The future of innovation procurement
Connected Places
Every year the UK spends £380bn on third party suppliers - £60bn of that is spent by local authorities - 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 how can we be more creative in how we buy, especially when it comes to innovation. So, in this episode we want to revisit what’s happening in the world of public procurement, and what’s being done to not only improve the UK’s procurement landscape, but also make it more innovation-friendly. We were...
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Inclusive Innovation in the West Midlands
Connected Places
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 inclusive innovation and what it means for places - specifically one of the UK’s most diverse and...
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Highlights from the Connected Places Summit - 2024
Connected Places
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 academia. Over the two days had 220 speakers, 27 companies exhibiting, 30 supporting...
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Minding the gaps in London with Graeme Craig
Connected Places
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 , CEO of Places for London – an innovate, TfL-owned property company that is transforming how...
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In conversation with Baroness Brown of Cambridge
Connected Places
In this episode we meet 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 academic career by studying metals, and the composite structures used in wind turbines. Her specialty was designing metal alloys that are...
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2023 - A Year In Review
Connected Places
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 the UK's first Station Innovation Zone was launched earlier this year – how are...
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Meet the Innovators
Connected Places
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 , the CEO and Managing Director of and , CEO & co-founder of . Ecomar Propulsion builds zero emission...
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Reimagining national infrastructure with Sir John Armitt
Connected Places
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 transport and energy, flooding and waste management, digital and data, to protecting our...
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How are tech innovators making flying more accessible?
Connected Places
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 airline operators are doing to make flying more accessible. How are new technologies...
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The power of digital twins with IOTICS
Connected Places
We conclude our three-part podcast series on digital twins with a conversation with Head of Engagement at , 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 valuable insights and share data and information better. So in this episode we invited Ali into our...
info_outlineBritain 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 21st Century are throwing at it. The need to decarbonise our economy, the march of digital technology on the modernisation journey, and the importance of putting people and the passenger experience at the heart of all of that.
Historically the rail industry has a long track record of changing and adapting to society’s needs. At its heart, rail is an industry that was forged in innovation and creativity. Yet despite its pioneering history, the modern rail industry can still be a difficult space to innovate in. In this episode we’ll hear how innovation is helping the sector to rediscover its creativity in becoming a more cost-effective, accessible, sustainable and enjoyable form of travel.
We begin our journey with one of Britain's most well-known champions for railways, former MP and Government Minister, Michale Portillo. Along the way we also meet some of the innovators who are helping to write a new story for rail; like Nicolas LeGlatin, from Open Space, a company specialising in digital twins in stations; Steve Erdal from WordNerds, a specialist in language analytics and customer experience; Matteo Maccario whose company Pluvo is revolutionising air quality in stations.
We also hear from Mike Bradley, an expert in inclusive design at the University of Cambridge, Kirstin Durie, Property Development Manager at Network Rail, Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain from the Knowledge Transfer Network, and Alan Peters, our very own Ecosystem Director for Rail & Stations
Music on this episode is by Phil Ward Music (www.philward.com)
Show Notes
To learn more about the UK's first Station Innovation Zone and how the Catapult is supporting Bristol Temple Meads station to trial new technologies, click here.
And if you're interested in applying for our Station Innovation Zone Competition - we're looking for up to 10 companies with technology, products or services that can improve passenger experience when travelling through stations - then click here to learn more.