Once applications close, we will review and select the final startups to join the programme. During the prototyping phase participants will be given:

• £20,000 funding to develop their proof of concept prototype (see funding for how this is paid and how it is to be used)
• The cohort will also be given access to focused workshops to help develop the concept and understand how to pitch to investors and industry
• The opportunity to work directly with and receive advice and support from our industrial sponsors and Digital Catapult expertise alongside a support network of industrial and technology experts
• The prototype phase concludes with the opportunity to participate, pitch and host private demos and meetings with industrial sponsors at the event in June 2021

Made Smarter is a national movement to drive growth amongst UK makers and advance the UK economy. Backed by world-renowned businesses and the UK Government, it will improve the development and adoption of emerging technologies. Making a real, everyday difference to people from the boardroom to the factory floor.

Made Smarter was formed following a nationwide review into UK manufacturing that recommended three key changes:

• More ambitious leadership
• More innovation in developing new technologies
• Faster implementation and adoption of those technologies

We’ll be boosting the digital skills of industry leaders, bringing businesses and research development together to develop new technology, while helping makers embrace new digital tools. In doing so, we’ll inspire the next industrial revolution and make the UK a leader in digital technologies.

Delivered by Digital Catapult, funded by UKRI through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, as part of the national Made Smarter movement, Made Smarter Technology Accelerator is a national programme, set to fast forward and shape the UK’s technology innovation directly into industry.

The programme works with both UK manufacturers and the UK’s leading digital technology innovation community, to develop cutting-edge technology solutions to many of the UK’s core manufacturing challenges.

Made Smarter Technology Accelerator has been designed for industry; it will speed up the opportunities and unlock the known benefits technology adoption has for the UK economy. It is a match-funded programme for medium and large manufacturers who will be part of a select group at the forefront of digital adoption. This group will be helping to define the scope of challenges and be directly involved in the programme, the outputs of which will generate a direct impact to achieving a competitive edge for business.

Once the challenges are set and partners onboarded, the programme is made real by the UK’s leading technology innovators, providing them with funding and a platform to grow as they develop prototypes that will pivot some of the UK’s most relevant manufacturing challenges.

Made Smarter Technology Accelerator is a programme delivered by Digital Catapult, funded by UKRI through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, as part of the national Made Smarter movement.

The programme will drive innovation and recovery in the manufacturing sector across the UK. The Made Smarter Technology Accelerator is a national programme, set to shape the technology innovation and acceleration of advanced digital technologies for the manufacturing sector. Working with both manufacturers and UK early-stage innovative technology companies, the programme aims to pivot and provide solutions to some of the UK’s most relevant manufacturing challenges.

The programme’s objectives are to aid recovery, improve productivity, increase market capitalisation, export growth and accelerate manufacturing sectors towards industrial net zero.

The Made Smarter Technology Accelerator aims to boost the technology adoption and acceleration of advanced digital technologies for the manufacturing sector across the UK. By doing so, we will create a highly competitive and fertile environment for the manufacturing sector which will then improve productivity, increase market capitalisation, export growth and accelerate sectors towards industrial net-zero.

For startups from the digital innovation community the programme will provide you with:

• Prototype funding – Up to £20,000 to develop a challenge-focused proof of concept prototype and supporting material
• Peer to peer learning – Part of a cohort of up to 20 teams of talented innovators from across the technology sector
• Business expertise – Support network of industrial and technology experts to help develop impactful proof of concepts and build new technology prototypes
• Pitch and industry workshops – Focused workshops to help develop your concept and pitch
• Mentorship from Industrial Sponsors – The opportunity to work directly with and receive advice and gain support from our industrial sponsors and Digital Catapult expertise
• Technical monitoring – Engineering expertise to increase confidence in the prototype build with relevance to the manufacturing sector – this monitoring also includes inputs from Digital Catapult technologists
• Industry prototype presentation event – Opportunity to participate, pitch and host private demos and meetings with industrial sponsors at the event in June 2021
• Minimum viable product (MVP) funding – The successful cohort members will be eligible for further funding with up to £100,000 to progress the prototype into a minimum viable product

The programme operates in three phases:

Phase one – partner onboarding and challenge setting
The first phase seeks our industrial sponsors to join the programme. At this phase we’ll work together with industry to set and define the challenges to be addressed by technological advancements.

Phase two – innovation community onboarding and prototypes
From January 2021 we’ll put out an open call to the innovative technology community. Following judging and contracting, up to 20 applicant teams will be selected to each receive up to £20,000 funding and the opportunity and support to develop prototypes that will pivot industry challenges. Successful applicants, from across the technology stack, will work directly with the industrial sponsors and Digital Catapult experts to develop prototypes and leading solutions. During this phase successful applicants will gain access to focused workshops, facilities and mentorship that will complement and aid the funding to develop prototypes for industrial sponsors. We’ll present the final prototypes at the Industry Prototype Presentation, currently scheduled for June 2021.

Phase three – minimum viable products (MVP) and final showcase
On successful completion of phase one and the development of prototypes, the programme will select up to four applicant teams for further funding and support to develop their solution into minimum viable products. These solutions will be presented and pitched at the final Showcase, currently scheduled for December 2021.

• Open call for industry – September 2020 – 31 October 2020
• Partner contracting and challenge setting – Starting from October to end of December 2020
• Open call for technology innovators – 04 January 2020 – midnight 07 February 2021
• Programme start date, prototyping starts – 29 March 2021
• Industry Prototype Presentation – June 2021
• Minimum viable product developing – July 2021 – November 2021
• Final showcase and programme close – December 2021

*Timelines are approximate and can be subject to change

Made Smarter Technology Accelerator is a programme delivered by Digital Catapult, funded by UKRI through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, as part of the national Made Smarter movement.

The programme was designed before the COVID-19 outbreak and is delivered during the pandemic, which continues to have an impact on the manufacturing sector. The outputs and impact of the programme present an opportunity to boost the UK economy and aid recovery. As we also work to set challenges faced by industry, there is the potential to develop challenges focused specifically on the problems that COVID-19 presents and the opportunities that technology adoption offers. Challenges will be set by Digital Catapult, UKRI and our industrial sponsors and aligned to the five themes.

Intensifying the market of digital innovators will drive multiple outcomes for the manufacturing sector; to aid the recovery, improved productivity, increased market capitalisation, export growth and accelerating sectors towards industrial net-zero.

In addition to the challenges the pandemic presents to the wider industry, we will continue to closely monitor the situation and adjust our activities accordingly. For example, a number of our programmes are successfully adapting and being run completely online, including our showcases and events.

For startups and the innovation community in particular, Digital Catapult is aware of the business impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and knows that early stage immersive startups need our support now more than ever. The Made Smarter Technology Accelerator plans to further help startups in the following ways:

• Business support – we plan to help startups make the right business decisions and pivot accordingly as they are now faced with complex and difficult realities (for example cash flow, team structure, industry impact) through:
  • Bespoke workshops on pertinent COVID-19 topics such as business strategy, pivoting business models or sectors, remote team management
  • 1-on-1 mentorship with experts from business and industry
  • Leveraging Digital Catapult networks and connecting startups with potential clients and partners
  • Investment support – despite the current investment challenges (for example investment frequency, valuations), in addition to the initial £20,000 programme prototype funding Made Smarter Technology Accelerator will:
    • Continue to educate startups about the investment landscape and pair them with an investor mentor who will support and answer investment-specific queries throughout the programme. Startups will begin to build important investment relationships with VCs and angels that will be beneficial in the next future
    • Inform startups about options on diversifying their funding through alternative financial and investment sources by organising workshops on R&D and loans