Transport

Creating cleaner, safer, smarter and more resilient transport systems

The UK transport sector is under growing pressure to decarbonise, improve safety, increase resilience and deliver better outcomes for passengers and freight. But complexity, risk and market barriers can slow the adoption of new technologies and innovation at scale.

We help transport organisations and high-potential businesses overcome barriers to innovation by validating emerging technologies in real-world and highly regulated infrastructure environments, accelerating the deployment of proven solutions across the transport sector.

By connecting industry, innovators, investors and government, we help scale proven transport solutions that improve performance, productivity and long-term sustainability across the UK transport system.

813 billion

passenger kilometres travelled in Great Britain in 2024.

640,000 jobs

supported by the UK’s rail industry.

Busiest ever year

for UK aviation in 2025.

86%

of international UK freight is moved by sea.

Driving change in transport

We support the UK transport sector to test, validate and scale innovation across rail, aviation, highways, maritime and integrated transport systems.

Explore case studies on recent projects driving change in the transport industry, including:

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Our services

Connected Places Catapult is a proven delivery partner for transport operators, infrastructure owners, government and high-potential SMEs.

We help identify, test and scale solutions that improve transport performance, sustainability and operational resilience.

Our services for transport industry organisations and SMEs include:

Our focus areas

We have an imperative to transform the transport sector – creating systems that are more sustainable, reliable, safe and accessible to all. At Connected Places Catapult, we collaborate with the entire transport ecosystem to catalyse change.

Sameer Savani, Transport Managing Director,

Connected Places Catapult

Scaling SME growth

We work directly with high potential transport businesses in the UK to support growth and commercialisation through our projects and programmes, which aim to:

  • Help SMEs turn potential into performance
  • Reduce risk so individual businesses can scale
  • Support SMEs to compete in real markets
Engine builder for boats charts new waters with energy management system
Article

Engine builder for boats charts new waters with energy management system

Maritime tech scale-up Ecomar Propulsion widened its focus from designing motors for boats to managing their energy needs after joining the Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator, and aims to become a £100m company within five years.
Clean Futures participant wins global award with rail infrastructure innovation
Article

Clean Futures participant wins global award with rail infrastructure innovation

Materials innovator Composite Braiding has won a prestigious award in Paris, celebrating the best in composite material applications, alongside partners Connected Places Catapult and Amey.

Recent projects

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Live open calls

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Have you got an innovative pilot, project or solution?

Case studies

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Interested in collaborating with us to de-risk new technologies and solutions, and implement innovation at scale?

Latest news

ncat awards funding to innovation projects for enhancing transport accessibility
News

ncat awards funding to innovation projects for enhancing transport accessibility

Connected Places Catapult is excited to be delivering the Scaling Innovation Programme on behalf of the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat), which has announced the selection of its first cohort of innovation projects.
Maritime innovators invited to step forward for new transport accelerator
News

Maritime innovators invited to step forward for new transport accelerator

Up to eight innovative companies can receive support from leading industry players to develop new technology for use in ports and on vessels.

We work closely with the Department for Transport (DfT) to drive innovation and deliver transformative projects across the UK transport sector. Our partnership enables us to support cutting-edge research, develop new technologies, and create solutions that address the most pressing challenges in transport today.

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Transport Research and Innovation Grants

The Department for Transport (DfT), in partnership with Connected Places Catapult, offers Transport Research and…