Unilever & BT Aid Digital Catapult's Global Deep Tech Push
BAE Systems, BT Group, Leonardo, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Digital Catapult have joined forces to introduce a groundbreaking initiative designed to transform the UK’s import and export processes, with the goal of making global trade more efficient and accessible.
In a climate where UK companies increasingly face regulatory hurdles and competitive pressures, especially when expanding into new markets in Europe and beyond, this initiative is set to address some of the most pressing challenges.
By collaborating with innovators and startups from across the country, the project will foster the development of new solutions that are tailored to the needs of modern global trade.
The project aims to leverage advanced technologies to simplify and digitalise cross-border trade, offering businesses a faster, more reliable and streamlined approach to navigating international markets.
The International Supply Chain Accelerator
The first major effort within this initiative is the International Supply Chain Accelerator, which seeks to reshape supply chains worldwide through the application of deep tech solutions.
This accelerator is built on the success of the Digital Supply Chain Hub, a programme developed by Digital Catapult and funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which has already enabled more than 40 startups and SMEs to secure more than £3m (US$3.9m) in funding.
Tim Lawrence, Director of the Digital Supply Chain Hub comments: “In the last decade, the volume of cross-border trade has increased by around 25%, demonstrating the economic value of imports and exports and the need to streamline international trade processes.
"Through the application of deep tech solutions, participating companies will be empowered to solve some of the most pressing global supply chain challenges and advance industrial sustainability around the world.
"This new chapter builds on the success of the Digital Supply Chain Hub so far, and I have no doubt that each company will shape future supply chains for the better.”
Now, the accelerator is primed to help even more tech pioneers scale their solutions, while strengthening supply chains across vital sectors like defence, manufacturing and consumer goods.
One key component of the accelerator is the Seamless Trade Across Borders project. Supported by major industry players including Leonardo UK, BAE Systems, the ICC and BT Group, the project aims to streamline cross-border trade processes in alignment with the UK Government’s Electronic Trade Documents Act.
This legislation has the potential to unlock £25bn (US$32bn) in economic growth, a timely development given that more than 60% of international trade transactions are expected to be digitalised within the next five years.
Digital Catapult: Driving technological innovation
Digital Catapult is working closely with a range of technology innovators to drive this transformation. Participants such as eTEU, Linear-works, Parkway Logic (Exabler) and Kavida AI have each been awarded up to £85,000 (US$111,900) to develop their solutions.
By partnering with government, industry and academia, the company focuses on addressing significant challenges and opportunities within the UK economy, where technology can provide meaningful solutions.
Its mission is to break down barriers to innovation, open new markets and responsibly shape the future of products, services and experiences.
This network of world-leading technology and innovation centres, established by Innovate UK, is playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of UK manufacturing and supply chains through digital transformation.
“At Kavida, we build AI agents that deliver end-to-end supply chain visibility and automate post-order processes," adds Sumit Sinha, Founder & CTO at Kavida AI.
"After successfully partnering with Digital Catapult and UK manufacturing SMEs to achieve national-scale visibility, we are excited to join the Seamless Trade Across Borders program.
"This opportunity aligns with our vision of developing AI agents that empower businesses to conduct seamless cross-border trade at scale by providing trade data standardisation capabilities, enhanced global supply chain visibility, and robust automation capabilities.”
The Product Carbon Footprint Measurement project
In parallel, the accelerator is also addressing climate-related challenges through its Product Carbon Footprint Measurement project.
This initiative comes at a time when more countries are pledging to reach net-zero emissions, a commitment now linked to 70% of global CO2 emissions.
In collaboration with the Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT) and supported by Unilever, GS1 UK and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), this project is focused on developing advanced methods for measuring and exchanging carbon footprint data on a global scale.
Altruistiq and Siccar are two of the companies leading the charge in this space, each receiving up to £125,000 to develop innovative solutions that will help businesses meet new sustainability regulations.
By utilising AI, distributed ledger technology (DLT), and advanced identification systems, these firms aim to improve reporting on Scope 3 emissions, enabling more transparent and accountable carbon management processes.
This initiative is launching at a critical time for the international supply chain sector. A recent ICC report highlighted that adopting digital trade documents could boost global trade by a staggering US$9tn by 2026.
The accelerator will play a crucial role in facilitating this shift, working with participants to accelerate the adoption and deployment of deep tech solutions within global supply chains.
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