Six firms chosen for HS2 Innovation Accelerator as search begins for next cohort

HS2 Ltd has announced the sixth cohort of firms chosen to participate in its latest Innovation Accelerator program.

These businesses will receive tailored 20-week business support aimed at helping them create innovative software solutions for streamlining the delivery of major infrastructure. This includes automating construction site handover, expediting design processes, and enhancing the role of the circular economy during site decommissioning.

The program is a collaboration between HS2 Ltd and the Connected Places Catapult.

SMEs BuildPrompt, Document Crunch and Morta will use their time in the Accelerator to develop ‘handover’ technologies that efficiently and accurately verify as-built assets to approved designs says HS2 Ltd.

They will also automate the currently manual process of document review and approval by harnessing machine learning algorithms to capture and interpret diverse unstructured datasets, including drawings and handwritten documents.

Madaster is the only firm entering the Accelerator to develop technologies to enhance the ‘circular economy’ during site decommissioning through creation of a ‘material passport’ that captures the potential value of reuse elsewhere in a boost for sustainability.

Finally, Simalytica and Xinaps will specialise in speeding up design through, for example, harnessing artificial intelligence to optimise design, and automate design generation assessment.

Jon Kelly, senior innovation manager at HS2 Ltd, said, “Through HS2’s Accelerator programme we are maintaining the flow of new ideas and technology into delivering high speed rail in the UK as it transitions from civil engineering works to rail systems.

“Future application of technologies developed on HS2 have the potential to drive efficiencies across the construction and rail industries.”

After development inside the Accelerator, the firms’ solutions will be showcased and pitched to industry investors and HS2’s supply chain, consisting of the thousands of companies ranging from the largest international engineers to specialist suppliers to the project.

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