Transform Birmingham and Wolverhampton’s urban landscape through cutting-edge digital twin technology
The Digital Twin Hub is excited to share an exceptional opportunity for West Midlands innovators to shape the future of urban planning and development. Connected Places Catapult has launched the DIATOMIC Digital Accelerator, offering up to £100,000 in funding for SMEs to develop and demonstrate innovative digital solutions that will transform Birmingham’s Knowledge Quarter and Wolverhampton’s Green Innovation Corridor.
This programme exemplifies how digital twin technology can revolutionise urban development, creating smarter, more sustainable cities that respond dynamically to the needs of their communities. It’s a perfect embodiment of the “It Starts in the West Midlands” campaign, showcasing the region’s leadership in digital innovation and transformative change.
The Power of Digital Twins in Urban Innovation
At the heart of this accelerator lies the DIATOMIC Digital Twin Platform, which provides a sophisticated real-time digital model of the city. This platform enables SMEs to develop solutions that connect with a vast ecosystem of APIs, digital tools, and systems, all while leveraging shared data to produce powerful 3D visualizations and outputs.
The platform’s open design philosophy means innovators can integrate their expertise to help shape how cities make critical decisions about infrastructure planning, environmental management, and sustainable development. By looking for solutions that can be integrated into the DIATOMIC digital twin platform, the programme aims to reimagine how we approach urban challenges – from optimising green walkways and intuitive wayfinding to accelerating planning decisions and maximising building efficiency.
Six Challenge Areas Driving Digital Transformation
The accelerator focuses on six key challenges that demonstrate the breadth of digital twin applications:
Birmingham Knowledge Quarter Challenges
1. Mobility & Last Mile Solutions Digital twin approaches can help optimise current mobility patterns and forecast future needs, creating connected green walkways and intuitive wayfinding in complex urban spaces shared by multiple transport routes.
2. Land Usage & Underground Infrastructure Mapping Innovative solutions are sought to map existing infrastructure, deliver planning at speed, and improve land use decisions through comprehensive digital modeling.
3. Digital Connectivity Enhancement Improving the modeling and delivery of digital connectivity across the Quarter, ensuring both wired and wireless infrastructure are future-proofed through digital twin simulations.
4. Building Optimisation for Net Zero Maximising the use and impact of Aston University’s Woodcock Building through solutions that support energy efficiency, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor Challenges
5. AI-Driven Planning Solutions Integrating and analysing diverse data sources through digital twin technology to support the delivery of thousands of new homes in the corridor.
6. Renewable Energy Optimisation Developing renewable energy programmes that leverage digital twin capabilities for modelling, scenario testing, and regulatory compliance.
A Catalyst for Regional Growth
The DIATOMIC programme represents more than just funding – it’s a comprehensive support ecosystem designed to nurture innovation and drive economic growth across the West Midlands. Successful applicants will benefit from:
- Tailored commercial and technical support from Connected Places Catapult
- Expert mentoring and training programmes
- Introductions to partners, potential customers, and investors
- Access to the sophisticated DIATOMIC Digital Twin Platform
- Opportunity to trial solutions with real urban challenges
Running from October 2025 to March 2026, the accelerator will support up to ten SMEs, with at least five progressing to trial phase. This timeline allows for rapid development and real-world testing of solutions that could transform how cities operate.
Digital Twins: The Future of Urban Planning
The integration of digital twin technology into urban planning represents a paradigm shift in how we design, develop, and manage our cities. By creating dynamic, data-driven models of urban environments, we can:
- Simulate the impact of infrastructure changes before implementation
- Optimise resource allocation and energy usage in real-time
- Predict and prevent potential issues through advanced analytics
- Enable citizens to better understand and engage with urban development plans
- Accelerate decision-making processes while reducing risks
The DIATOMIC Digital Twin Platform, developed through three use cases focused on quality and traffic management, hydrogen fuel cell lifespan extension, and energy systems optimisation, provides SMEs with a robust foundation for innovation.
Join the Digital Transformation Movement
This opportunity is part of the wider West Midlands Innovation Accelerator, delivered in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Innovate UK, and the West Midlands Combined Authority. The programme has already supported 36 SMEs and forecasts £23 million in co-investment, demonstrating its significant impact on the regional innovation ecosystem.
As Alan Welby, Managing Director for Built Environment and Local Growth at Connected Places Catapult, notes: “The West Midlands is filled with innovative companies and we’re excited to be supporting those with pioneering new digital solutions that promise to drive development and growth opportunities in two key areas of Birmingham and Wolverhampton.”
How to Apply
Applications for the DIATOMIC Digital Accelerator close on 31 August 2025. SMEs can either select a challenge area that aligns with existing use cases or propose new challenges that would benefit from integration with the digital twin platform.
To learn more about the application process, scoring criteria, and assessment procedures, interested SMEs should attend the application support webinar on 29 July or watch the recorded session.
Apply Now for the DIATOMIC Digital Accelerator
The DIATOMIC Digital Accelerator exemplifies how digital twin technology can transform urban environments, creating smarter, more sustainable cities for the future. It truly starts in the West Midlands – where innovation, impact, and inclusion converge to shape tomorrow’s urban landscapes.
About the Digital Twin Hub The Digital Twin Hub, part of Connected Places Catapult, serves as the UK’s primary resource for digital twin knowledge, best practices, and innovation opportunities. We connect innovators, researchers, and practitioners to accelerate the adoption of digital twin technology across sectors.
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