The UK is positioning itself to be a global hub for innovation by 2035. But how do we make sure that the innovation economy creates opportunities for people and communities from all corners of the country? Getting this right has implications not just for businesses and research institutions, but also for the life chances of people and communities who have typically been marginalised or overlooked by the innovation economy. So in this episode we explore some of the latest thinking on...

Last week was a big one for the Connected Places Catapult. On the 20/21 March we hosted our first ever Connected Places Summit, in the heart of the City of London. It was a big one because even though we run multiple events throughout the year, this was the first time we’ve run a 2-day Summit which brought together all of our flagship projects under one roof. But it also included a keynote programme with some of the most influential thinkers and leaders from across government, business and...

Ask any Londoner what the city’s greatest challenge is and they’ll probably mention the housing crisis or, more specifically, the affordable housing crisis. Over the last 40 years, London’s population has boomed from 6.9 million in 1980 to 9.6 million today. London now hosts 6 million jobs, £1.5 trillion of housing assets and a £4 trillion property asset base. All of that growth has put enormous pressure on the affordability of living and working in London. In this episode we meet Graeme...

In this episode we meet Professor Dame Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge; member of the House of Lords and an engineer by training. We talked about the UK Government’s ambition to become a science and technology superpower by 2030; what it’s like to straddle the worlds of academia, industry, and government; the role that data and digital has to play in making our national infrastructure more resilient; and how alloys in aeroplane engines react under extreme pressure! Julia began her...

It’s been another eventful year on the Connected Places Podcast and we’ve got a lot to look back on as 2023 draws to a close! In this episode we revisit some of the stories we’ve featured on the show this year, and the fascinating guests we’ve been able to have on. We hear from three companies making extraordinary strides on the use of connected digital twins to tackle real world problems; RoyalHaskoningDHV, National Grid ESO and IOTICS. We return to Bristol Temple Meads station where...

Innovating isn’t easy. It's risky, it's fraught with failure, and there’s no guarantees of success. In this episode we meet two companies that have had to navigate the innovation rollercoaster to get to where they are. Both companies have been supported by the Connected Places Catapult at various points in their journey. They have each developed two ground-breaking products and collected some great stories to tell along the way. Our in-house journalist, Mike Walter, spoke to Eugene Bari,...

The future of Britain’s national infrastructure is getting a lot of attention. In large part because it’s facing some big challenges. Not least our changing climate and the commitment to decarbonise our economy. But also the question of who pays for it, who benefits from it, and who gets to contribute to the decision-making process about its future. There are also the opportunities that new technologies bring to improve the way we design, build and operate our infrastructure – from...

There are 14 million people in the UK with some form of disability.  For too many, using public transport can be a nightmare - whether it’s getting on and off a bus, or navigating the complex, stressful and often-confusing environment of a large transport interchange.    Sadly, when it comes to accessibility, there’s some way to go before we can genuinely say that our public transport system really is open and accessible for all. In this episode we take a look at what airports and...

We conclude our three-part podcast series on digital twins with a conversation with Ali Nicholl, Head of Engagement at IOTICS, a data company helping innovators to better collaborate on digital transformation. Ali and his colleagues are passionate about this. They’re impatient too! IOTICS are on a mission to empower those dedicated to making a meaningful impact on our world. They’re providing the tools to navigate the intricate landscape of data and information, enabling companies to unlock...

In this episode we meet National Grid ESO, the electricity system operator for Great Britain, and one of the sponsors of the Digital Twin Hub’s inaugural Connected Digital Twins Summit held this summer. The UK Government has a target for National Grid ESO to be running a zero-carbon electricity system by 2035. This ambition is crucial in helping the UK meet its wider zero carbon targets. For National Grid ESO, a major milestone in that journey is the development of a Virtual Energy System....

In this episode we meet Lord Adonis who we were delighted to welcome to our offices last week alongside senior representatives from across the rail sector. Andrew Adonis is a member of the House of Lords and founding Chair of the UK’s National Infrastructure Commission. He was a Government Minister in Tony Blair’s government, and went on to become Secretary of State for Transport under Gordon Brown. So his reflections on where we’ve come in Britain when it comes to rail travel, and what we...

A profound shift is happening in the world of infrastructure. Advances in software, sensing and computational technology are seeing connected digital twins being adopted across whole infrastructure systems and even entire cities.  In this episode we meet the global engineering consultancy Royal HaskoningDHV (RHDHV), event podcast partner for the Digital Twin Hub’s inaugural Connected Digital Twins Summit, 22 June 2023 (see below for event details). RHDHV are helping their clients rise to the...

