All programmesJoin the next cohortBring a real business challenge to a dissertation student and see what AI could do for you.
Your business brings an AI question it hasn’t had time to explore. A University of Surrey student takes it on as their dissertation, supervised by the University, and you get a research-led answer grounded in your own context. Taking part is free.
About
About this programme
The London and South East AI Innovation Accelerator (AIIA) is led by the University of Surrey in collaboration with Agent Build Club, and funded by Innovate UK. It was set up to test how business challenge dissertations can work for businesses and for university courses: a business brings an applied AI question, and a student investigates it as their dissertation, supervised by the University.
The model is designed to work on any course with a dissertation or final project. The Innovate UK funding pilots it on three cohorts in Surrey’s engineering courses:
- MSc EEE Dissertations 2026-27: Surrey’s electronic engineering courses, with dissertations from February to September 2027
- MSc AI in Engineering 2027-28: the first year of Surrey’s new AI in Engineering MSc
- MSc EEE Dissertations 2027-28: the second run for the electronic engineering courses
What we learn from the pilot shapes how the model opens up to more courses across the University.
We meet businesses, help shape each challenge, and run the co-learning programme around it: open talks, a hackathon and an online community. University academics refine every brief so it works as a dissertation, and the University’s AIIA team matches students with supervisors. Supervision and assessment stay with the University.
Why businesses take part
- An evidence-based look at an AI question you haven’t had time to explore, grounded in your own context
- Early sight of talented graduates as they finish their degree
- A working relationship with Surrey academics and research groups, and a route to follow-on collaboration
- A place in a community of businesses, students and educators learning applied AI together
- No fee: we ask for a named person and roughly one to two hours a month, more in the summer, plus about eight hours to shape the brief
What you get
What it is and what it gives you
How it works
Step by step
Agent Build Club is your guide through the programme. We help you understand how to get the most from it and how to prepare a strong business challenge without wasting your time, then introduce you to the University of Surrey, which runs the research itself. Taking part is free, and each step is clear, so you always know what happens next.
Register your interest
Tell us a little about your business and the AI question on your mind. It only takes a few minutes.
Shape your challenge
Someone from the Agent Build Club team will be in touch with a toolkit and guidance, and will help you shape your question so it meets the University’s requirements.
Meet the University
We introduce you to the University. Its academics help finalise your challenge so it fits the course, and its AIIA team matches you with a student and a supervisor.
Sign and get started
If everyone’s happy, you sign a dissertation sponsor contract with the University, and the student begins their dissertation with you as their business sponsor.
Help your student understand the challenge
Give your student the context and data they need, within what your contract sets out on data sharing and confidentiality, plus a little mentoring along the way. Anything personal or sensitive needs approval from the University’s ethics committee first.
Join the mid-point review
See how the work is going and help steer it while there’s still time to change course.
Come to the viva
You’re encouraged to come and see your student present and defend their findings. It’s optional, and well worth it.
Then celebrate their success
See what the work has shown you: whether the idea is feasible, what it would need, the constraints and the potential. Then decide what to do next, perhaps with the student who did the work.
When to join
Choose your run
When you can join
Every run, soonest first
Later runs
Who is behind it
Supported by
The organisations behind this programme
FAQs
Questions businesses ask
When is the next cohort?
The first cohort is open now. Students on Surrey’s MSc electronic engineering courses work on business challenges from 8 February to 24 September 2027, and two more cohorts follow in 2027-28. To find out more, come to one of our free online business briefings in November and December, or register your interest and we’ll come back to you within two working days.
Is there a cost to participate?
No, it's free! AIIA is funded by Innovate UK, so all we ask is some of your time to support the students.
How long does an AIIA project run?
About seven and a half months. Projects follow the MSc dissertation timetable: the first cohort runs from 8 February to 24 September 2027. Students work part time alongside their taught modules in the spring, then full time over the summer.
How much time does the business need to commit to a project?
Roughly one to two hours a month, a little more over the summer when students work full time, plus around eight hours up front to shape the brief. That covers a kick-off, a check-in about once a month, a site visit or data walkthrough, and the final presentation.
What does a business need to provide for a project?
A real question that matters to your business, a named person with a little time to support the student, and context and data you can describe and give access to. You choose what data to share; anything personal or sensitive needs approval from the University’s ethics committee first. Don’t worry if your question isn’t fully formed yet. We’ll work with you to shape the brief before it goes to the University of Surrey team.
How are engineering MSc students matched to businesses?
First, we'll work with you to define and scope your brief, setting a challenge that works well for both you and the students. Then we hand it over to the University of Surrey team, who handpick students based on their capabilities, interests and the nature of your project.
What does the student produce at the end of the project?
You'll get a research-led outcome grounded in your business, usually a dissertation-style report covering feasibility, requirements, constraints and potential. Depending on the project, it might also include a prototype or proof of concept.
What happens to intellectual property and confidentiality?
Both are agreed before the project starts and written into the contracts signed once the University of Surrey team has matched you with your students. We can also put NDAs in place if needed.
Who supervises and marks the work?
The University of Surrey. Every brief goes through an academic review, and none becomes a dissertation project until the University accepts it. University academics supervise and assess the student; Agent Build Club takes no part in supervision or marking. The challenge stays yours throughout, and you can withdraw it.
Who is my contact once I’ve been introduced to the University?
The Agent Build Club team is your contact while you shape your challenge. When you’re ready, we introduce you to Dr Gareth Beeston, the University of Surrey’s AIIA Manager, who is your contact from then on.
Not sure yet?
Talk it through with us
Not sure whether this programme fits your organisation, or which run to join? Book a short conversation and we will help you work out the right next step.
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