Digital Catapult breaks down barriers to scaling up by de-risking innovation, opening up new markets and supporting scaleups to responsibly shape the products, services and experiences of the future. Supporting scaling and pipeline businesses through accelerator and open innovation programmes, it drives early adoption of advanced digital technologies.

Since 2018, the Catapult has supported more than 3,000 companies in 50+ accelerator cohorts. Collectively, these companies have raised over £556 million and created over 2,000 high value tech jobs.

Digital Catapult’s flagship support system FutureScope, launched in 2021, brings together a diverse range of acceleration programmes for early stage and scaling businesses. These foster collaboration across technologies, business stages and markets and address real-world challenges through innovation in immersive technologies; artificial intelligence and machine learning; future networks, including 5G and IoT technologies; and distributive systems such as distributed ledger technologies.

The Catapult offers participating scaleups access to facilities including labs and testbeds. Tailored support, mentorship and a masterclass series are designed to help scaleups identify fundraising options and access finance. Further support focuses on business ethics.

In 2023, Digital Catapult launched the Innovate UK Bridge AI programme, a £100m programme and fund in collaboration with Innovate UK and The Alan Turing Institute to drive the adoption of AI into four industries in the UK which have been identified as having significant opportunity which is not currently being leveraged: Construction, Transport, Agriculture and Creative industries. The funding targets AI developers, early stage scaling and scaleup companies in these sectors who want to develop / adopt AI into their businesses.  

Created in 2013, the Catapult has centres in London, the North East, the Tees Valley and in Northern Ireland. It is government supported and works with a nationwide network of partners.

Digital Catapult website