Design Age Institute: Transport Pathfinder

Overview

If you have an inspirational, life-enhancing idea, prototype, or plan that reimagines how transport options in the UK can better support a rapidly ageing population to stay connected, active, and independent for longer, they want to hear from you!

They are inviting applications for up to £120k per project. Up to 4 projects will be awarded up to £120k, depending on proposal quantity and quality

About the programme

Funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, Design Age Institute’s Transport Pathfinder Innovation Programme invites innovators, businesses and entrepreneurs from across the UK to propose transport solutions at ideation stage or beyond that are commercially viable, demonstrate creativity and innovation, and can be supported towards market by investment in good design.

Approximately one third of older people in the UK report unmet travel needs, which worsen with progressing age (Luiu et al, 2016). There is a pressing need for innovation and scalable approaches that can meet the increasing demand for multiple transport options that are safe, affordable, sustainable and desirable.

Whether on foot, wheels or tracks, good design has the potential to help transform how we socialise, work, and navigate the cities, towns, offices, neighbourhoods and homes of our future selves.

Please note that a separate competition focused on Personal Mobility solutions will be announced later in Spring 2023. You can find details on the definitions of Transport and Personal Mobility in their Application Notes and Terms & Conditions. Please subscribe to their mailing list to receive the latest updates on how to apply.

What Design Age Institute provides

The Transport Pathfinder Innovation Programme, builds on Design Age Institute’s successful Pathfinder Innovation Programme, which supports innovators to find a route to market for products and services using seed-funding for design interventions alongside design management support and mentoring.

Awardees will receive:

Seed-funding of up to £120k* to undertake the design elements of projects and support projects towards market
Design management support and mentoring (not project management) from our team of experts in design for healthy ageing
Access to existing research, exclusive insights into the healthy ageing marketplace, and peer-networking
Skills development and training opportunities
Support to run two research development sessions with end users

* Note that while £120k is the maximum that can be applied for, they are looking for a breadth of entries on cost, and value for money will be a key assessment criterion.

** Note that VAT is excluded from the seed funding and cannot be claimed by awardees.

Who can apply

If you are a business, innovator or entrepreneur with an idea that has the potential to positively impact transport for an ageing population at scale, and help to change the narrative on ageing, Design Age Institute can help you to successfully tap into the UK’s growing healthy ageing marketplace.

They are keen to work with companies, organisations, entrepreneurs and start-ups based in and operating in the UK.

They welcome applications from people in all sectors and backgrounds regardless of a track record in business or entrepreneurship.

What is the difference between transport and mobility?

Transportation is something you do.
Personal mobility is something you have.

Transport: moving things and moving people i.e. trains, buses, taxies, planes, boats, cars, as well as systems like roads, tracks, airports, and the ways we navigate them whether using a bus schedule or an app.

Mobility: the ability of a person to move or be moved freely i.e. personal mobility can be supported by devices like a walking stick, shoe, app, stairlift or wheelchair. No matter our age, whether on foot, wheels or tracks, good design has the potential to transform how we socialise, work, and navigate the cities, towns, offices, neighbourhoods and homes.

Criteria

Design Age Institute will fund and support design interventions for proposals at ideation and proof of concept stage onwards that meet the following criteria:

Individuals or enterprises applying for funding must be based in and trading in the United Kingdom.
Proposed projects must be suitable for the healthy ageing marketplace.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate the ability to find a pathway from ideation or prototype towards market.
Applicants will be asked to demonstrate that receiving the award, and working with the Institute, would form a critical part of their success.
Applicants should aim to start proposed projects by 30 April 2023 in accordance with our funding from Innovate UK.
Applicants should aim to have completed proposed projects by 31 Jan 2024.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate how they meet at least one of our key objectives linked to the UK Grand Challenge on an Ageing Society.
- Enjoy five extra healthier, independent years of life at home
- Support people to retain their mobility, transport and social connections.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate how they address one or more of the following factors impacting access to transport in later life. These factors are based on research and evidence from the Royal College of Art's Intelligent Mobility Design Centre.
- Physical exclusion: poor design of vehicles and infrastructure.
  - Positive example: bus suspension lowers and a ramp comes out to facilitate ingress and egress.
  - Negative example: a vehicle starts moving before a passenger reaches their seat.
- Digital and information exclusion: difficulty understanding and actioning information.
  - Positive example: trains with open carriages and digital displays showing where there are more seats available.
  - Negative example: difficulty paying at a car park.
- Cost and payment exclusion: payment methods and people's personal circumstances.
  - Positive example: Older Person’s Freedom Pass - free off-peak accesses to public transport for older people in London.
  - Negative example: being unable to find cheaper fares online.
- Service exclusion: issues with availability, administration and staffing of service.
  - Positive example: dial-a-ride, TfL’s door to door transport service.
  - Negative example: unavailable or unhelpful staff.
- Psychological exclusion: fear and anxiety about travelling
  - Positive example: quiet train carriages and quiet coaches.
  - Negative example: lack of services or staff support during journey
- . Other exclusion factors as applicable:
  - They are interested in projects that are based on demonstrable evidence of need. If your project meets a need not outlined above please select this theme and provide evidence in your application.
Design Age Institute aims to fund and support proposals from idea and proof of concept stage onwards that meet the following criteria:
- Towards market ready and launch
- Commercially viable inventions
- Demonstration of creativity, innovation, distinctive from other ideas in the market.

Please review our terms and conditions before submitting your application. Where necessary we will review an applicant's legal status and financial stability prior to approving an Award. We will verify claims around previous funding, endorsement or partnership prior to approving an Award.

Assessment Process

Design Age Institute aims to support commercially viable projects where design can transform an idea from an early concept stage to a prototype and towards market.

Their selection process aims to be transparent, open and fair, following a phased approach.

Each application is scored by a minimum of two assessors.

Phase 1 - Assessment

Applications submitted through the Transport Pathfinder Innovation Programme will be scored against the following criteria based on the clarity of achieving each goal and managing associated risks. To progress, applicants must achieve a minimum score of 70% across the criteria below:

Credible - problem, solution and desire (weighted 20%)
Feasible - support and funds (weighted 20%)
Deployable - route to market, marketing and sales (weighted 20%)
Sustainable - profit or self-sustaining (weighted 20%)
Value - value for money and value that Design Age Institute can add (weighted 20%)

Phase 2 - Invitation to interview

Up to eight applicants will be selected for interview from those passing initial assessment based on how their proposal meets the following selection criteria.

Unclear, unsuitable for funding
Partially clear but unresolved in key areas, doesn't meet objectives
Adequate to some degree meets objectives, but questions to resolve
Quality idea, meets objectives, but some questions to resolve
Excellent, exciting idea, meets objectives, route to market

Phase 3 - Interview and Award

Applicants shortlisted for interview will be assessed by a panel composed of experts in design, transport and innovation. The panel will ensure that decisions map to their objectives and criteria across a distinctive and diverse range of outcomes, and that enable the Institute to have a significant impact on the project.

Responses at interview will be scored as follows, and applicants will need an average score of three or above to be Awarded funding.

Unclear, unsuitable for funding
Partially clear but unresolved in key areas, doesn't meet objectives
Adequate to some degree meets objectives, but questions to resolve
Quality idea, meets objectives, but some questions to resolve
Excellent, exciting idea, meets objectives, route to market

Up to 4 projects will be awarded up to £120k, depending on proposal quantity and quality.

Award administration:

A Collaborative Project Agreement with each awardee will outline planned project activity; staged milestones; and reporting dates linked to payment instalments.

Track grant Notes