Innovate UK and the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have announced a £3.5m funding competition for projects that can improve data access. The funding is for projects that will fast track development and adoption of artificial intelligence and data technologies in accountancy, insurance and legal services through better access to data. Open to businesses of any size, the competition opens on 14 October 2019 with the deadline for applications being 20 November 2019 midday. According to the agencies, the competition will be funded by the government's £20m Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Next Generation Services Challenge, which has an objective of exploring how new technologies can transform the services. Innovate UK said that the service sector accounts for 80% of the country's economy.