Rolls-Royce joins the ATI Boeing Accelerator as partner

ATI Boeing Accelerator, a three month programme to support and back startups in the UK aerospace industry, announced on the 24 September that global industrial technology company Rolls-Royce will join as partner for its next cohort. Now in its second year, the programme has opened applications to invest into sustainability-enabling startups that will benefit the UK aerospace industry across three key areas of focus: Industry 4.0, Lifecycle and Resilience, and Energy.

Launched last year, the accelerator was created in partnership by the Aerospace Technology Institute and Boeing, and is delivered by European accelerator Ignite. GKN Aerospace is a corporate sponsor.

More recently, Enterprise Scotland’s Early Stage Growth Challenge Fund has invested in the two Scottish companies from the first cohort – Filament and Septillion – taking the total investment raised by cohort one to over £6.5M. The first cohort has also created 30 new jobs, and engaged further organisations outside of the programme partners, including Frazer-Nash and Chevron Technology Ventures.

Rolls-Royce engaged with startups in the first cohort of the programme and following successful involvement has committed to the ATI Boeing Accelerator as a partner, providing resources such as mentors, access to supply chain and network, as well as potential for paid projects with the cohort startups.

Gabi Matic, Programme Director at ATI Boeing Accelerator commented: “We’re delighted to have Rolls-Royce join us as a partner for our next cohort and as a result we now have extended our application period until 4th October. Having worked alongside the ATI, Boeing and GKN Aerospace, we’ve seen how much startups appreciate the access to top-class resources that these companies offer and we are incredibly excited about the opportunities that our next cohort will receive through our partnership with Rolls-Royce.”

Alistair Donaldson, Transformation Exec – Head of Innovation and Service Design at Rolls-Royce commented: “Our engagement with the first programme cohort was very positive and I am very pleased to be building on this as we announce our partnership agreement. We are passionate about startup engagement and streamlining the ways corporates and early stage companies build value together. The programme, put together by ATI, is outstanding in terms of quality of cohort participants and focuses on tangible outcomes; investment, adoption and job creation. The broader energy transition and sustainability agenda present a huge opportunity for the UK Aerospace Industry, we very much look forward to working with the successful applicants, and building on relationships with ATI and industry stakeholders.”

Nour Eid, ATI Boeing Accelerator Programme Lead and Senior Technologist at the Aerospace Technology Institute commented: “Feedback from our first cohort showed that one of the most important aspects of our accelerator programme was direct access to our partners – Boeing and GKN Aerospace. We’re excited to have Rolls-Royce join us as a partner for our next cohort. We’re looking forward to working closely with colleagues from Rolls-Royce, who will be providing expertise and insights into the world of aero engines and will support our startups as they develop their technologies in aerospace.”