Building on the success of the Digital Supply Chain Hub, which has already helped over 40 startups and SMEs secure more than £3 million in funding, this new accelerator will empower technology pioneers to scale more rapidly. It will also strengthen supply chains across critical sectors such as defence, manufacturing, and consumer goods.

The Seamless Trade Across Borders initiative, supported by Leonardo UK, BAE Systems, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and BT Group, aims to facilitate cross-border trade. It aligns with the UK Government's Electronic Trade Documents Act, which could unlock £25 billion in economic growth, as more than 60% of international trade is expected to digitalise within five years. Participants, including eTEU, Linear-works, Parkway Logic (Exabler), and Kavida AI, will receive up to £85,000 to develop solutions.

The second initiative, focused on Product Carbon Footprint Measurement, responds to the global push for net zero emissions, now influencing 70% of global CO2 output. In partnership with the Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT), and backed by Unilever, GS1 UK, and Defra, the project aims to drive global carbon footprint measurement standards. Participants, including Altruistiq and Siccar, will receive up to £125,000 to enhance carbon accounting using AI, distributed ledger technology, and advanced identification systems to improve Scope 3 emissions reporting.

As global supply chains face mounting challenges, a recent ICC report suggests digital trade documents could boost global trade by $9 trillion (£6.6 trillion) by 2026. Digital Catapult’s accelerator will work closely with participants to scale these deep tech solutions, helping them drive transformative change within global supply chains.

Sumit Sinha, Founder & CTO at Kavida AI said:“At Kavida, we build AI agents that deliver end-to-end supply chain visibility and automate post-order processes. After successfully partnering with Digital Catapult and UK manufacturing SMEs to achieve national-scale visibility, we are excited to join the Seamless Trade Across Borders program. This opportunity aligns with our vision of developing AI agents that empower businesses to conduct seamless cross-border trade at scale by providing trade data standardisation capabilities, enhanced global supply chain visibility, and robust automation capabilities.”

Tim Lawrence, Director of the Digital Supply Chain Hub said: “In the last decade, the volume of cross-border trade has increased by around 25%, demonstrating the economic value of imports and exports, and the need to streamline international trade processes. Through the application of deep tech solutions, participating companies will be empowered to solve some of the most pressing global supply chain challenges, and advance industrial sustainability around the world. This new chapter builds on the success of the Digital Supply Chain Hub so far, and I have no doubt that each company will shape future supply chains for the better.”