Functions at the moment are open for modern firms primarily based in Scotland to hitch the Offshore Renewable Vitality (ORE) Catapult’s award-winning Launch Academy programme. Launch Academy is an industry-backed expertise accelerator programme designed to help the commercialisation of new applied sciences that may improve the UK’s offshore wind provide chain, enabling better native content material whereas supporting value discount.
The celebrated Launch Academy was established in 2020, and this would be the inaugural Scotland-wide programme which can present 10 early-stage companies with expertise improvement and enterprise progress help to assist them to speed up the commercialisation of services focusing on the UK and international offshore wind markets.
Since 2020, Launch Academy has supported 57 firms, raised £26.7m in personal funding, £8.4m in grant funding and had 150 patents filed by means of each the nationwide and regional Launch Academy programmes throughout the UK.
Launch Academy Scotland is sponsored by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, international renewable vitality builders BlueFloat Vitality | Nadara Partnership and Ocean Winds, in addition to Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm. The 10 most promising options will likely be chosen by a panel of consultants to hitch the Launch Academy Scotland cohort.
Trade consultants from the sponsoring organisations will interact and help the cohort firms all through their seven-month Launch Academy journey. On the finish of the programme, the innovators will pitch to {industry} companions and ORE Catapult’s community of buyers with the purpose of securing funding and a path to marketplace for their merchandise.
Dr Stephen Wyatt, Director of Technique and Rising Applied sciences at ORE Catapult, stated: “Our Launch Academy was established in 2020 to speed up early stage disruptive improvements which may tackle the challenges dealing with the offshore renewables sector. I’m delighted that now we have this devoted programme for Scotland linking so carefully to the most important offshore wind tasks in our waters.
“Scotland has solid an enviable fame for excellence and specialist experience inside the vitality sector and we’re delighted to welcome the help of Scotland’s enterprise businesses, Inch Cape, BlueFloat Vitality | Nadara Partnership, and Ocean Winds as we launch this newest programme. Launch Academy Scotland will mentor 10 promising firms, offering them with technical and enterprise progress help, in addition to {industry} insights and market connectivity, positioning them to thrive within the UK offshore wind provide chain.”
Shane Macken, Inch Cape’s Innovation Champion and Interface Supervisor stated: “Inch Cape is a showcase for quite a few modern applied sciences and purposes, from the UK’s largest AC offshore transformer and use of Vestas’ 15MW generators to the set up of 110m lengthy XXL monopile foundations.
“Nevertheless we nonetheless see enormous potential for innovation, not only for our challenge however for the broader offshore wind {industry}, with Scotland on the forefront of that potential due to its vitality heritage mixed with future improvement pipeline. This is the reason we’re devoted in our help of the inaugural Launch Academy Scotland in partnership with innovation-drivers ORE Catapult.”
David Robertson, Portfolio Director (Scotland), BlueFloat Vitality | Nadara Partnership stated: “We’re delighted to sponsor the primary ever Scottish cohort of ORE Catapult’s profitable Launch Academy programme. With a pipeline of over 3 GW of floating offshore wind in Scottish waters, we recognise the significance of stimulating innovation by means of our challenge designs and SMEs primarily based in Scotland are well-positioned to assist with this due to our wealthy historical past of innovation and invention. We stay up for working with profitable candidates to sort out among the technical challenges the {industry} is dealing with, in a bid to speed up supply and enhance effectivity.”
Mark Baxter, Caledonia Undertaking Director, stated: “Ocean Winds is proud to sponsor the ORE Catapult Launch Academy programme, shaping Scotland’s vitality future. Our Moray Firth tasks have showcased the distinctive expertise inside Scotland’s provide chain, and this initiative represents a big funding in each provide chain and innovation.
“Funding for the Launch Academy has been dedicated by Caledonia – a 2GW offshore wind farm that will likely be Ocean Winds’ third within the Moray Firth. Caledonia is eager to see Scottish firms and innovators focussed on decarbonisation and manufacturing excellence, furthering the event, building and operation of offshore wind, and accelerating Scotland’s inexperienced vitality transition.
“Caledonia is dedicated to spend £46m in early help for the UK provide chain and can result in potential funding of £3.5bn within the UK throughout all its phases. Ocean Winds has confirmed its dedication to provide chain improvement by means of its present tasks within the Moray Firth, and Caledonia – throughout its improvement lifecycle and thru help for initiatives just like the Launch Academy – will additional improve alternatives for progress.”
Adam Swainbank – Offshore Wind Provide Chain Specialist – Scottish Enterprise stated: “Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise are delighted to participate on this Scottish iteration of the UK flagship offshore wind expertise accelerator programme – Launch Academy. This can be a nice instance of the three financial improvement businesses in Scotland working in collaboration with ORE Catapult and {industry} to deal with the offshore wind challenges earlier than us, serving to accelerating, de-risk and commercialise modern expertise from the Scottish provide chain with a aim of guaranteeing we maximise native content material and lowering prices and dangers for offshore wind builders.”
Functions are open from tomorrow, 19 July 2024 and could be submitted till the closing deadline of 16 August 2024.
A Launch Academy Scotland briefing webinar will happen on Monday 29 July, 2024. Click on right here for extra info and to enroll.
