MSIP, a joint venture between Michelin, Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise, is an innovation park in Dundee for sustainable mobility and decarbonisation, which aims to drive growth and diversity in the Scottish economy whilst addressing the global climate emergency.

MSIP’s Innovation Challenge 2 aims to provide grant funding to companies seeking to develop and demonstrate innovative new models for personal transport and commuting whilst addressing the Scottish Government’s challenging Net Zero targets for transport.

A competitive funding call was launched in September 2022, resulting in 13 applications, which have been narrowed down to four funded projects from five companies.

As part of the funding, the successful companies will have access to space at MSIP’s soon to launch Innovation Labs.

The funding awarded will allow the successful companies to test, prototype and demonstrate technologies focused on new sustainable transport options including e-bikes powered by solar; an electric vehicle and hydrogen refuelling system; development of an electric vehicle with the innovative capacity to yield energy to the grid; and mobile electric vehicle charging technology.

All projects are due to start by April 2023.

Sarah Petrie, innovation director at MSIP, said: “I’m excited to announce that we are funding a further four projects through our Innovation Challenge 2.

“Through MSIP’s Innovation Programme we want to support early-stage companies that will benefit from additional support to test, develop and demonstrate innovative ideas into viable products that can be taken to market.

“This kind of funding is critical to achieving the ambitious net zero targets set in Scotland, which is why it is a core part of our Innovation Programme at MSIP.”

Brian Hills, The Data Lab CEO, said “Data science is already helping us to understand climate change and develop technologies to support the transition to net zero.

“We’re looking forward to seeing these projects get started, which have the potential to change the way we think about transport.

“Normally we think of greener transport options as vehicles with a lower carbon footprint, but to be able to demonstrate transport options that actually generate energy back to the grid could be game-changing.”

Councillor John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council, said: “The four projects selected display the kind of creativity and innovation that is going to be required to address the global climate emergency.

“The work undertaken through this Challenge will help to further both MSIP and Dundee’s reputation as being at the forefront of new, greener transport technologies. I look forward to seeing each of projects develop and wish them every success.”

Projects selected for MSIP Innovation Challenge 2 funding are:

• Frisco Project Management Consultancy Services Limited: the Frisco e-Bikes and the Frisco Solar Docks harness the use of solar power, to wirelessly recharge e-Bikes, at Docking Stations with solar panels.
• OTG1821 and Tronius: a collaboration to develop a portable EV charging and hydrogen refueler system. The new product will be named the “GINIUS”Pod and respond to the increasing demand for accessible EV charging and lack of hydrogen fuelling locations.
• IC2EV: MH2G will convert an existing motorhome running on fossil fuels into a 100% electric vehicle with the innovative capacity to yield energy to the grid through V2G technology controlled by IC2EV’s evBrain software.
• 4SB Mobility Ltd: an attachable, swappable, ‘jerry can’ battery that connects directly to an electric vehicles main battery.