Skip to main content

Accelerator programme seeks UK start-ups to lead transport revolution

Start-up businesses with innovative solutions to transport challenges such as congestion, overcrowding, emissions and road safety, are being encouraged to apply for a unique new accelerator programme launched at Cenex-LCV. The Intelligent Mobility (IM) Accelerator, based in Milton Keynes, a partnership between Transport Systems Catapult and Wayra UK, part of Telefónica Open Future, is designed to attract disruptive start-ups with high-growth potential into the UK transport industry
September 7, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Start-up businesses with innovative solutions to transport challenges such as congestion, overcrowding, emissions and road safety, are being encouraged to apply for a unique new accelerator programme launched at Cenex-LCV.

The Intelligent Mobility (IM) Accelerator, based in Milton Keynes, a partnership between 7800 Transport Systems Catapult and Wayra UK, part of 6883 Telefónica Open Future, is designed to attract disruptive start-ups with high-growth potential into the UK transport industry, while helping them grow into world-leading companies.

The programme focuses on intelligent mobility, including areas such as connected and autonomous vehicles, connected infrastructure, customer experience and transport data and analysis. Its goal is to develop companies who will create solutions for the most pressing transport problems facing the world today, improving day-to-day life for millions of travellers while creating new UK-based industry leaders in a £900bn global transport systems market.

The programme has also attracted the sponsorship of global technology consultancy ThoughtWorks and 5021 Network Rail, who will provide additional support to start-ups at the Accelerator.

Businesses accepted to the programme will receive a six-month support programme, providing office space, mentoring and networking. The successful start-ups will also get access to Wayra UK’s and the TSCs networks of investors, government agencies, customers, large corporates and universities, as well as opportunities to work with the TSC’s world-leading data, visualisation, customer experience and connected and autonomous vehicle capability teams. The TSC and Wayra UK will also hope to continue to support the best of these start-ups beyond their time at the IM Accelerator.

Related Content

  • October 16, 2014
    Smartgo Loughborough launches
    A new programme is being launched in Loughborough to help local businesses make commuting and business travel cheaper, easier and more sustainable. Smartgo Loughborough will provide Loughborough employers and their staff with a range of travel benefits and services to save money, improve health and enhance corporate responsibility. The programme also includes transport expertise and collaboration opportunities with other employers and transport providers. Smartgo networks are co-ordinated by sustaina
  • February 20, 2019
    CES 2019 says hello to the future
    The launch of the latest gadgets has made the Consumer Electronics Show into tech heaven for geeks worldwide – but there is a serious ITS component, too. Ben Spencer braves the bright lights of Las Vegas to find out more The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has been the showcase for some of the world’s most iconic gadgets – from VCRs to the Commodore 64, and from the camcorder to the launch of HDTV. This has made CES a mecca for tech heads all over the world since it began in the 1960s, but these days it
  • October 30, 2018
    Aurrigo trials self-driving pods in UK
    Aurrigo has made 15 of its self-driving pods available to residents in the UK town of Milton Keynes as part of the Autodrive project. The three-year initiative, funded by Innovate UK, is part of an agreement with Milton Keynes Council to trial the pods as a first/last mile solution for citizens and visitors. The company says the Autodrive pods can travel up to 15mph for 60 miles on one charge – operating in the city centre from the central railway station. Brian Matthews, head of transport innov
  • June 7, 2017
    Technology and finance shapes up to make MaaS happen
    The technology and finance aspects needed for Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to become widely adopted are taking shape as Geoff Hadwick and Colin Sowman hear. Sampo Hietanen, CEO of MaaS Global and ‘father’ of MaaS, started his address to ITS International’s recent MaaS Market conference in London by saying: “All of the problems that can be solved by a company or group of companies have already been solved, and now we are left with the big ones such as housing, transport and health. He called MaaS the “Netfli