Apply for Digital Catapult's Design to Deliver Programme

Support for projects that aim to reconnect people with nature

Digital Catapult has opened applications for its Design to Deliver programme, encouraging small and medium-sized businesses to submit innovative solutions aimed at regenerating nature. The initiative aims to empower businesses to use accessible and actionable information to help drive positive environmental behaviours.

Possible solutions may include, but are not limited to:

• a tool or platform that shows how food, products, or clothing are made and their impact on the environment, along with information on more sustainable alternatives
• a wearable device or online community platform that recommends activities for connecting with nature, highlighting their benefits for personal wellbeing and the environment

Challenge overview

The Design to Deliver programme is centred around three key challenges:

• Collective solutions for wild urban places - Led by Connected Places Catapult, this challenge seeks innovative methods to improve the stewardship and maintenance of urban green spaces.
• Informed choices for nature-positive actions - Spearheaded by Digital Catapult, this challenge invites submissions that assist citizens in making informed, environmentally responsible decisions.
• Space-enabled information for a thriving world - This challenge, led by Satellite Applications Catapult, focuses on transforming space-enabled data into reliable information that encourages sustainable behaviours towards nature.

What’s available

Four SME-led projects will be selected per challenge, with each SME receiving up to £50,000 to develop a proposed trial plan. Selected projects will not only receive financial support but also:

• expert assistance in trial design
• guidance from a design consultancy
• collaboration with location partners for practical testing

This robust support framework is intended to help SMEs effectively address significant environmental challenges.

How to apply

To be eligible, SMEs must be registered in the UK and have technologies at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or above.

Projects must align with one of the specified challenges and demonstrate the capacity to deliver within the programme timeframe, running from January to March 2025.

Find out more about the Design to Deliver programme.

Potential applicants can join Digital Catapult’s online drop-in sessions on 10 October 2024 to gain insights into each challenge and ask questions.

First published 4 October 2024