Creative start-ups in the UK are to be given a share of government funding to see ideas intended to revolutionise transport brought to life through to inception, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.
Up to 53 projects will be awarded a share of £1.95m from the DfT’s Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG). Now in its 11th round of funding, TRIG brings together start-ups – mainly SMEs and universities – and policymakers at the earliest stages of innovation.
By issuing targeted investments of up to £30,000 for each project, the fund aims to help budding start-ups and academics propel their ideas to market quicker.
“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,” said transport minister Trudy Harrison. “This is vital as we look ahead to a greener and safer transport future that will create jobs right across the UK.”
Past winners include the University of Surrey, which constructed a device that could be installed on trains and buses to purify the air, lowering the transmission of certain viruses including Covid-19.
The device works by sucking air through the equivalent of a cold flame. Ionising plasma then attacks any virus particles that may be in the air and breaks them apart, rendering them harmless.
Similarly, Greenway Innovations developed a system that attracts and grabs virus droplets that are produced when a person coughs. This system could be installed on trains to purify the air and lower the transmission of viruses.
Another previous winner, QDot, has created a battery cooling system featuring a built-in cooling tab that allows heat to be conducted away rapidly, allowing EV drivers to charge their vehicles quickly while preventing battery packs from getting too hot.
Furthermore, a portable charging solution that can allow drivers to charge at remote sites, including festivals and tourist attractions, is being developed by Pragmatex.
The device can also be used to ‘concentrate’ mains supply where there is little excess power available – charging the battery slowly from constrained supply and then rapidly transferring this stored energy to a vehicle when/where it can charge rapidly.
