- government to provide £1.1 million in funding to help British
businesses trial cutting-edge technologies, solving some of the
biggest challenges in the freight and logistics sector
- up to £130,000 will go to individual small and medium-sized
businesses across the UK to
test their innovations, ranging from aerodynamic trailers
to software that can identify stress in staff
- demonstrates government is backing emerging technology in the
sector, crucial to boosting the economy
British businesses will receive nearly £1.1 million to test
innovative technologies which could transform the face of freight
and logistics in the UK,
through the government's Freight Innovation Fund.
Funding of up to £130,000 will be paid out to 9 small and
medium-sized firms, looking at fresh ways to solve key challenges
within the freight and logistics industry. Money will go
towards testing and trialling their new technologies, with
support from key players in the sector, Connected Places
Catapult.
See all the Freight
Innovation Fund winning projects.
The fund aims to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in
the freight sector, ranging from decarbonisation and wastage to
efficiency and upskilling of staff.
Technology to be trialled includes lightweight trailers inspired
by the aerodynamics of racing cars, sensors designed to improve
the well-being of staff working at ports, as well as
environmentally-friendly electric trailers, which can be pulled
along by bikes rather than cars or vans.
All of these innovative projects will be tested in real-world
environments, creating a pipeline of future technologies, which
could prove vital to keeping the British economy moving.
Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, , said:
We know how crucial the freight industry is to keep Britain
moving, and how important it is that transport is equipped to
face modern-day challenges.
Our funding will allow businesses to start trialling their
revolutionary technology on our roads, ports and railways,
meaning they can make an immediate difference and help grow the
economy.
Alongside the Freight Innovation Fund, the government is
providing additional funding for transport and freight through
the Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) –
supporting the development of new technologies to meet challenges
within the wider transport sector. Successful TRIG projects
could progress on to the Freight Innovation Fund, where they will
be tested in realistic environments.
This follows the development of a new freight plan to be
published in 2026, which will set out our commitment to building
a modern, efficient and resilient freight and logistics system
that underpins economic growth, strengthens supply chains and
supports net zero ambitions.
Sameer Savani, Managing Director for Transport at Connected
Places Catapult, said:
The freight sector has enormous potential for innovation and that
innovation drives economic growth. Since it began in 2023, the
Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator has provided expert support
and £3.9 million of funding to 29 companies, with 27 of those
conducting real-world technology trials. The companies supported
have so far gone on to secure over £100 million of investment and
create 44 jobs.
I'm excited to see this fourth cohort of high-potential
businesses working with the sector's heavy-hitters to trial new
ideas to improve freight.
Cato Davies, Co-founder and CEO of Ensemble Analytics – a
previous beneficiary of the fund – said:
The Freight Innovation Fund enabled us to work side by side with
the teams at Associated British Ports and The Bristol Port
Company to refine Athena with real feedback from the people
running day-to-day operations.
That experience helped us build a flexible workforce management
platform that genuinely supports accurate planning, safe staffing
and operational confidence for ports. Both partners have since
moved to commercial contracts, and the platform's success has
already resulted in new partnerships with further UK operators and with major global
operators overseas.
