Connected Places Catapult in the UK has announced that applications are now open for its latest Maritime Accelerator, which will see up to eight UK SMEs supported in a five-month programme to help develop innovations and progress them towards commercial readiness.
Successful applicants will be eligible to receive between £10,000 and £20,000 of funding to trial solutions with a programme partner, as well as business and investment support, coaching and mentoring provided by the Catapult.
Now in its third year, this year the Maritime Accelerator is focusing on four challenge areas: power, propulsion and vessel operations; shore side technology and infrastructure; safety and security; and resource management.
Partners on the programme include DP World, Houlder, Maersk, National Shipbuilding Office, Portsmouth International Port, Port of Tyne, The Royal Navy, Serco, and the University of Plymouth.
“I am delighted to open our third Maritime Accelerator to innovative firms with great ideas to tackle some key challenges in the sector,” said Mark Wray, Ecosystem Director for Maritime and Ports at Connected Places Catapult.
“Companies accepted onto the programme will receive both funding and support from us to help take forward their ideas, and get the chance to try out their concepts in live trials with our partners.”
To date the Maritime Accelerator has supported 16 companies across two cohorts; the first focusing on data, infrastructure and decarbonisation, and the second looking at decarbonisation and automation technologies.
