Comment by Mel Abraham, Impact & Business Insight Manager at Energy Systems Catapult.

Our support for SMEs this quarter has brought tangible results. The companies we’ve worked with are raising public and private investment for innovations that will bolster economic growth and advance clean energy.

Notable highlights include SatVu, which secured £8.3 million to advance its space-based thermal data capture. And RheEnergise, which raised £2.2 million for its hydro energy storage solution. Both are beneficiaries of the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) funding scheme, and we helped incubate and mentor them through our innovator scaleup service called Energy Launchpad.

Meanwhile, Brill Power, a battery intelligence platform supported under Innovating for Transport and Energy Systems (ITES), was acquired by Palmer Energy Technology Limited, marking a landmark moment for the team.

Talking of milestones, the total amount of private and public investment raised by companies we’ve supported since 2018 has now surpassed £668 million.

Appointment viewing

This quarter we’ve also helped six innovators pitch their innovations at an Energy Data and Innovation Meeting co-organised with the NHS England Estates Sustainability.

This includes:

• Atamate, which showcased their data-driven building control system that enables building managers to more effectively manage their energy usage and save money;
• measurable.energy’s smart plug sockets that automatically identify, monitor and eliminate wasted electricity use from plug-powered appliances in commercial buildings;
• Grid Edge, whose AI-powered energy management software can monitor and manage the energy load within buildings to cut costs and reduce time spent analysing data.

These opportunities are helping innovators connect with key stakeholders and accelerate market entry.

Forming partnerships

It’s really pleasing to see innovators we’ve supported agree and conclude valuable partnerships that promise to take their businesses to the next level.

SMPnet, who worked with us to refine their value proposition and boost their investor readiness, secured a major contract with UK Power Networks for wide-area grid optimisation.

Equiwatt, a long-term partner of the Catapult, has announced a collaboration with Schneider Electric to integrate their smart devices so that customers can reduce energy consumption and earn rewards via the Equiwatt app.

Influencing inclusivity

On the policy front, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) published its Clean Flexibility Roadmap, committing to use findings from our Inclusive Smart Solutions (ISS) project. Our final report, which explores how technology and business model innovation can support consumers struggling with energy bills, was also published this quarter.

Building on this, we are now trialling new propositions to engage low-income and vulnerable consumers, this time with Northern Powergrid.

Digital connections

A major achievement this quarter was the completion of the Sector Digitalisation Plan with the National Energy System Operator (NESO). It was supported by Digital Catapult, Connected Places Catapult and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

This plan sets out a clear timeline for digitalising the energy sector, unlocking new opportunities for innovators.

Data for smarter investments

Our Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs) are directly influencing network investment planning, especially in the South Wales National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) region.

LAEP outputs are now integrated into NGED’s Distribution Future Energy Scenarios (DFES), informing investment decisions and feeding into the NESO’s Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESP).

Efforts are underway with NGED, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, and UK Power Networks to standardise LAEP data for greater consistency.

By embedding LAEP outputs into regional energy planning and standardising data across networks, we’re driving smarter, more consistent investment decisions that accelerate the transition to a resilient, low-carbon energy system.

Influential impact and input

Ofgem has launched a call for input on an AI Technical Sandbox for the energy sector – a recommendation we made in our AI Risks report in 2024.

We have engaged with Ofgem to ensure the sandbox will actively support innovators. Our AI team, in collaboration with Glasgow University, continues to convene the DNO forecasting forum, fostering best practice and knowledge sharing across the sector.

Sam Young, our Practice Manager – AI, was nominated as Co-chair of the Artificial Intelligence Task Group (AITG), providing a platform for industry engagement with government and regulators. Sam also continues to serve on the Supergen AI for Renewable Energy advisory board, with the Catapult invited to lead a policy and impact work package in the next funding stage.

By shaping the development and oversight of AI in energy, we’re ensuring innovators have the support and guidance they need to deliver smarter, safer and more sustainable solutions for the UK’s energy future.

Direct impact

As we look ahead, we remain committed to supporting pioneering solutions and fostering collaboration across the energy sector to accelerate economic growth. We are proud of what has been achieved and energised by the opportunities that lie ahead.

This is just a taste of what we’ve been up to, check out the latest news, blogs, case studies and reports. Want to be kept up to date? Sign up to our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn.