New funding will help start-ups revolutionise transport

Nearly £2m will be given to tech transport start-ups thanks to the Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG).

Up to 53 projects will be awarded a share of £1.95m, Transport Minister Trudy Harrison has announced today (7 October).

Now in its 11th round of funding, the grant brings together talented start-ups – mainly SMEs and universities – and policymakers at the earliest stages of innovation.

In the 2020 round of funding, the University of Surrey constructed a device that can be installed on trains and buses to purify the air and lower the transmission of certain viruses. 

Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said:’Backing innovation is a priority for us, and I’m delighted to be supporting Britain’s budding entrepreneurs, as they help us to ensure people can travel at ease and to solve the complex task of decarbonising our transport system.

‘This is vital as we look ahead to a greener and safer transport future that will create jobs right across the UK.’

CEO of Connected Places Catapult, Nicola Yates OBE, added: ‘The UK’s innovation ecosystem has a strong track record in developing solutions to complex problems. The TRIG 2021 call is focused on finding the next wave of state-of-the-art transport solutions, enabling the sector to achieve net-zero and become more resilient to disruption. I very much look forward to seeing the proposed innovations and working with the successful teams to support their journey to market.’

Photo by Joey Kyber