Made Smarter Innovation Digital Supply Chain Hub is a national programme working to advance and accelerate the understanding and inclusion of digital technology in UK supply chains.
For this challenge, you’ll develop technology solutions designed to tackle supply chain challenges. With three challenge briefs to choose from:
- Sustainable supply chains – including challenge sponsors Food Standards Agency and BAE Systems
- Supply chain mapping – including challenge sponsors BAE Systems
- Supply demand imbalances – challenge sponsors to be announced
By tackling a challenge with us you’ll work with leading UK manufacturing and supply chain partners with access to up to £80,000 funding to develop your proof of value technology solution. Alongside expertise, and industry leading support on how to apply your technology to supply chain challenges. Participants receive expert and timely support, industry insights and benefit from our market-leading expertise and facilities.
With thanks to challenge sponsors including BAE Systems and Food Standards Agency, with more sponsors to be announced, successful participants will have the opportunity to work closely with our challenge sponsors and gain industry insights.
For our technology proof of value challenge brief we’ve three challenge opportunities you could apply to join and tackle – discover the full detail and information on each challenge below.
Briefing Event: 20th June, 14:00 – 15:00
There will be an innovator and research briefing event on 20 June from 14:00 – 15:00. This event will provide an opportunity for you to learn more about the Hub, our challenge briefs, selection criteria and ask questions to support your application.
Find out more and register here
Sustainable supply chain challenge brief
Challenge sponsors: BAE Systems, Food Standards Agency*
Meeting the UK government’s ambition to achieve a net zero economy by 2050 calls for urgent actions by all organisations. 80% of the carbon footprint of supply chains is attributed to scope 3 emissions establishing effective means to measure, visualise and counter these should be of the highest importance for businesses, but we’re hindered due to availability and quality of data.
For this challenge you’ll explore mainstreaming the measurement of scope 3 emissions across end-to-end supply chains.
Supply chain mapping challenge brief
Challenge sponsors: BAE Systems*
End-to-end supply chain visibility is seen as critical to managing the extended supply chain. It is key for businesses to be able to respond quickly to changes in demand or supply chain risks. It is also critical to fully understand the carbon footprint of the supply chain and so-called scope 3 emissions.
Most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) only have visibility to their direct tier 1 suppliers and above that they have limited knowledge of who is involved. For this proof of value challenge, tech innovators will explore automated mapping of supply chains to Tier N (sub-tier entities) bill of materials (BoM’s) level.
Supply demand imbalances challenge brief
Challenge sponsors: To be announced soon
Supply chain disruptions accompanied by sudden surges in demand have caught many businesses off guard. For this proof of value challenge tech solution innovators are tasked with developing technology solutions designed to accurately anticipate supply and demand imbalances.
Supply demand imbalances opportunities – for this challenge you’ll be exploring intelligent supply and demand sensing for better planning.
Programme benefits
The Hub programme provides a range of mutually beneficial opportunities for your business:
- Proof of value funding
You can receive up to £80,000 to develop a challenge-focused proof of value technology solution within four months
- Technology and industry expertise
Engagement with technology experts, researchers and innovation managers from Digital Catapult and wider industry
- Peer to peer learning
Working with a cohort of exciting companies made up of talented entrepreneurs from across a wide range of sectors
- Showcase event
Opportunity to participate, pitch and attend meetings at the showcase event at the end of the year 2022
- Backed by industry
With a programme backed by UK industry, you’ll be working with challenge sponsors tackling real world challenges for UK supply chains
- State-of-the-art facilities
For the duration of the programme access to Digital Catapult’s state-of the-art Labs in London (subject to availability and site terms and under the discretion of Digital Catapult)
Who should apply?
The programme seeks applications from UK startups, scaleups and SME technology innovators capable of developing technology proof of value solutions that address three supply chain challenges: Supply chain sustainability, supply chain mapping, and supply and demand imbalances.
Closes: 3rd July 2022
About the Digital Supply Chain Hub:
Made Smarter Innovation Digital Supply Chain Hub is a national programme working to advance and accelerate the understanding and inclusion of digital technology in UK supply chains.
Convening key stakeholders from across the supply chain landscape, the Made Smarter Innovation | Digital Supply Chain Hub (DSCH) is developing and empowering a globally competitive, digital innovation ecosystem, working together to address and prepare for the critical supply chain challenges facing UK manufacturing. The Hub is a collaboration between Digital Catapult, Made Smarter, TWI, National Physical Laboratory, High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and a host of industry leaders accelerating the digital future of UK manufacturing and supply chains. It is funded by the Made Smarter Innovation challenge at UK Research and Innovation.