06.11.25 BIRMINGHAM, Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for transport, the built environment, cities and local growth, has today revealed eight companies selected to join the new Diatomic Digital Accelerator in the West Midlands.

The programme is designed to drive regional innovation, boost economic growth, and create jobs and opportunities across the West Midlands. All of the participants will receive business support from the Catapult, with six of the eight also receiving funding of just over £16.5k each.

Each of the companies selected responded with digital solutions to key urban development challenges identified with Birmingham Knowledge Quarter and Wolverhampton’s Green Innovation Corridor, two key sites within the West Midlands Investment Zone.

These challenge areas include energy, planning, infrastructure and mobility. Now, each of the companies will be supported to trial their digital solutions within either the Knowledge Quarter or the Green Innovation Corridor.

Meet the eight companies and their innovations: 

AI Gizmo is developing an AI copilot that helps planners, developers and local authorities make faster, evidence-based decisions by automatically checking compliance, simulating scenarios and assessing impacts.

BetaStreets and partner TTC are developing a purpose-built version of their street design visualisation software to enable the local community, students and project stakeholders to develop concept design ideas for streets and public spaces together. 

Geospatial Insight is developing a data service with application programming interfaces (APIs) that helps digital twin users assess renewable energy investments more confidently.

Grid Edge has developed software to manage energy use. It dynamically adjusts heating and cooling demand to align with periods of high renewable energy generation, optimising both decarbonisation and occupant comfort.

Purple Transform is using its platform SIYTE to develop an intelligent building solution. By combining real-time data, AI-driven analytics and workflow automation it will help users understand energy usage, occupancy and environmental conditions across entire estates.

Underheat, in partnership with Grid Stability, is developing AI-driven heating and cooling systems that help homes become efficient, low-carbon energy stores, improving comfort, reducing demand and supporting grid stability.

Denville Energy Consulting is developing a protocol about how to integrate with Digital Twin behind-the-meter energy projects with the wider electricity network, making it easier to find and use opportunities to cut carbon more efficiently.

Velorim Collections is creating a digital system that tracks products for recycling, making it easy to follow each item from production to disposal. The company is starting with e-bike lithium-ion batteries. 

“I am very pleased to welcome this cohort of high-potential companies onto the Diatomic Digital Accelerator in the West Midlands.

“This is an important part of our work supporting business growth across the West Midlands, where £22m of economic and social value has been generated by Connected Places Catapult's activities across the region since 2023. We are looking forward supporting this next cohort of innovators to take their ideas to the next stage of their growth journey.

“Working alongside Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, Wolverhampton’s Green Innovation Corridor, and local authorities in the West Midlands, through this Accelerator we are helping to drive forward the technologies of the future.”

Alan Welby, Managing Director for Built Environment and Local Growth at Connected Places Catapult

The Diatomic programme is delivered by Connected Places Catapult in partnership with Birmingham City Council, the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, Aston University and in collaboration with the City of Wolverhampton Council and the University of Wolverhampton. It is part of the wider West Midlands Innovation Accelerator delivered in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Innovate UK, Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

DIATOMIC Digital Accelerator Cohort Brochure

File type: pdf

File size: 46.39Mb

Download Report