HyperCat launches IoT accelerator in London

IoT consortium HyperCat has opened a new accelerator programme in London to encourage the development of smart city technologies in the UK.

HyperCatCity (HCC) has been established at the Future Cities Catapult Urban Innovation Centre (UIC) in Clerkenwell, London, the area where many of the capital’s tech start ups are concentrated. The HCC’s stated aim is to stimulate the establishment of smart city solutions for what it claims is Britain’s largest regeneration project.

Among the targets for the HCC accelerator are new IoT driven systems for utilities, infrastructure, energy, the health sector and public services. Support is also be offered to developers and start ups on the business logistics, with mentoring to be made available on issues such as financing, governance and procurement.

Among the backers are Innovate UK, Cisco, BT and Flexeye. Government funding has been made available through the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), a project that aims to foster regeneration in London in the wake of the infrastructure changes created when rail projects High Speed 2 and Crossrail comes to fruition. A new Crossrail station is planned for Clerkenwell.

“The accelerator provides a fantastic venue,” said HCC founding member Justin Anderson, CEO of Flexeye. “It is perfectly located for the companies involved to showcase their services and collaborate to deliver value for a wide range of cities.”

Elsewhere in Britain, NEC, Sigfox and Arqiva are embarking on IoT projects. In Bristol NEC is involved in a joint venture between the city’s council and the University of Bristol, which aims to use software defined networking to create new applications and services for the city. Meanwhile, infrastructure company Arqiva and IoT specialist Sigfox are working on smart city projects in ten different sites across Britain.