Industry Challenge Owners

Industry Challenge Owners work to directly address current and future industrial sustainability challenges to deliver business benefits such as lower operating cost, improved customer service, better quality, reduced waste and energy consumption. Each partner sets individual challenges for the programme.
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BAE Systems provides some of the world’s most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions. It employs a skilled workforce of more than 93,000 people in around 40 countries.

Working with customers and local partners, BAE Systems develops, engineers, manufactures, and supports products and systems to deliver military capability, protect national security, and keep critical information and infrastructure secure. Read More

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Creagh Concrete is one of the UK’s largest producers of concrete products for a diverse range of market sectors. Creagh is leading the market with innovation in concrete, providing new solutions across the construction industry.

Creagh is changing the way people think about concrete, bringing new levels of efficiency and performance to their products, with Spantherm thermally efficient flooring and Rapidres, an offsite fastrack build system.

Driven by their principles and fuelled by passion, Creagh is committed to quality and excellence. Maintaining the highest standards in everything they do is simply the Creagh way. Read More

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HS2 Ltd is the company responsible for developing the HS2 Project, Great Britain’s new high-speed railway. HS2 Ltd is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Transport.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Once operational, HS2’s British-built bullet trains will provide zero carbon journeys between the UK’s two largest cities, Birmingham and London, with services continuing on to Manchester, the North West and Scotland using the conventional railway network, cutting journey times. Read More

Partners

Made Smarter Innovation Sustainability Accelerator is a programme delivered by Digital Catapult, funded by Innovate UK through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, as part of the national Made Smarter movement.
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Digital Catapult is the UK authority on advanced digital technology. Through collaboration and innovation, we accelerate industry adoption to drive growth and opportunity across the economy.

We bring together an expert and enterprising community of researchers, startups, scaleups and industry leaders to discover new ways to solve the big challenges limiting the UK’s future potential. Through our specialist programmes and experimental facilities, we make sure that innovation thrives and the right solutions make it to the real world.

Our goal is to accelerate new possibilities in everything we do and for every business we partner with the journey – breaking down barriers, de-risking innovation, opening up markets and responsibly shaping the products, services and experiences of the future.

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UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK, with a budget of over £8bn. It is composed of seven disciplinary research councils, Innovate UK and Research England. It operates across the whole country and work with our many partners in higher education, research organisations businesses, government and charities.

The UKRI vision is for an outstanding research and innovation system in the UK that gives everyone the opportunity to contribute and to benefit, enriching lives locally, nationally and internationally. It’s mission is to convene, catalyse and invest in close collaboration with others to build a thriving, inclusive research and innovation system that connects discovery to prosperity and public good.

UKRI continues to support the research and innovation community to navigate the transitions associated with the exit of the UK from the EU.

The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund aims to bring together the UK’s world leading research with business to meet the major industrial and societal challenges of our time. The fund was created to provide funding and support to UK businesses and researchers, part of the government’s £4.7 billion increase in research and development over the next 4 years. It was designed to ensure that research and innovation takes centre stage in the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy. It is run by UK Research and Innovation.

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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.

The Made Smarter Review outlines there is £455 billion value-add into the UK economy by adopting industrial digital technologies, increasing manufacturing sector growth between 1.5-3% per annum, with a 25% improvement in productivity and a 4.5% reduction in greenhouse gases.

Community Partners

Made Smarter Innovation Sustainability Accelerator Community Partners help deliver a bigger impact and build a stronger manufacturing community.
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The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) is a world-class centre that specialises in carrying out world-leading research into advanced machining, manufacturing and materials for aerospace and other high-value manufacturing sectors. It is a partnership between industry and academia, which has become a model for research centres worldwide.

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Cambridge Cleantech (CCT) connects SMEs, investors, corporates, and academics for a smarter, more sustainable future. Founded in 2011, they are the UK’s leading cleantech cluster firmly embedded in the Cambridge, national – including London and Oxford – and international technology eco-systems.

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The Innovation SuperNetwork’s specialist business support gives North East businesses direct access to new market opportunities, finance and sector expertise. If you're starting out, scaling up or bringing something new to market, we can help take your company to the next level.

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Plus X Innovation creates collaborative workspaces, bringing together state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, game-changing innovation programmes, and vibrant communities helping to drive positive impact and business growth.

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Sustainable Ventures are a full service ecosystem empowering sustainable startups to scale through community, investment, innovation and workspace.

At Sustainable Ventures we believe in the power of commercial innovation to address the twin challenges of climate change and resource scarcity.

Since 2011, we have founded 10 companies, invested in 30 and supported the development of over 500 more. Our team includes some of the country’s most talented sector specialist venture development and investment professionals, all dedicated to creating value for our community whilst making the world a better place.

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The Greenhouse are pioneers in nurturing climate innovators and are one of the most established specialist climate accelerators in the world. Greenhouse start-ups have raised more than $1 billion in investment since 2012 and created over 1,500 jobs in 30 countries.

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techUK is the trade association which brings together people, companies and organisations to realise the positive outcomes of what digital technology can achieve. We champion technology's role in preparing and empowering the UK for what comes next, delivering a better future for people, society, the economy and the planet.

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Technology Scotland is the representative body for the Enabling Technology Sector in Scotland. Through their three networks (Photonics Scotland, MaaS Scotland & Product Design Scotland), they support a vibrant community of industrial and academic organisations who are developing technologies to deliver product advancements in markets from healthcare and communications to manufacturing and mobility.

Technology Scotland delivers clear business value to members, providing a catalyst for growth and supporting the community through networking, collaboration, lobbying and thought leadership.

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UrbanEmerge LLP is a UK-registered sustainable and inclusive urban and regional development consultancy established in 2017.
As a core group of partners and consultants with an extensive network of affiliated experts, located in multiple countries, UrbanEmerge advises public and private sector clients in areas related to low-carbon, inclusive and resilient economic growth, sustainable cities, circular economy and responsible investment.