Six data and AI projects have successfully converted a £2 million cash injection from Innovate UK into real-world solutions that are said to be having a purposeful, positive impact on the environment and encouraging additional investment.
The projects include:
- Ocean Ledger – the geospatial analytics startup has advanced its historical and prediction modelling products for natural defence degradation and erosion. This insight can be used by insurance brokers, local authorities, and engineering firms to scenario plan for storm surge or sea-level rises, targeting and monitoring environmental and shoreline remediation efforts.
- TierraSphere & the University of Huddersfield – This pioneering collaboration has developed a proprietary AI-driven MRV model to forecast areas likely to produce the highest amount of inorganic carbon sequestration from natural oxalate inputs in soils. The platform has already successfully restored 40 hectares on a project in rural Mexico. Further developments to the MRV model will integrate positive social impact, biodiversity, soil quality and water retention.
- Auquan & University College London – the project has successfully developed an agentic AI platform that is capable of processing and analysing complex geospatial nature datasets. The project’s initial feedback has indicated significant time savings and improved accuracy in environmental risk evaluation, improving the speed and depth of nature-positive due diligence in investment decisions.
- Caledonian Climate Partners & New Gradient – the partnership has developed a leading AI tool that utilises drone imagery and mapping data to significantly cut lead times while increasing the accuracy of peatland restoration planning and costing. A mapping contract from the Cairngorms National Park Authority has already been secured, with the team contributing to advancements in the IUCN Peatland Programme’s Peatland Code.
- City Science Corporation & Caerphilly County Borough Council – the collaboration has created a geospatial land assessment tool to enable investment in natural capital. It makes sure it is considered at local planning stages, resulting in less habitat and biodiversity loss.
- Zulu Ecosystems & Severn Trent – the project has developed a suite of land use optimisation tools, including modelling how nature-based solutions can impact flood management, drought management, water supply and water quality. When applied to the River Idle catchment, the models show where habitat creation and restoration can help achieve a diverse range of stakeholder outcomes, from water to nature networks and carbon, generating a pipeline of natural capital projects.
Innovate UK supplied £2 million in grants to the six projects, ranging from £250,000 to £500,000 as part of a £7 million Integrating Finance and Biodiversity for a Nature Positive Future (IFB) programme led by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Catherine Makin, Innovation Lead for Green Finance at Innovate UK, says: “The grants were designed to enable the development, acceleration and commercialisation of six brilliant projects to unlock investment into nature. Each project addresses a crucial environmental need – be that coastal conservation, enhancing water resilience or encouraging investments in peatlands.
“Now the programme has ended, we’re thrilled to see the positive impact these projects have had. Not only that, but due to their successes, each project is engaged in active conversations with potential investors, with two already securing additional funding. We’re excited to see just how far each of the six projects can go, and how much of an impact they are going to have on nature positive investing.”
Paige Roepers, CEO and Co-founder at Ocean Ledger comments: “Thanks to support from Innovate UK, Ocean Ledger was able to significantly accelerate the development of its in-house platform and create workflows for each data product. Not only that, but we were selected to join Lloyd’s Lab’s 14th Cohort, the number one Insurtech accelerator in the UK. The support we received from Innovate UK has enabled us to accelerate product development and demonstrate our solution more effectively to potential customers.”
