UK ‘invention agency’ grants £50m of public money to US tech and venture capital firms

Exclusive: Brainchild of Dominic Cummings, Aria is aimed at funding ‘crazy’ scientific projects to benefit the UK

Britain’s “invention agency” has pledged £50m of UK taxpayer money to US tech companies and venture capital projects.

Dreamed up by Dominic Cummings to fund “crazy” ideas, the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) is meant to “restore Britain’s place as a scientific superpower”.