National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) Scaling Innovation Programme

Launching its second round of funding, the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) Scaling Innovation Programme is delivered by ncat partner Connected Places Catapult. ncat is an evidence centre with the mission to create a barrier-free transport system, through commissioning robust evidence and actively listening to the voices and expertise of disabled people. Combining deep subject matter expertise and research credibility with a genuine respect for the lived experiences of disabled people.

To see further det ails on the initial funding round please click here

Application support webinar

On 8 October, we will be holding a webinar to help you learn more about the ncat Scaling Innovation Programme. The session will cover the programme offering, challenges, application process, scoring criteria, and assessment process.

This webinar will be 1 hour and fifteen minutes long. Slides will be presented with audio descriptions and time for questions. We advise all applicants to attend the webinar and read the application guidance document. The Scaling Innovation team are available throughout your application for support. We are committed to making our programme and application process accessible. Please let us know about any requirements so we can support you. We are committed to making our programme and application process accessible.

We will also be holding several drop-in sessions to speak with the programme team and get support with your application, we will share booking links for these following the webinar.
Monday 13 October, 4–5pm
Thursday 16 October, 12–1pm.

Summary
Challenges
Eligibility
Dates
How to apply

Overview

Funded by the Motability Foundation, ncat brings together leading experts from academic, industrial, policy, and charitable sectors, while placing the voices and experiences of disabled people at the core of its research and partnerships. The consortium includes Coventry University, Designability, RiDC, Policy Connect, WSP, and Connected Places Catapult.

The Centre works with industry, transport authorities, operators, and policymakers to turn research into real improvements in transport. By involving disabled people directly, ncat identifies the biggest barriers they face and drives targeted solutions that make transport more accessible for everyone.

ncat follows the social model of disability, which means that we believe that people are disabled by barriers in society, rather than by their impairments or difference. We work to remove these barriers to create a more equal and just world. Therefore, the language throughout will reflect this.

In this round we’re seeking solutions that directly address challenges in vehicle stop design, travel assistance, and access to information, to create system-wide changes that remove barriers to travel for disabled people.

This year’s programme will run in three phases – an initial planning phase where up to 20 projects will each receive £10,000 to plan their delivery and meaningful involvement with disabled people. Followed by a delivery phase where 12-15 projects evaluated and selected based on out puts from the planning phase will secure between £50,000 and £150,000 to deliver live trials. Delivery is supported with business and technical support and expertise from within the ncat consortium. For phase two the funding is dependent on your solutions maturity level detailed in our application guidance document. For the third and final phase further funding of £100 – £150k will be available for 8-10 Pre-demonstrator and trail projects that progress from phase 2.

Why apply?

Funded project opportunities

Funding to help you validate your idea, conduct testing, create prototypes, and trial or test your idea or innovation.

Support

Business and technical support provided by Connected Places Catapult. Engagement and societal readiness support provided from partners within the ncat consortium.

Industry events & showcase opportunities

Valuable networking opportunities with key decision makers.

These challenges have been shaped by evidence from ncat research, conversations with experts, and alignment with other funders like Motability Foundation, DfT, and UKRI. We know there’s already been significant work in these areas. In your application, we’d like you to reflect on that, showing how your idea learns from what’s been done, and how it brings something new. Your application must address one of these three challenges.

Challenge 1: Vehicle Stop Design

How might we design vehicle stops that are universally accessible, predictable and informative for people with diverse impairments so they can travel with autonomy, dignity, and confidence?

Challenge 2: Travel Assistance Services

How might we improve and expand travel assistance services to give disabled passengers greater autonomy, confidence, and real-time control over their journeys, from planning through to arrival?

Challenge 3: Access to Information

How might we personalise and improve access to live travel information so that disabled passengers can travel with greater confidence, clarity, and control over their journeys?

You are welcome to apply for multiple challenges and submit ideas or innovations at different levels of maturity. Each application must be submitted separately. For more information on each challenge please refer to the challenges documents in the ‘How to apply’ tab.

Who should apply?

To be eligible for this competition, applicants must demonstrate that the project includes strong, specific, and proactive plans to involve disabled people throughout. Applications that do not meet this requirement will not be considered.

Please note: Meaningful involvement of disabled people carries the highest weighting in the scoring criteria. Please see the application guidance document for further details.

Scaling Innovation encourages applications from both individual applicants and consortia. In the case of a consortium, a lead must be identified for contractual reasons, and they must complete the application form.

We do require that the lead organisation is UK registered.
You must demonstrate alignment to your chosen challenge.
You must ensure your chosen challenge aligns with the social model of disability and demonstrates minimal or no responsibility to the passenger.
The competition is open to organisations of any size, including academia, Research and Technology Organisations (RTO), industry, charities, central and local government etc. If you have previously received ncat funding, you are welcome to reapply.
If you are applying for a trial, you must have a trial partner available to work with you.
Please note: ncat consortium and Board members (as individuals) cannot lead proposals; however, they can be involved in different roles (i.e. supporters, partners etc.). If a consortium partner is involved in a proposal – they will not be eligible to be any part of the assessment process.