Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) developing innovative products and services that enable the integration of low carbon solutions within complex urban and commercial environments – are invited to apply for acceleration support.
Low Carbon Interoperable Energy Solutions from across the whole energy system are welcome, and could include:
Integrating innovative low carbon generation or infrastructure technologies into the building or estate fabric
Zero carbon domestic, commercial or industrial heating solutions
Leveraging data from end users, infrastructure and networks to create new services and business models that accelerate the transition to net zero
Enabling active, interoperable control systems that delivers more efficient and flexible operation of the whole building & estate energy system
Delivering cleaner transport solutions.
The Challenge is particularly interested in innovators that are taking a whole system, user-centric approach that can be applied to: reducing fuel poverty, adopting alternative transport systems, creating digital interoperability across the energy system or optimising energy networks supplying West Midlands industry.
“One of the biggest challenges to achieving the UK’s climate change goals is creating integrated energy systems, delivering low carbon places in which people can live and work” said Paul Jordan, Innovator Support Platform lead. “Yet smart controls and interoperability between innovations remain a barrier for integrating buildings, estates and the wider energy system. So, we’ve launched this Innovator Challenge with the aim of unleashing products and services that can deliver benefits across the built, commercial and industrial environment for multiple stakeholders – from building occupants and owners to networks, system operators and energy suppliers.”
Aled Thomas, Climate-KIC, added that the West Midlands is developing ambitious plans and actions to transition to a clean energy system, building on the considerable strengths and expertise in the region and that EIT Climate-KIC is pleased to be partnering with Energy Systems Catapult and other key stakeholders to deliver this challenge programme which will identify and support innovative companies with a major contribution to catalysing the low carbon transition, responding to real-world challenges in the region.
This is the 5th Innovator Challenge run by the Innovator Support Platform (ISP) at Energy Systems Catapult. The aim of the ISP is to help innovators unlock new routes-to-market, secure investment and breakdown barriers to growth – with at least two innovator challenges running each year.
Successful SMEs will have access to advanced energy system expertise from the Catapult and partners including support from West Midlands universities, Local Authorities, Industrialists and around 40 firms offering a range of specialist business support.
This Innovator Challenge has two phases:
Phase 1 will provide up to 12 early cycle SMEs with a programme to develop their Customer Value Proposition, Business Model and Investor Readiness delivered over a period of some 2 months. This cohort will then be invited to attend a curated Investor Pitch event to help them gain further investment and business support.
Phase 2 will provide up to 4 later cycle SMEs with a tailored suite of commercialisation services delivered over a 5-month period, designed to accelerate their commercial and investor readiness.
Members of the Innovator Challenge advisory board will help to introduce SMEs from both phases to potential partners working on innovation projects across the West Midlands, including those in Energy Innovation Zones (EIZ). These five unique zones were established to support the acceleration of low carbon innovations to address the key challenges of this call: Integration / Heat & Fuel Poverty / Alternative Transport Solutions.
A shortlist of SMEs will be generated and must be available to attend a workshop at the Catapult innovation hub in Birmingham on the 16th and 17th of June 2020. Closing date for applications is noon on Friday the 29th of May 2020.
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