Transport Accelerator: Maritime 2025

Applications close 16 June, 9 am

Get support for ideas that could help with automating operations, integrating future fuels and improving safety in ports.

Connected Places Catapult is excited to introduce the Transport Accelerator: Maritime; a dynamic initiative dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with pioneering solutions that could be applicable to the maritime industry and the wider transport sector.

This six-month programme is seeking a cohort of up to eight SMEs operating at TRL 5-8.

The Catapult is collaborating with a consortium of programme partners: Serco, Port of TyneNational Shipbuilding OfficeUniversity of Plymouth, Portsmouth International Port, Royal Navy Maritime Enterprise, and Maersk.

SMEs that join the programme will benefit from engaging with, and being supported by, the programme partners either with their trials or with mentoring, depending on the solutions within the cohort.

Every SME on the programme will receive bespoke commercial support. This is scoped through a thorough business needs assessment process and could include market analysis, value proposition refinement, strategic pricing, financial forecasting, and developing compelling communication strategies.

In addition to the business support, successful applicants will be able to apply for between £10K and -£20K of programme funding to deliver a four-month trial of their solution as part of an agreed collaboration with a programme partner.

The partners bring a wealth of knowledge and will be able to provide invaluable access to internal expertise and testing facilities to the SMEs.

The Transport Accelerator: Maritime builds on the past three years of success of the Catapult’s previous Maritime Accelerator programme, during which time 22 SMEs were supported, and nine trials were delivered.

01

Coaching and Mentoring

Including pitch coaching, business support and VC support

02

Investment Readiness

Tailored investment readiness programme, with support from investment coaches

03

Funding Opportunities

Opportunity to access our fund for trial proposal development or trialling

04

Trial Support

Trial design, deployment support, mentoring and evaluation

05

Business Development

4-month tailored business development support and introductions

“Connected Places Catapult’s Maritime Accelerator 2024 has been an invaluable catalyst for Rux Energy. The programme provided us with industry connections, expert guidance, and strategic support, accelerating our journey toward commercialising our next-generation hydrogen storage solutions. The collaboration with Serco – focused on decarbonising their fleet workboats – was instrumental in demonstrating the real-world impact of our technology, while the strategic support from WeSprint was a game-changer for our growth. We highly recommend this programme to any SME looking to scale and drive meaningful change in the maritime sector.”
Marius Bosch, Rux Energy Ltd (Cohort 3)

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible:

  • you must be a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
  • you must be UK-registered
  • you must have a solution which is technical readiness level (TRL) 5 – 8. This means that the solution has, at least, been tested or demonstrated in its intended environment and, at most, has been deployed as a first-of-a-kind commercial system
  • your solution must address one or more of the identified challenges
  • you already operate in the maritime sector, or be looking to bring your solution into maritime space from another sector
  • you must be willing to travel on occasion for face-to-face meetings such as the Welcome Day on Thursday 11 September 2025
  • you must be willing to participate in the programme activities between September 2025 and March 2026 inclusive 

How to apply

Please register through the link below.  
Applications close 16 June 2025, 9 am

Supporting documents

Questions & Answers

Register for one of the drop-in sessions at the link below. For any questions please contact: kirsty.murphy@cp.catapult.org.uk

Questions and answers that may be relevant to other applicants for the Open Call will be added to this section for all to access. (Questions posted will not be attributed to those that submitted them.) 

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