Innovating our Canal Network Prospectus

This prospectus is an invitation to innovators, businesses, researchers, universities, utilities, investors, funders and public sector partners who share our ambition. It sets out the opportunities we believe are worth exploring, the challenges we are seeking to solve, and the areas where collaboration can create the greatest impact.

The prospectus describes our nine key innovation opportunities, which will support us in achieving our work.

We can only deliver these priorities through great collaboration and are keen to hear from organisations who are interested in working with us.

About our innovation opportunities

Our nine innovation opportunities reflect both the challenges we must address today and the benefits we believe canals can help unlock in the future. They fall under four pillars:

Resilience & security

1. Reliable and resilient assets
2. Efficient construction
3. Canals as part of an interconnected system

Health & wellbeing

4. Health, wellbeing and safety of our people
5. Health, wellbeing and safety of the public

Place & prosperity

6. Better boating
7. Growing the Trust and its local economies

Nature & biodiversity

8. Decarbonisation and climate change
9. Protect and enhance biodiversity

If you would like to discuss a potential opportunity further, please email [email protected].

Get involved in our first innovation challenge

We are also pleased to launch our first external innovation challenges in collaboration with Innovate UK Business Connect. We are seeking innovative solutions to help us identify leakage across our network and repair techniques for our unique asset base.

More information about these challenges and details of how to apply can be found on the Innovate UK Business Connect website.