SDR UK to launch new Smart Data Fellowships

Smart Data Research UK (SDR UK) is pre-announcing a new Fellowships funding opportunity to support bold, interdisciplinary research that uses smart data to help solve real-world challenges.

Launching in early July 2025, the SDR UK Fellowships will offer UK-based researchers up to £200,000 (FEC) to undertake innovative research which demonstrates the power of smart data to address a real-world challenge impacting the UK.

Smart data is generated through everyday digital interactions – including apps, social media, navigation systems and other connected devices. These data have the potential to transform our knowledge and understanding of real-world challenges, enabling us to discover novel solutions to complex societal issues.

What's on offer?

Up to £200,000 (FEC) per project
Support from SDR UK’s national data services, including help accessing relevant datasets
Opportunities to collaborate with a growing community of smart data researchers
A platform to influence policy, improve services, and shape the future of responsible data use

SDR UK will fund up to ten projects, with awards announced in December 2025 and projects starting by 1 February 2026. All projects must be completed within 18 months.

What SDR UK is looking for

SDR UK want to hear from researchers with big ideas. You don’t need to be a smart data expert – but you should have strong data skills, a compelling question, a creative approach, and a clear view of the impact your work could lead to.

Projects must clearly align to at least one of SDR UK’s four thematic pillars:

Productivity and prosperity
Health and wellbeing
Digital society
Sustainability

SDR UK welcome proposals from all disciplines and career stages, with encouragement for early career researchers to apply.

Support from SDR UK smart data services

SDR UK encourage applicants to use the data resources that are available via Smart Data Research UK’s six data services.

Financial Data Service (FINDS) – Banking and finance data to understand economic resilience and inequality.
Geographic Data Service (GeoDS) – Linked, location-based data to explore place-based outcomes and disparities
Healthy and Sustainable Places Data Service (HASP) – Retail, transport and lifestyle data for cross-cutting health and sustainability research
Imago, Data Service for Imagery – Satellite imagery to uncover patterns in environment, housing, and wellbeing
Smart Data Donation Service (SDDS) – Enables citizens to donate their digital trace data for scientific research
Smart Energy Data Service (SENSE) – Energy system and infrastructure data to support reducing energy disparities and improving energy efficiency

Access to required datasets must be established at the time of application. Confirmation via letters of support from relevant data controllers and/or data services must be included with the application.

To learn more about the data available from FINDS, visit our data catalogue or get in touch.

Objectives of the SDR UK Fellowships

The SDR UK fellowships have three key objectives:

1. Advance impactful and innovative research 

Conduct original, high-impact research that demonstrates how smart data can address a significant real-world challenge. 

2. Develop research leadership 

Use the Fellowship to grow as a leader in smart data research – developing new skills, networks and areas of expertise. 

3. Strengthen the smart data research community 

Play an active role in building a connected, collaborative community. Fellows will take part in activities that support collaboration, knowledge sharing, and long-term impact. 

The SDR UK Fellowship is a major opportunity unlock the potential of emerging data for public good. These awards will support ambitious, impact-focused projects that show how digital traces from our everyday lives – from apps to smart meters – can reveal new solutions to the big challenges facing the UK. We want to empower researchers with the
tools, partnerships and data they need to do groundbreaking work that serves society.

Joe Cuddeford, Director, Smart Data Research UK

Who can apply for an SDR UK Fellowship?

This opportunity is open only to applicants based at an eligible UK organisation.

Researchers who are named as Lead and Co-lead with more than 0.2 FTE on SDR UK’s Data Services grants are not eligible to apply.

SDR UK Accelerator award holders with more than 6 months left on their award on 31 January 2026 are not eligible to apply.

Stay informed

The SDR UK Fellowships will launch soon on the UKRI Funding Finder. For updates, please follow SDR UK’s social media posts.

SDR UK will host a webinar at 1:00pm on 29 July 2025 to provide further information on the opportunity and answer any questions you may have on the Fellowships and application procedure – sign up to attend the webinar.

For any general enquiries related to the Smart Data Research UK Fellowships, please get in touch: smartdataresearch@ukri.org.