Solving supply chain challenges for smaller manufacturers

Tap into £100,000 of funding and work with SME manufacturers to help solve supply chain challenges

The Made Smarter Innovation | Digital Supply Chain Hub (DSCH) is looking for technology companies that are interested in developing and testing low-cost technology solutions for manufacturing SMEs.

Through four challenge areas of this competition, technology innovators are invited to address painful problems that DSCH has identified, to enable the adoption of low-cost solutions by smaller manufacturers.

The challenge areas are:

1. Compliance with mandatory regulations
2. Sustainability: Waste in the fashion industry
3. Supply chain visibility in the automotive industry
4. Input costs and sourcing in the industrial manufacturing industry

Each challenge comes with £100,000 available for a tech solution provider to build and trial an MVP (minimum viable product) against the chosen industrial challenge working together with the relevant manufacturing SME.

The programme is divided into two phases:

Phase 1: Technology Solution Development and Testing

You will develop and trial an MVP with two manufacturing SMEs over the course of nine months.

Phase 2: Commercialisation, Deployment and Scaling

You will get an opportunity to gain access to a broader network of SMEs adopting your tech solution and/or deployment of your solution in one of the DSCH testbeds.

All successful applicants will participate in Phase 1 of the Programme. Some successful applicants may be selected to take part in Phase 2 of the Programme, which will be subject to separate assessment.

Who should apply?

The programme seeks applications from technology innovators who are interested in developing and trialling technology MVPs with two manufacturing SMEs to one of their core supply chain challenges in the fast moving goods, textiles, automotive and industrial manufacturing industry.

First published 24 May 2023