DIATOMIC Digital Accelerator Programme (United Kingdom)

Running from October 2025 to March 2026, the accelerator programme has been designed to drive regional innovation, boost economic growth, and create jobs and opportunities across the West Midlands. Supporting up to 10 SMEs, the programme will provide tailored commercial and technical support to each SME. This support will be scoped through a thorough business needs assessment and could include market analysis, value proposition refinement, strategic pricing, financial forecasting, and developing compelling communication strategies.

Funded by Innovate UK and the West Midlands Combined Authority, the accelerator programme is delivered by Connected Places Catapult in partnership with Birmingham City Council, University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, Aston University and in collaboration with Wolverhampton City Council and University of Wolverhampton. It supports SMEs developing digital solutions that can help improve how cities and places work.

Programme Challenges

• Mobility & Last Mile
  • Birmingham Knowledge Quarter (BKQ) aims to offer connected green walkways and intuitive wayfinding for all. However, delivering this in an urban environment shared with multiple transport routes presents challenges. Digital twin technology can support this ambition by optimising current mobility and modelling future needs.
  • They seek innovative solutions for:
    • Wayfinding
    • Creating an identity and sense of place
    • Transport planning
    • Supporting delivery infrastructure
• Land Usage & Underground Infrastructure
  • BKQ seeks to make more informed decisions when planning land usage and accelerating new developments.
  • They seek innovative solutions for:
    • Mapping existing infrastructure
    • Planning utilising land more effectively
• Digital Connectivity
  • BKQ seeks to better understand how to model and deliver seamless digital connectivity across the BKQ area ensuring both futureproof wired and wireless infrastructure.
  • They seek innovative solutions for:
    • Planning new connectivity assets
    • Creating a seamless digital connection experience
    • Tackling urban connectivity challenges
• Building Optimisation
  • The Woodcock Building is a key building in Aston University’s campus at BKQ, an incubator space for life sciences and clean tech. The goal is to maximise its usage and impact as a multi-purpose building for now and in the future.
  • They seek innovative solutions for:
    • Building modelling
    • Net zero, efficiency and energy
    • Climate resilience
    • Optimising usage
    • Future development
• Planning
  • The UK is currently facing a significant housing shortage. In response, there is a national ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. As part of this effort, Wolverhampton has set a target of delivering 9,330 new homes, and the GIC is expected to play a key role in supporting this goal.
  • They seek innovative solutions for:
    • Planning
    • AI-enabled design
    • Digital infrastructure
• Renewable Energy
  • The Wolverhampton GIC has big ambitions to develop its renewable energy programme alongside the vast development in the area.
  • The three main areas it wants to focus on are:
    • Renewable energy integration in the GIC
    • Utilising renewable energy data optimisation
    • Modelling and scenario testing for renewable energy risk

Why apply?

• Funding opportunities
  • £100,000 total pot available to support trials:
    • At least 5 SMEs will be selected to trial their solutions and a total pot of £100k will be made available to develop and demonstrate their digital twin use case with the support of the programme partners. They expect projects to cost between £10k and £20k.
• Technical and business support
  • Including mentoring, training, and expert advice
• Connections
  • Introductions to partners, potential customers and investors
• Demonstration day
  • Showcase your progress to a mix of public and private sector stakeholders

Eligibility Criteria

• Required:
  • you must be a micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).
  • you must be UK-registered.
  • you must have a registered office or main operational base within the West Midlands region
  • you must have a solution which is technical readiness level (TRL) 4+. 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 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.