2025 AI-Driven Scientific Research Projects under the National Key R&D Program for Disruptive Technology Innovation
2025年度国家重点研发计划颠覆性技术创新重点专项人工智能驱动的科学研究领域项目
May 16, 2025
The Official Announcement in Chinese
Sponsor:
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei National Technology Innovation Center
About:
Aiming at the discovery, verification and major application scenarios of complex basic science and applied science, this program will form a group of disruptive technologies that combine artificial intelligence with theoretical derivation, numerical simulation, scientific experiments, etc., accelerate transformation and application, create a world-leading technology family and industrial cluster, and promote paradigm shifts in scientific research.
Project Requirements and Structure:
This program targets exploratory and nurturing initiatives.
I. Basic Requirements
- Strong Application Scenarios: The technology should apply to fundamental or strategic industries, or emerging fields with such potential. It must play a critical or guiding role within the technical system of the target scenario.
- Rigid Demand: The demand addressed should be substantial (real or potential) and inadequately met by existing technologies, revealing clear pain points or gaps.
- Deep Route: The project should involve cutting-edge or cross-disciplinary breakthroughs with strong potential to outperform or disrupt existing technologies and feature high barriers to imitation.
- Independent Intellectual Property: The technology must have strong, well-protected proprietary IP, offering potential for early market entry and sustained competitive advantage.
II. Project Structure
- Key Focus Areas: This AI-Driven initiative will focus on four priority areas:
- Frontier Science
Breakthrough advancements in mainstream research methods and tools related to quantum physics, nuclear fusion, astrophysics, mechanics, climate modeling, and extreme sciences. This includes pioneering new models and systems to explore natural phenomena and fundamental laws. - Life and Health
Transformative innovations in studying life and disease mechanisms, protein structure and function, gene sequencing and editing, drug design and development, and disease monitoring and diagnosis. Also includes groundbreaking methods to understand biological evolution and disease treatment, and the development of disruptive proteins, drugs, and medical devices. - New Materials
Revolutionizing traditional approaches in predicting material properties, structural design and screening, synthesis, and analysis across materials science, chemistry, and physics. Focus on pioneering tools, software, and systems for material discovery and development, and the creation of disruptive new materials. - Engineering Design
Transforming conventional methods in system architecture design, multidisciplinary simulation, performance optimization, and generative industrial design. Emphasis on novel approaches for designing complex systems and products, leading to the development of disruptive innovations in equipment and technology.
- Frontier Science
- AI-Driven Scientific Research
Disruptive technologies in AI-powered research systems across other scientific domains.
- Type of Programs: this program will consist of four tiers of project types.
- "Seed" Stage: Very early-stage projects with high strategic value and originality, focusing on validating scenarios or feasibility.
- "Breed" Stage: Projects with preliminary research results, requiring small-scale trials to explore implementation.
- "Sprout" Stage: Mid-stage projects needing pilot-scale development and engineering R&D.
- "Grow" Stage: Late-stage projects focused on technical optimization for specific applications.
Seed- and breed- stage projects typically last no more than 1 year; sprout and grow stages no more than 2 years per phase.
Application Eligibility:
- Requirements for the Principal Investigators (PI)
- No restrictions on education level, academic title, or age.
- Leaders must have the expertise and commitment to carry out the project and be the originator and primary executor of the research.
- PIs with international nationalities working at Mainland institutions and those from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan are eligible to apply.
- Project Limits
- PIs and sub-project leaders can still undertake this special project after the number of other national science and technology plans has reached the limit, but generally they can only undertake no more than one special project at a time.
Please contact the research grants office at shanghai.researchgrants@nyu.edu for more eligibility information.
Application Process:
The program is implemented through a dynamic innovation network using mechanisms such as open discovery, rolling selection, rapid approval, adaptive optimization, and continuous support.
- Application Channels
The central office, along with core nodes like the Guangzhou and Shanghai Disruptive Technology Innovation Centers, identifies potential projects year-round through multiple channels, including:- Proactive Discovery: the Innovation Center will identify projects through proactive scouting via literature, major science and technology initiatives, innovation rankings, conferences, and media reports.
- Open Call: Regular public calls for proposals through published guidelines.
- Competitions: Selection through national and high-level disruptive tech competitions.
- Referrals: Referrals by top scientists, leading VC firms, and other expert organizations.
- Nominations: Recommendations from provincial and central science and technology departments.
Application Process:
A two-step process is used:
- Pre-submission (Offline Guidance): host institutions may help their PIs submit basic project info via the center’s email (dipa@jingjinji.cn). Shortlisted proposals undergo iterative refinement with support from the Innovation Center, leading to a full proposal and entry into a candidate project pool.
- Formal Submission: Candidates from the pool can submit full applications via the National Science and Technology Management Information System.
Please contact the research grants office at shanghai.researchgrants@nyu.edu for more application related information.
Important Dates:
This project accepts applications on a rolling basis, please contact the research grants office at shanghai.researchgrants@nyu.eduif you intend to apply.