West Midlands green transport innovators secure funding and support

29.08.24 BIRMINGHAM, Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and place leadership, has today announced 19 small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) selected to join the Clean Futures accelerator programme in the West Midlands.

Now in its second year, the accelerator has already supported 20 SMEs through the first year’s cohort. 18 out of 20 companies participating in the first year have entered serious discussions with new customers about their innovations. £2.6 million has so far been secured for SMEs through contracts or research and development funding; with a further £43 million in the commercial pipeline. So far, £1.3 million has been raised in private investment, with a further £27 million pending.

The companies chosen to join this year’s new cohort will each receive up to £50,000 to trial their solutions over the next six months. Their solutions respond to challenges associated with the rail and automotive manufacturing sectors. These include clean and efficient vehicle manufacturing and assembly design; the production of cost-effective solutions for clean transportation infrastructure; and the production, transport, and storage of alternative fuels such as hydrogen or biofuels.

Alongside funding, the accelerator will also provide the businesses with bespoke technical and commercial support, utilising expertise and cutting-edge facilities at the BCIMO in Dudley and the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering at Coventry University. The cohort will also be provided with networking and showcasing opportunities to connect with industry and financial partners.

The companies selected are:

Aeroforge
Alucast
Composite Braiding Ltd
EnginSoft UK Ltd
Extend Robotics
GBR Rail Ltd
Geospatial Ventures
Grinsty
Integrated Systems Engineering
LiBatt Recycling
MOLE
Moasure
Moonbility
OX Delivers
Raeon Ltd
Taraz Metrology Ltd
Treeva
Unipart Powertrain Applications
Vanguard

Find out more about each of the companies in the cohort brochure.

Clean Futures is led by Connected Places Catapult, alongside the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO), Coventry University and Coventry University Services. It is part of the wider West Midlands Innovation Accelerator, which is designed to bolster the region’s innovation and R&D capability and capacity to spark commercial growth and investment. The West Midlands Innovation Accelerator is delivered in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Innovate UK and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

“Clean Futures is supporting the West Midlands to be at the heart of the green industrial revolution. Through our close collaboration with BCIMO and Coventry University, we are enabling green transport innovators in the West Midlands to test their ideas and build their businesses.
"The first-year cohort of businesses on this programme has already seen millions of pounds worth of contracts and investments secured, and I’m excited to see what this year’s cohort can achieve.”

Alex Cousins, Director – Regions at Connected Places Catapult

“Clean Futures is helping the region move towards being net zero by 2041 and we’ve already seen huge successes with the first cohort of SMEs involved in the accelerator programme. We are excited to see what the next group of entrepreneurs can bring to the table and use Coventry University’s cutting edge research facilities to make a difference here in the West Midlands and further afield.”

Professor Marcos Kauffman, Director of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering at Coventry University