FID Challenge 01 Results: Natural Cities
The Future Industries Demonstrator’s first Innovation Challenge showcased five London-based SMEs working on innovative solutions to tackle London’s most pressing environmental and social challenges.
Challenge Overview
A thriving, resilient natural environment is pivotal to a city’s ability to withstand the growing impacts of the climate crisis. For generations, vibrant hubs like east London have played a part in exacerbating these problems, rather than contributing to the solution.
The Future Industries Demonstrator: Natural Cities Innovation Challenge strived to transform these problems into opportunities, finding innovative solutions to develop healthier, greener, and more robust urban communities.
The five SMEs selected for the challenge were all committed innovators who understood the need for systematic change within urban ecosystems. Each solution considered the complex interactions between the various components of a metropolitan environment, resulting in holistic solutions that can be replicated globally.
Results
Over the course of the five-month programme, our cohort achieved numerous impressive results that will help contribute to healthier natural spaces and systems in east London. These included:
5431.06kg
Total waste diverted from landfill
10211kg
Total amount of carbon dioxide emissions reduced or prevented
25
Total number of new partners or clients in east London
52
Total number of individuals trained in Green Skills
The Prize
Throughout the programme, our cohorts gained access to an extensive pool of resources and connections to aid business growth and advance their climate goals. We assembled experts from east London’s flourishing innovation ecosystem to collaborate with teams to build, test, and upscale their solutions at the speed and scope required to tackle the climate crisis.
Venture Creator
(Build it)
Cohorts participated in a scale-up programme tailored to the needs of their business and solution. Over an intense 8-week cycle, they developed early-stage prototypes into validated products.
Testbed Deployment
(Test It)
All SMEs had the opportunity to test, pilot, and scale their solutions over three months in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and four east London boroughs.
Ecosystem Exposure
(Show It)
Each SME had the opportunity to showcase their solution at Urban Frontiers, a dedicated showcase space on QEOP.
The SMEs have also received..
£20,000 grant
to supplement scaling plans
£5,000 budget
to support testbed deployment
Access to world-class workspaces
including The Loop, east London’s hub for circular economy bus
Expert support
from specialists at innovation company Plexal, University College London, the Loop, and SHIFT
1:1 coaching
with a circular business specialist
Testbed facilitation
with dedicated support in preparing and delivering an innovation trial, delivered by SHIFT
What is the Future Industries Demonstrator?
The Future Industries Demonstrator (FID) is a mission-led scale-up programme focused on supporting London-based enterprises who are working on innovative solutions to tackle the climate crisis.
It focuses on the real problems that citizens face in east London and the market solutions that, with investment and tailored support, will accelerate our collective transition to Net Zero and fairer economies.
FID provides pioneering SMEs with financial backing, as well as linking them to collaborative networks, workspaces and local knowledge resources that give them the best chance to succeed.
Delivered By
Supported By
Calling all building and energy sector innovators! The Future Industries Demonstrator offers support and funding up to £25,000 to test and scale new solutions at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Register
