A new AI-powered SaaS platform developed at The University of Sheffield has secured £140,000 of early stage funding to accelerate the net zero ambitions of major infrastructure networks.
The DeepTech startup – RunPilot – is the brainchild of PhD researchers Joseph Hammond and Dr Thomas Cowley.
Recognising that early infrastructure planning is still manual, fragmented and slow, they have developed the platform to accelerate the modelling and optimisation of multiple infrastructure routes – complete with environmental, technical and societal considerations, including consent risks.
By completely rethinking how clean energy systems are explored, the result is drastically reduced planning programmes, vast risk mitigation by testing and refining in real-time, and the avoidance of expensive redesigns which often shackle critical works.
Having collaborated with academics, policymakers, industry partners and now a technical brand specialist – The Engine Room – to strengthen the platform’s proposition, RunPilot secured the six-digit funding in an impactful pitch to the University board.
The money will fuel further product development, technical recruitment and commercial growth, with Orderly CEO Peter Evans already on board as a strategic advisor, and a new sales director appointment due imminently. Workspace in the Sheffield Innovation Spine district is also being explored.
“Early stage infrastructure planning is currently slow, high-risk, and prone to costly redesigns. But to meet the industry’s net-zero targets, better technology alone is not enough – we need faster delivery too,” said Hammond.
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“RunPilot has the potential to become the ‘second brain’ for infrastructure. It’s been five years in the making and we are very proud of our academic roots. But for a DeepTech university spinout like ours to be taken seriously, we needed a clearer, more commercially astute identity.
“Our work with The Engine Room transitioned us from a credible research venture to a market-ready technology brand capable of scale – this type of strategic project is a critical pre-requisite for startups before funding pitches.”
RunPilot has also been selected for a six-strong cohort of the Joules Accelerator in the US. Joules’ mission is to identify, advise, connect and deploy advanced grid technologies. One of only four British firms ever chosen, RunPilot beat off stiff competition from over 100 global organisations.
Combining human insight with AI to be the intelligent navigator of this uncertain landscape, RunPilot says it is fully aligned with the Government’s ambition to reduce the total time for electricity transmission infrastructure build, from 14 years to seven.