Applications open for Maritime Accelerator 2024

They are directly collaborating with a consortium of programme partners, comprising DP World, Houlder, Maersk, National Shipbuilding Office, Portsmouth International Port, Port of Tyne, the Royal Navy, Serco, and the University of Plymouth.

The exclusive 5-month programme is seeking a cohort of up to 8 SMEs operating at TRL 5-8. Through modules and 1-on-1 support, encompassing market targeting, value proposition refinement, strategic pricing, financial forecasting, and compelling communication strategies, they are committed to empowering SMEs to elevate their investment readiness, fine-tune business models, and master the art of customer profiling and enterprise selling.

The Maritime Accelerator isn’t just a programme; it is a transformative journey, paving the way for SMEs to thrive, innovate, and leave a lasting mark on the maritime landscape.

Successful applicants will be able to access between £10K-£20K of programme funding to deliver a trial of their solution with one of the programme partners.

Programme Challenges

• Power, Propulsion and Vessel Operations
  • How might they create or improve power and propulsion systems for ports and vessels?
  • They are looking for innovative solutions that improve:
    • Storage and distribution systems (including supply chain considerations) for electrification and future fuels (such as biofuels and hydrogen derivatives)
    • Propulsion systems for a wide range of vessels and port operations
    • Understanding of port assets and vessel retrofitting techniques and design
• Shore side Technology and Infrastructure
  • How can they efficiently and accurately verify as-built assets to their approved designs?
  • How can they automate and streamline the management, review, and approval of documentation during handover?
• Safety and Security
  • How might they deploy innovative solutions that increase safety and security using novel training methods and technologies?
  • They are looking for innovative solutions that can:
    • Increase safety of equipment and personnel interactions
    • Improve understanding of safety metrics and trends
    • Enhance incident detection and risk assessment at ports
    • Support upskilling and training for port specific safety and staff inductions
• Resource Management
  • How might they enhance port resource management and operations?
  • They are looking for innovative solutions that improve:
    • Environmental monitoring including, but not limited to, asset health and optimisation of energy usage
    • Space, asset and stock management through sensor data intelligence
    • Optimisation of internal labour and third-party contractors

What’s on offer to SMEs?

• Coaching and Mentoring
  • Including pitch coaching, business support and VC support
• Investment Readiness
  • Tailored investment readiness programme, with support from investment coaches
• Funding Opportunities
  • Opportunity to access the fund for trial proposal development or trialling
• Trial Support
  • Trial design, deployment support, mentoring and evaluation
• Business Development
  • 4-month tailored business development support and introductions

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants:

• you must be a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).
• you must be UK-registered.
• you must have a solution which is technical readiness level (TRL) 5 – 8. This means that the solution has, at least, been tested or demonstrated in its intended environment and, at most, has been deployed as a first-of-a-kind commercial system.
• your solution must address one or more of the identified challenges.
• you already operate in the maritime sector, or you are looking to bring your solution into maritime space from another sector.
• you must be willing to travel on occasion for face-to-face meetings (but most of the programme will be conducted virtually).

For more information, visit Connected Places Catapult.