Money is tight right now and tough times call for a renewed focus on how public money is spent. Every year the UK spends £300bn on third party suppliers so it is vital to ensure we are getting the best value from the goods and services we buy. A big part of any public budget is not just the question of what things to buy, but the process of agreeing the terms and procedures for acquiring them.  The technical term is public procurement. So, in this episode we’re going to have a brief look at...

Bristol Temple Meads recently became the UK’s first ‘Station Innovation Zone’. Working in partnership with Network Rail and Innovate UK we’re helping the station to test new technologies designed to improve the passenger experience the station.  In this episode we meet three innovators from the three companies who will be live trialling their solutions in the station over the coming months; Rosie Richardson from Createc, Rob Franklin from Jnction and Neal Byers from Workfromhub. What are...

Bristol Temple Meads recently became the UK’s first ‘Station Innovation Zone’. Working in partnership with Network Rail and Innovate UK we’re helping the station to test new technologies designed to improve the passenger experience the station. This episode is a brief taster of what the Catapult is doing at Bristol Temple Meads to create a safer and more seamless, social and sustainable station. We meet Susan Evans, Head of Passenger Strategy at Network Rail, Brian Wortman, Network Rail’s...

Earlier this month the Catapult announced an exciting new venture which will see Glasgow Airport become the UK’s first ‘Connected Airport Living Lab’. With funding from Innovate UK the aim is to test new technologies designed to improve the passenger experience, boost productivity, and help the airport hit its sustainability targets. This episode is a brief taster of what the Catapult is going to be doing with Glasgow Airport over the next 5 years. How does this all fit with how...

It’s been another eventful year on the Connected Places Podcast and we’ve got a lot to look back on as 2022 draws to a close! In this episode we revisit some of the stories we’ve featured on the show this year, and the fascinating guests we’ve been able to have on. We hear from two well-known TV personalities here in Britain – the BBC’s former Science Editor, David Shukman and one of Britain’s most well-known rail enthusiasts of Great Railway Journeys fame, Michael Portillo. We return to...

The fight against climate change will be won or lost in cities. We’ve known this for some time. The question is, What do cities need to do financially to rise to that challenge?   How can they strengthen their business cases for net zero investment? And if their plans are brought together and aligned in a new and creative ways, could they generate greater scale, volume and predictability in ways that might make them more attractive to investors?  To answer this, the Connected Places...

Michael Portillo’s Great Railway Journeys have captured the imaginations of millions of TV viewers as he explores the vast world of rail travel, its fascinating history, and what it can reveal about a country. In this episode Michael shares his thoughts on how far we’ve come in Britain when it comes to our railways, and what we need to be thinking about in the future. As well as a broadcaster and film maker, Michael is also a former Member of Parliament. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s he held...

Britain has the oldest rail infrastructure in the world. Our railways have profoundly shaped our history, as well as much of our cultural and civic identity. But like much of our economy, the UK’s rail network has had a difficult few years; reduced passenger revenue in the wake of the COVID pandemic; changing commuting patterns; waves of industrial action; and throughout it all the need to modernise some very old infrastructure. And then of course, there are the daunting challenges that the...

The Wright brothers first took to the air in 1903. That revolution started with the propellor engine. Only a few decades later the jet age began, and since then aviation has become an absolutely vital part of the global economy, as well as the lives of millions of people. But what’s really interesting is that our experience of flight - the kind of aircraft we fly in, the routes they take through our airspace, where we need to go in order to get on a plane, and how the airborne goods that we...

In this episode, we meet David Shukman, former BBC Science Editor. For over 30 years David has been reporting from all over the globe on the profound changes that are happening in our environment, our seas, and the wider natural world. Having started his career with the BBC in 1983, he was appointed the BBC’s first science editor in 2012, a position he held until stepping down at the end of COP26 in Glasgow. David has some fascinating stories to share from his time as a science reporter, and...

The United Kingdom is a maritime nation. Our ports have long been hubs connecting Britain to the rest of the world. Yet if we think of ports as under-utilised hubs of innovation, things start to get exciting! Whether it’s 5G, autonomous systems, or net zero infrastructure, our ports can foster diverse innovation ecosystems. They can also be powerful engines of regional growth, as well as gateways to new global markets and routes to foreign direct investment. With the right vision and...

The UK has a powerful story to tell when it comes to regenerating our towns and cities in the wake of industrial decline. We haven’t always got it right, and yet we’ve learned a lot along the way. So as we face the daunting task of decarbonising our entire built environment, what lessons can we glean from the real estate and property sectors? What does the road ahead look like in this current moment of profound disruption? And where might the opportunities lie for investment in new...