Innovate with HS2
HS2 will be a world class 21st century rail service, embracing new technologies to ensure world class levels of reliability, comfort and customer experience.
Serendip - Innovation Birmingham
A legacy of knowledge, expertise and commercial opportunity
HS2 will drive innovation in the design and build, employing new technologies and techniques to improve productivity, innovating to do more with less and create fewer emissions and noise. We will build a legacy of knowledge, expertise and new commercial opportunities for the UK.
Innovate@HS2, HS2’s accelerator programme in collaboration with Connected Places Catapult and Bruntwood SciTech will help achieve this vision. Two cohorts of five small companies per year, will have the opportunity to work with HS2 to develop new innovative digital products and services that can help leave a legacy of new ways of working and best practice.
What’s on offer to SMEs
• Four months of tailored business support
• Access to office space at Innovation Birmingham (subject to Covid-19, if not support will be virtual)
• Tailored investment readiness programme, with support from experienced investment coaches
• Round tables and talks with angels and VCs, introductions to investors, and pitch coaching
• Funding advice from Connected Places Catapult experts, including CR&D and grant opportunities
• Technical support and sprints, access to Connected Places Catapult and HS2 technical experts
• Support from an Entrepreneur in Residence, and access to Bruntwood SciTech support network
• Business development opportunities and introductions to potential customers
• Growth focus – business support, e.g. IP, marketing, HR, partnerships
• Demo Day showcase event
Accelerator goals
• Support 10 strong eligible SMEs
• Support SMEs to secure investment and produce investment strategies
• Facilitate discussions that lead to commercial contracts, both UK and international
• Support collaborative R&D – where appropriate / applicable
• Deliver two agile sprints and technical focused sessions to develop technologies and meet challenge requirements
• Support the implementation of potential trials with HS2 and HS2 partners
• Support development of FTEs
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must be SMEs (less than 250 employees & turnover under £50 million)
Applicants must have a UK registered company address
Proposed solutions must include a digital development
Proposed solutions must address at least one of the live challenges
Each application must propose one solution
Applicants can apply more than once if they have more than one solution to offer