Glasgow Airport seeks SMEs to trial technologies through latest Connected Airport Living Lab

Applications have opened for the fourth cohort of the Connected Airport Living Lab, an innovation programme that gives UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) the opportunity to test new technologies in a live airport environment.

image: Connected Places Catapult

The Innovate UK funded programme is led by Connected Places Catapult in partnership with Glasgow Airport, part of AGS Airports. It provides selected companies with six months to develop, test and demonstrate late-stage technologies, with the aim of accelerating the adoption of innovation across the aviation sector.

Up to three UK-registered SMEs will be selected to take part. Each will receive up to £30,000 in funding, support from Connected Places Catapult and access to airport facilities to trial their solutions alongside operational teams.

This year's programme is focused on three operational challenges. The first is improving asset performance management by using technology to better predict maintenance requirements for critical infrastructure such as escalators, lifts, security scanners and car park barriers, reducing unexpected failures that can disrupt passenger journeys.

The second and third challenges centre on understanding passenger sentiment. The programme is seeking technologies capable of capturing live passenger feedback throughout the airport journey, as well as solutions that can combine information from multiple sources, including social media, voice recognition systems and formal complaints, to provide trend analysis and actionable insights that help airports improve the passenger experience.

Gavin Birch-Williams, Managing Director of Glasgow Airport, said, "Glasgow Airport has become a proving ground for innovative technologies that can solve real operational challenges while improving the passenger experience. The success of previous cohorts has demonstrated the value of giving SMEs access to a live airport environment, allowing them to test and refine their solutions in real-world conditions.

"We're looking forward to seeing the next generation of innovators bring forward ideas that can help us better understand passenger needs, improve the performance of critical assets and support the delivery of a smoother, more efficient airport experience."

Connected Places Catapult launched the Connected Airport Living Lab in 2023 to help bridge the gap between technology developers and airport operators by providing opportunities to validate products under real operating conditions. The programme is designed to align with airport procurement processes, helping successful technologies move more quickly from trial to commercial deployment.

Sameer Savani, Managing Director for Transport at Connected Places Catapult, said, "Since 2023, the Connected Airport Living Lab has been supporting innovators to scale and succeed in live airport environments.

"If you have a solution that can address our latest set of challenges, I encourage you to apply."

Applications for the programme close at midday on 17 August.