Digital Catapult, the UK’s leading authority on advanced digital technology, has welcomed eight pioneering technology companies to the Made Smarter Innovation Sustainability Accelerator, aiming to boost resource and energy efficiency in UK manufacturing.
In collaboration with industry giants BAE Systems, HS2, and Creagh Concrete, the selected companies will receive support from Digital Catapult’s innovation experts to co-develop solutions for a more sustainable industrial future.
Funded by Made Smarter and Innovate UK, the programme builds on the success of the Made Smarter Technology Accelerator, which paired UK manufacturers with technology firms to enhance industrial innovation. The new initiative will foster deeper strategic collaborations to advance sustainable manufacturing, including the use of digital twin technologies.
BAE Systems, known for its advanced defense, aerospace, and security assets, will partner with Digica Solutions Ltd to develop a digital twin of its Factory of the Future research center. Digica’s solution will illustrate how environmental factors impact manufacturing operations. Additionally, Quasir Ltd will integrate physics-based models with data-driven machine learning tools to enhance operational efficiency, while reducing energy consumption and waste.
HS2, responsible for constructing Britain’s new high-speed railway, will work with Infinitive Group Ltd and Material Index to improve sustainability by optimizing the deconstruction process of its numerous active sites. These start-ups will create digital tools to effectively integrate and analyze deconstruction data, aiding in material recapture and reuse.
Northern Ireland-based Creagh Concrete, one of the UK’s largest producers of concrete products, will collaborate with DataFlowIQ, Linearworks, Kinsetsu, and Coraledge Ltd to gain comprehensive insights into its production process. This partnership aims to optimize and digitalize manufacturing, enhancing energy and operational efficiency to maintain a competitive edge and achieve sustainability goals.
Participants will benefit from sustainability masterclasses, technical monitoring, innovation expertise, and peer-to-peer support to grow their capabilities. The program is critical in advancing industrial sustainability through deep technology adoption, coinciding with the UK’s milestone of halving emissions since 1990.
Each participating start-up and SME will receive £75,000 to develop a proof of concept, with an additional £100,000 available for up to four companies to progress to phase two. The second phase will support the development of pilot prototypes, culminating in a showcase in early 2025 for pitching solutions to investors and industry leaders.
Cenk Kafaoglu, Manufacturing Development Engineer at BAE Systems – Air, emphasized the importance of their collaboration with Digital Catapult and SMEs in achieving net zero goals through data science innovations. Zoë Edmonds, Senior Innovation Manager at HS2 Ltd, highlighted the potential for significant advancements in the circular economy through innovative data integration approaches.
Justin Cross, Director of Innovation Practice at Digital Catapult, underscored the importance of sustainability in manufacturing for economic growth. He expressed confidence in the innovative solutions improving energy efficiency and resource optimization, congratulating the startups for joining the pioneering program.