For many innovative businesses, the biggest challenge is not developing new solutions - it's turning that innovation into commercial success. Moving from technical validation to widespread adoption requires access to customers, investment, real-world testing and confidence from buyers. 

An annual review of impact from Connected Places Catapult shows how targeted support can help overcome those barriers. Independent evaluation estimates that businesses supported by Connected Places Catapult have contributed to 8,468 jobs, while businesses receiving intensive support have secured at least £698 million in private investment since the Catapult was established in April 2019, including £42 million during 2025/26.

Impact at a glance

From innovation to commercial growth

The findings identify three factors that help innovative businesses move beyond successful pilots and towards commercial success: building business capability, building routes to market and increasing buyer confidence. Together, these help businesses strengthen commercial propositions, access customers and investors, and generate the evidence needed for wider adoption. 

Across transport and construction, the report shows how businesses have used that support to win commercial contracts, enter new markets, secure investment and scale internationally.

Commercial scale, not just successful pilots 

The strongest measure of innovation is not whether a technology works, but whether it reaches customers and creates business growth. The impact review highlights businesses that have translated innovation into commercial growth through different routes. 

Following support through the HS2 Innovation Accelerator, Machine Max expanded from an early-stage pilot to deployment across 3,000 machines within the HS2 supply chain. The business now serves more than 100 customers in over 30 countries, monitors assets worth more than US$1 billion, and has since been acquired following its commercial growth. 

"It gave us a springboard - as a startup it would have taken me three to five years to get into a Joint Venture. It also created a network effect and we ended up having lots of customers through the channel."

Shweta Saxena, Machine Max

NatureMetrics is another company supported through the HS2 Innovation Accelerator. Since participating in the programme, the business has doubled its turnover to £6.5 million, grown from 10 to 133 employees, and secured £51 million in investment, including £20 million during 2025 alone. The company is now helping organisations monitor biodiversity at scale using environmental DNA technology. 

For Hello Lamp Post, commercial growth came through customer adoption. After trialling its AI-powered digital assistant through the Connected Airport Living Lab, the company secured a multi-year contract with AGS Airports before expanding into Birmingham Airport and the United States, while growing its workforce. 

"The most tangible thing is we went from having no airports as client in that time - a sector we wanted to get into - to seven under contract."

Tiernan Mines, Chief Executive, Hello Lamp Post

Other businesses demonstrate different routes to commercialisation. Ensemble Analytics progressed from a Freight Innovation Fund trial to securing a commercial contract with Associated British Ports, while Novoville moved from pilot to a six-figure contract with Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority through our DIATOMIC programme, reducing administrative effort by 65% for local authorities. 

"If it wasn't for DIATOMIC, I wouldn't have been speaking with the right person at Birmingham City Council and I wouldn't have been able to sell them anything. Participating in DIATOMIC was transformative and allowed us to commercialise."

Louis Daillencourt, Director of Housing and Energy at Novoville

Commercialisation is not a single pathway. Businesses scale by attracting investment, securing customers, proving solutions in real-world environments and building confidence among buyers.  Targeted innovation support can help accelerate each of these routes to growth. 

Growth in every region 

During 2025/26, Connected Places Catapult worked with businesses across every region of the UK, connecting innovators with customers, investors, testbeds and public sector partners. Alongside support for individual businesses, programmes are helping strengthen regional innovation ecosystems and create new opportunities for place-based growth. 

Analysis undertaken on our work with the West Midlands illustrates this impact. Since 2023, Connected Places Catapult activity has generated £20 million in Gross Value Added in the region, supported 16 local patents and enabled more than 2,400 networking opportunities across industry, academia and Government, demonstrating how innovation support can contribute to stronger regional economies. 

The impact goes beyond individual business growth. Helping innovative businesses succeed in transport and construction creates wider economic value, generating jobs, attracting investment, strengthening regions and improving the UK's competitiveness.

Read more about the impact of our work in the West Midlands