Transport Innovation Expo

To watch all the sessions from the Transport Innovation Expo please click here

Join us on Thursday 7th October to celebrate early-stage innovation in the transport sector From de-carbonisation to drone technology, innovation across the UK is seeing unprecedented advancements across the transport sector. And not only is innovation advancing, but we are seeing more and faster progress across all stages of market-readiness— from initial concept to commercial deployment.  

As leaders in the transport ecosystem, both the Connected Places Catapult and the Department for Transport are deeply committed to championing new and beneficial technological developments, which is why we are proud to recognise and celebrate the best of the UK's transport innovators, academics and entrepreneurs at our first Transport Innovation Expo. 

The Transport Innovation Expo will bring together transport leaders, innovators and SMEs to showcase the power of collaboration through facilitated conversations around current sector challenges, demonstrations of novel solutions and discussions about new strategies for growth.  

This Expo will showcase the impact collaboration has on accelerating research and innovation and how transport R&D has the power to create gateways into the market and seed regional economic growth. 

We look forward to having you join us on Thursday 7th October as we celebrate DfT and CPC’s Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) programme, hear from different actors in the innovation ecosystem about their challenges and the opportunities they see and seek out industry solutions to connect, spark and accelerate innovation. 

Collaboration between Connected Places Catapult and the Department for Transport 

The Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) programme was launched by the Department of Transport in 2014 to foster research and innovation in the sector. In 2019, Connected Places Catapult was brought on board as a delivery partner for the programme to implement a commercialisation focus into the existing framework. Since then, five TRIG competitions have been delivered - supporting over 85 innovative projects and with over £3.5m of grant funding. Our current active TRIG programmes include: TRIG: Accessibility, TRIG: Drones, and TRIG: Zero Emission Flight. 

• The Expo will:
• Showcase the impact collaboration has on accelerating research and innovation and how transport R&D has the power to create gateways into the market and seed regional economic growth
• Celebrate DfT and Connected Places Catapult’s Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) programme
• Hear from different actors in the innovation ecosystem about their challenges and the opportunities they see and seek out industry solutions to connect, spark and accelerate innovation
• Help SMEs, academics and other innovators understand the next steps in their innovation journeys and provide opportunities to make connections with partners who will help them take those steps
• Help bridge the gap between innovation and procurement by raising awareness of upcoming innovation and procurement opportunities
• Facilitate conversations around transport innovation and its role in delivering both Connected Places Catapult’s and DfT’s priorities, between innovators, funders, and solution procurers.

Highlights will include:

• A meet the Buyers session – allowing innovators to network with potential customers such as HS2, TfL and Network Rail
• Opportunities arising from Connected Places Catapult’s Accelerator Programmes
• Insight into how small businesses can secure their next round of innovation funding
• Showcases from the TRIG programmes