ncat is pleased to announce that it is launching its second round of Scaling Innovation Programme funding today. The programme, led by ncat’s partner Connected Places Catapult, offers funding to address key barriers faced by disabled people. Connected Places Catapult contributes business and technical proficiency to support the programme, ensuring innovative solutions are developed and implemented, with the perspectives and experiences of disabled people placed at the forefront.
Jamie Chan-Pensley, Scaling Innovation Lead says “We’re excited to invite a new wave of innovators to join us in co-creating solutions with disabled people. Their future contributions have the potential to transform how transport works for everyone, making it more inclusive and responsive. This programme is about enabling real change, grounded in lived experience and driven by collaboration.”
The challenges for the Scaling Innovation Programme are directly informed by robust evidence gathered through ncat’s research, outreach via the Accessible Transport Policy Commission, and extensive collaboration with disabled people and stakeholders. The challenges set for this round reflect and respond to barriers identified by disabled people when using transport. This second round of funding builds on the projects selected for the first round, with the outcomes of those projects set for public announcement later this year. Please click here to view details on the first round.
The new call seeks innovative solutions that address three key challenges:
- Vehicle Stop Design: How might we design universally accessible, predictable, and informative vehicle stops for people with diverse impairments
- Travel Assistance Services: How might we improve and expand travel assistance services to give disabled passengers greater autonomy, confidence, and real-time control over their journeys?
- Access to Information: How might we personalise and improve access to live travel information so that disabled passengers can travel with greater confidence, clarity, and control?
By commissioning these funding calls, ncat aims to drive system-wide change by supporting solutions that address real-world barriers and have the potential for broad impact. A core principle of the programme is that meaningful involvement of disabled people is not just encouraged but prioritised above all other criteria, carrying the highest weighting in the scoring process. Funded projects must clearly demonstrate how disabled people will be actively and authentically involved at every stage, ensuring that innovations are directly informed by their experiences, needs and expertise. This focus guarantees that the programme supports initiatives that are not only innovative, but also deeply rooted in the perspectives of those most affected by transport barriers.
This year’s programme will run in three phases. Up to 20 projects will each receive £10,000 in the initial planning phase to develop their delivery plans and to facilitate meaningful involvement with disabled people. Upon evaluation, 12–15 projects will be selected for the delivery phase, securing between a further £50,000 and £150,000 to deliver live trials. Additionally, selected projects entering phase 2 may have the opportunity to apply for further funding in phase 3. All projects will benefit from business and technical support, as well as engagement and societal readiness support from ncat consortium partners.
Key Dates:
- Application support webinar: 8 October (1 hour 15 minutes, with audio descriptions and Q&A
- Drop-in sessions: Monday 13 October (4–5pm) and Thursday 16 October (12–1pm)
- Open call closes: Friday 7 November 2025, 5:00pm
For further details please visit the link below:
Register for the application support webinar and drop-in sessions via this link https://cp.catapult.org.uk/event/ncat_scaling_innovation_2_programme_information_webinar/
