Made Smarter Innovation Alley is an exhibition of the UK’s most innovative and transformative technology companies that takes place every year at the heart of the Smart Factory Expo during Digital Manufacturing Week This year it will take place from 14-18 November at Liverpool Exhibition Center . .
Funded by Innovate UK and through the support of Innovate UK KTN, 50 companies exhibit in Innovation Alley for;
- Reach the right audience and build relationships with potential customers and partners (over 5,000 manufacturers attend Smart Factory Expo each year)
- Build partnerships that can make their digital technology solutions much more attractive to larger manufacturing customers
- Market test new ideas and solutions with the people who would use them
Innovate KTN in the UK works with hundreds of innovative companies from across the UK (and further afield) who are creating digital smart factory technologies that are transforming manufacturing. From Artificial Intelligence (AI) to machine learning, additive manufacturing to sensors and blockchain, robotics and pervasive IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) technologies, these startups, scale-ups, university spin-outs and more are emerging across sectors many industries, including medical technology. chemical, defense, nuclear, automotive, aerospace, food and beverage and others.
If your company has innovative technology in one of these exciting technology areas and you…
- You are less than 5 years old OR have less than 10 staff
- They are located in the UK
- Have an innovative product/service aimed at manufacturers
- I have not exhibited in the Made Smarter Innovation Alley in the past
You must apply here for a fully funded country.
Alongside the exhibitions will be the Smarter Investor Readiness Programme, where early stage companies involved in the show can access support to refine their investment proposition and pitch their digital manufacturing idea to a investor panel.
Deyrick Allen from IOT Horizon who exhibited at Made Smarter Innovation Alley previously said: “Innovation Alley was a great opportunity to build our brand and showcase our innovative wireless RFID solutions. A well-known aviation company came back three times to talk to us because they were excited by the technology. We cemented new customers at the show and built some long lasting relationships with suppliers. A big thanks goes to KTN for the opportunity to exhibit and the support they have given.”
FourJaw Production Analysis it is also part of the Innovation Alley Alumni network. A spin-out of AMRC, FourJaw’s mission is to provide accessible technology that empowers manufacturers to reach their productivity potential. Their cloud-based machine monitoring platform gives manufacturers real-time visibility of their shop floor so they can make informed decisions that will reduce downtime, increase productivity and drive improvements in OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness).
Innovation Alley was extremely successful for FourJaw. Not only did they secure some great clients through the talks taking place on their stand, they also joined the investor pitch workshops offered by Innovate UK KTN and using the knowledge gained from this workshop, refined their pitch to investors. Although they did not receive any funding directly from the event, FourJaw went on to secure £1.3m in funding in April 2022 using their revised tables. Chris Iveson, Founder and CEO of FourJaw said: “Innovation Alley was a game changer for us. We knew the show attracted an audience looking for smart factory technology, so we were ready with our solutions and steps. Building relationships with new customers was a great opportunity for us and we are delighted to be working with them to maximize their production productivity.
Head of Industrial Technologies and Production at KTN Dr Megan Ronayne said: “Made Smarter Innovation Alley is a fantastic opportunity for any early stage organization with an innovative technology to get in front of the manufacturing community. We have worked closely with The Manufacturer and Innovate UK for the past 5 years to make Innovation Alley a major landmark in the manufacturing calendar. We have some interesting companies already signed up to take part, but we want to hear from any organization who think they have something exciting to showcase and meet the criteria.”