Innovative start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are using artificial intelligence (AI) to create intelligent infrastructure, solving street parking problems, and predicting occupancy and performance of public transport, are amongst a new cohort of businesses joining the UK’s intelligent mobility (IM) Accelerator.
Based in Milton Keynes, the IM Accelerator is a partnership between Connected Places Catapult and Wayra UK, the world-leading start-up accelerator that is part of Telefónica Open Future. The program is designed to attract disruptive start-ups with high-growth potential into the UK transport industry, helping them grow into world-leading companies. The program is also supported by Hyundai, Stagecoach Group and Ferrovial Services, which will all provide support to start-ups at the Accelerator, including mentoring, coaching, and access to their high-level expertise and networks. The program’s goal is to develop companies that will create solutions for the most pressing transport problems facing the world today, improving day-to-day life for millions of travelers while creating new UK-based industry leaders in a £1.4bn (US$1.7bn) global transport systems market.
The new cohort of startups and SMEs includes:
- Liftshare – an original online network and companion app for people wanting to share their cars;
- Xtelligent – an algorithm and artificial intelligence company that is building the connected, automated, and multimodal intersections of the future;
- Ai Incube – developers of the Parknav application that provides real-time data about street-parking availability;
- Podaris Ltd – a real-time online collaboration platform for planners, engineers, policymakers, and public stakeholders;
- Alchera Technologies – developers of Alpha cloud-based AI software that powers enterprise-grade intelligent mobility and intelligent infrastructure applications;
- OpenCapacity – a system to collect, analyze, predict and display the occupancy, accessibility and performance of public transport;
- Grid Smarter Cities – a smart city eco-system of intelligent but simple solutions, connecting communities and people with transport, parking, goods and services;
- Briteyellow Ltd – a 3D interactive and wireless internet software and services provider;
- Minicabit – a taxi cab comparison site for the UK, that lets users grab great deals across 300 locations;
- Protean Electric – a world-leading developer of in-wheel motor technology for passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and future transport solutions;
- Tomorrow’s Journey – the Jrny platform aims to solve a fundamental problem of both old and new mobility; chronic underutilization.
“We are very excited to welcome such a diverse group of promising businesses to the IM Accelerator. We had a large number of quality applications which allowed our judges to choose a group that really represents the scope and ambition of the thriving SME and start-up community currently working in transport in the UK,” commented the Connected Places Catapult’s SME director, Alex Weedon. “Building on the success of previous participants who have so far raised nearly £12m (US$15m) in investment, we’ll be aiming to put these businesses on the map globally and I believe we have a great group of partners for this intake to help them get there.”
