The National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) has announced 16 innovators selected for its 2026 Scaling Innovation programme, supporting the development of solutions to remove transport barriers and drive long-term, systemic change.
Delivered in partnership with Connected Places Catapult, the multi-million pound programme brings together small and medium-sized enterprises from across the UK to co-create, test and scale solutions addressing key challenges across the transport network.
The selected innovators will focus on three priority areas identified through extensive research and collaboration: improving vehicle stop design, enhancing travel assistance, and increasing access to real-time travel information.
Each organisation will receive an initial £10,000 in funding, alongside expert support to develop and test their solutions. Projects will have the opportunity to progress to larger-scale trials, with access to further funding.
Placing lived experience at the centre of innovation, the programme ensures solutions are shaped by real-world insight and respond directly to barriers across the transport system.
All projects are co-created throughout with input grounded in lived experience, ensuring solutions are practical, relevant and capable of delivering meaningful impact.
Innovators will be supported by ncat’s Community of Accessible Transport panel, helping to ensure insight continues to inform development, design and delivery.
The programme also provides access to a wider ecosystem of support across the consortium, including technical and commercial expertise, specialist guidance, and dedicated “Meet the Experts” sessions. This package of support is designed to take projects from early-stage development through to deployment and scale.
Emma Partlow, Chief Executive Officer at ncat, said:
“Scaling Innovation supports innovators committed to removing transport barriers by combining funding, expertise and lived experience to enable solutions with the potential for lasting, systemic change.
“The programme reflects ncat’s role as an independent convenor, bringing together evidence and insight to inform long-term transformation. I am proud to see this initiative unite the people, ideas and collaboration needed to accelerate meaningful change across the transport network.”
Jamie Chan-Pensley, ncat Board Member and Head of Strategic Portfolio: Transport at Connected Places Catapult, commented:
“This programme highlights a strong focus on real-world applications, bringing together a diverse cohort of innovators scaling practical solutions. From retrofit kits that transform bus and tram stops into accessible travel points to new video-assisted kiosks, these innovations address some of the most pressing challenges across the transport system.”
(Picture: ncat)
