£25 million drive to confront turbulent manufacturing supply chains rallies industry

Supply chains made smarter, together

A £25 million industry-led programme to tackle supply chain woes head-on has opened applications to businesses and academia across the UK. 

Led by Digital Catapult, the Made Smarter Innovation | Digital Supply Chain Hub will create a community of large businesses, technology startups and academics to advance the development and adoption of cutting-edge digital technology. The four-year project will address the critical supply chain challenges facing UK business and industry, from supply and demand imbalances, to risk and resilience and the move to net zero. 

Part of the Made Smarter Innovation initiative to supercharge UK manufacturing industries, and backed by industry leaders, the Digital Supply Chain Hub will provide much needed improvements in data sharing and analysis for manufacturers, allowing them to quickly and accurately target supply chain bottlenecks and pinpoint unnecessary waste.

Applications are now open until 03 July, with up to £40,000 in funding for research challenges, and up to £80,000 for technology led opportunities. The companies selected to join the Hub will access industry and technical support, and work together with industry challenge sponsors including BAE Systems and Schneider Electric.

The Hub’s first set of calls will see applications from innovative UK technology startups, scaleups and pioneering research organisations to relieve ongoing supply chain pressures. The challenge themes will bring together parties that might otherwise not have collaborated. 

 The first five challenges briefs are: 

• Proof of value technology solutions to address: Supply chain sustainability, supply chain mapping, and supply and demand imbalances
• Research frameworks and models to address: Supply chain resilience and collaboration