Tech champions Flok Health, Darktrace and PolyAI lead £17.2m AI scholarship push
The Spärck AI Scholarships, unveiled by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), will provide full master’s degree funding at top UK universities – including Cambridge – for at least 100 exceptional students.
Three of the seven organisations partnering with the Government on the initiative were founded in Cambridge: Flok Health, the digital health innovator behind the UK’s first AI-powered physiotherapy clinic; Darktrace, a global leader in AI-powered cybersecurity; and PolyAI, AI-powered customer service software which spun out of the University of Cambridge’s Machine Intelligence Lab.
They will help shape the programme through hands-on industry placements, mentoring and support, giving young people a direct route into skilled jobs in the UK’s tech sector.
Finn Stevenson, CEO and co-founder at Flok Health, says: “AI is already generating economic value at an unprecedented pace. To put the UK at the forefront of this transformation, it’s vital that we can attract the world’s best talent. We’re proud to be partnering with DSIT to bring the world’s brightest minds to Cambridge – not just to study, but to stay, innovate, and build the next wave of industry-defining companies.”
Jack Stockdale, Chief Technology Officer at Darktrace, added: “Building AI-powered cybersecurity solutions to defend against next generation threats depends on world-class R & D talent and we are thrilled to partner with DSIT on this transformative programme.
“The Spärck AI scholarship will be an important gateway for exceptional global minds to join the frontlines of British innovation, and we’re excited to help develop the next generation of Britain’s world-class AI ecosystem.”
The scheme honours legendary Cambridge computer scientist Karen Spärck Jones, a pioneer of natural language processing, and is backed by £17.2 million in government funding. Applications open in Spring 2026, with the first cohort beginning study in October 2026.
Professor Deborah Prentice, University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor, comments: “Cambridge combines academic excellence with a dynamic, interdisciplinary AI community, from foundational research to real-world impact.
“We are delighted to be a founding partner in this ambitious initiative, which reflects a shared commitment to attracting exceptional talent and reinforcing the UK’s position as a home for world-class AI. We are especially proud that these scholarships are named after Karen Spärck Jones, a brilliant Cambridge computer scientist.”