Digitalisation for a sustainable future

Digital technologies can help businesses measure environmental impact, optimise use of resources, and extend the life cycles of vital assets.

In 2021, we ran Industrial Net Zero to support the acceleration of industrial net zero solutions that applied advanced digital technologies, covering:

• Supply chain management and optimisation
• Material resource optimisation
• Zero-waste manufacturing
• Circular economy
• Net zero agriculture

These three programmes on a common theme featured some of the UK’s most interesting and innovative companies, who were working on innovative solutions for helping large businesses to achieve their net zero goals.

Connecting innovation with industry and investment

Achieving a sustainable future requires key industry players to partner with innovators to find original solutions.

One of the unique strengths of FutureScope is our ability to connect businesses from across industry with the UK’s innovation community of technology and digital startups and scaleups – the strongest in Europe. This enables companies to identify and trial the right technical solutions, partner with these future tech leaders and develop prototype solutions to the real-world challenges that their industry faces:

• Unlocking sustainable innovation opportunities
• Saving businesses time on research and testing
• De-risking and accelerating the process
• Creating value for society, the environment and the economy through the use of advanced technologies.

Industrial Net Zero gave participants access to bespoke business and investment mentorship, knowledge sharing through collaborative workshops and support to confidently pitch their ideas directly to industry and investors.

The four Build UK India participants received £45,000 grant funding to explore applications of their existing products and services with leading Indian manufacturing partners.

At the final Showcase event in March 2022, investors were able to to scout for, and connect with, the most promising UK tech founders.

David Pugh, Digital Catapult Head of Sustainability said:

“The UK boasts some of Europe’s leading net zero focused companies; many of these at an early stage of growth. As industry comes under increasing pressure to decarbonise, and the UK pushes for a net zero future, we would get absolutely nowhere without the innovation, agility and drive of the startup community.”