International Supply Chain Accelerator: Product Carbon Footprint Measurement

The programme will invite technology innovators from the UK to apply and play a leading role in digital transformation. Digital Catapult will help facilitate and guide partnerships between industry challenge owners and tech innovators, providing funding of up to £125,000 to tackle some of the UK’s most critical sustainability challenges.

The Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT) is a global leader in promoting a standardised approach to carbon measurement across supply chains and brings together over 1000 companies to establish a common approach. Sponsored by Unilever and in collaboration with the members of the PACT Technology Working Group, and GS1, this project aims to develop solutions that will demonstrate the business case for carbon accounting for thousands of businesses.

This open call aims to promote the wider adoption of carbon accounting in global supply chains. The programme is open to startups and innovators developing digital technology solutions for storing and exchanging product carbon footprints (PCFs) effectively. As part of their solution, tech innovators and startup solutions should utilise some of the cutting-edge digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, distributed ledger technology, and advanced identity solutions.

Who can apply?

• Applicants must be a UK based registered company, or prove they have an establishment in the UK and undertake the majority of the activity in the UK.
• Applicants must be considered as either an early-stage company or scale up business with a proposed solution/ product/ service at the technology readiness level 4-5 (TRL 4-5).
• Applicants must have a UK business bank account for any payments to be made.
• Applicants must develop solutions enabled by at least one of the technologies from the advanced digital technology stack: artificial intelligence, immersive, internet of things, distributed ledger technologies and 5G/future networks.

Requirements of the project

• We expect a minimum Co-investment of £125,000 from solution providers/grant recipients. There are various categories of co-investment which can be considered. The co-investments covers the value for money and cost to deliver the technology solutions. You can find further information on what co-investment we are looking for in the programme FAQs.
• Build an MVP against the chosen industrial challenge working together with the industry challenge owner, industry body and tech sponsor.
• The team must be able to attend all key events below (please note dates are subject to change):
  • Programme kick-off event (in-person) – September 2024
  • Final showcase event (in-person) – March 2025
• Attend the majority (80%+) of the workshops, progress check-in meetings/calls, and/or webinars hosted by the Digital Catapult team from September 2024 – March 2025.
• Showcase tech solution developed in the programme – Digital Catapult does not take ownership of your Intellectual property developed on the programme, however we do require you to present your solution for the challenge at the showcase event and other programme related activities.