MatAlytics wins £619k Innovate UK grant for steel sector AI

Midlands-based artificial intelligence firm MatAlytics has secured a £619,000 grant from Innovate UK to advance its physics-based AI technology within the steel manufacturing industry. The funding supports the deployment of the company’s CITRUS software, which aims to replace outdated simulation methods with more accurate predictive models for critical industrial assets.

To qualify for the award, MatAlytics was required to demonstrate a highly scalable proof of concept that aligns with the United Kingdom’s strategic objectives for AI sovereignty. The selected project focuses on applying frontier AI techniques to steel production. By embedding physics-based algorithms into the CITRUS platform, the technology enables manufacturers to predict the thermomechanical behaviour and microstructure of steel slabs and components with greater speed and precision than traditional methods.

The company states that this advancement will allow the sector to reduce operating costs and carbon emissions while improving product quality and consistency. This latest investment builds upon an initial £100,000 grant previously received from Innovate UK. Benedikt Engel, chief executive and co-founder of MatAlytics, noted that the funding strengthens the firm’s technology roadmap and facilitates early commercial engagement with UK industry partners. He added that the capital will support the recruitment of additional technical and commercial staff to meet future customer demands and reinforce British leadership in sovereign, physics-informed AI applications.