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Digital Catapult > Programmes > Made Smarter Innovation Sustainability Accelerator

Legacy

Made Smarter Innovation Sustainability Accelerator

Made Digital. Made Sustainable. Made Smarter.

Driving innovation and digitalisation of UK manufacturing to address today’s biggest sustainability challenges

Made Smarter Innovation Sustainability Accelerator (MSISA) was designed to accelerate industrial sustainability and leverage cutting-edge technologies to drive environmental impact.

Working in partnership with Industry Challenge Owners, the programme explored and developed solutions that provide real-world benefits to UK manufacturing, speeding up their route to achieving net zero. The UK ecosystem of startup and scale-up technology innovators addressing sustainable manufacturing challenges were invited to apply, join the programme, and be at the forefront of digital adoption.

Part of the Made Smarter movement

The Made Smarter Innovation Sustainability Accelerator sits at the heart of the Made Smarter Innovation mission, funded by Innovate UK and UKRI. The Sustainability Accelerator will enable UK manufacturers to address current industrial challenges that deliver resource and energy efficiency (REEE).

 

The Programme’s Impact
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Industry Challenge Owners

Industry Challenge Owners worked to directly address current and future industrial sustainability challenges to deliver business benefits such as lower operating cost, improved customer service, better quality, reduced waste and energy consumption. Each partner set individual challenges for the programme.

See who was involved

Phase One – The right help, at the right time

Support for Digital Tech Startups

Startups that joined the programme gained exactly what they needed: focused investment support built around the realities of running a growing business. With structured guidance and deep industry understanding, founders moved faster and smarter toward their funding goals.

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More than just mentoring, personal, practical advice

Participants didn’t just get advice – they got clarity. From one-to-one coaching to peer learning and expert-led workshops, every element was designed to remove the guesswork and replace it with actionable strategies and investor confidence.

Designed for Founders, backed by Industry

Founders valued the deep bench of support – from investor networks and industry experts to trusted programme partners. With backing from Innovate UK and Digital Catapult, the programme gave early-stage companies access to guidance that was credible, connected, and commercially focused.

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Phase two – from ambition to acceleration

Securing funding to scale at pace

After joining the Investment Readiness Programme, early-stage tech founders gained the knowledge, support, and investor access needed to raise capital and grow with confidence. Practical advice, expert mentoring, and pitch refinement helped turn ambition into real-world results.

Discover Founder Success Stories
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Built around real startup life, workshops and one-to-one mentoring sessions

Founders praised the flexible, hands-on approach that respected their time and priorities. The programme slotted into their busy schedules, offering actionable insights without pulling them away from running their companies.

See the Founders

Creating confidence, clarity & investment conversations for start-ups

Startups emerged with clearer strategies, stronger pitches, and a better understanding of what investors are really looking for. The connections and coaching helped turn vague goals into compelling propositions that resonated in the room.

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