiliated PIs may also participate as non-host co-lead PI/team PIs in proposals submitted with other eligible host institutions, which will not count towards the CARES submission quota and therefore do not need to be submitted to the internal selection process.

You will need the following documents and information to complete the form:

• A project summary (max. 800 words) addressing the first two assessment criteria below.
• CVs for both the CARES/UCAM co-lead PI and the Singapore institution co-lead PI.
• A letter of support from the relevant UCAM Head of Department, including confirmation of their support for the PI commit 20% (co-Lead PI) or 10% (Team PI) of their time in Singapore over the duration of the project and acknowledging that international PI salary costs are not supportable under this call.

Internal Assessment Criteria – the assessment of internal applications will focus on the following core funder criteria:

1. Significance of the research and its potential for acceleration of scientific discovery or scientific/engineering breakthroughs.
2. Multi-disciplinarity of the project.
3. Demonstrated capabilities of the individuals performing the project.

Funder timeline and information session

Call launch: 20 August 2025
Internal CARES Deadline: 7 October 2025
Stage 1 and 2 closing date: 14 October 2025 (16:00 SGT, 9:00am BST)

The NRF will be holding a virtual information session on Thursday 14^th August at 08:00 and 16:00 SGT (01:00 and 09:00 BST, see link below)

Microsoft Teams meeting: Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 430 943 283 133 2 Passcode: 6Zg78zf9 PLEASE NOTE : This is a SG-TEAMS meeting

If you have any queries about the internal selection process, please don’t hesitate to contact researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk

Posted on 13/08/2025