CCR update – December 2021

Dec 17, 2021

Challenge Fund

The CCR Challenge Fund team have continued to support the Cardiff & Vale Health Board Tracheostomy Challenge which is well underway (phase two contracts awarded) with some excellent results to date.

The team have commissioned the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) to support the exploration of technology solutions for enabling zero-emission local authority fleets. They are also developing a collaborative Challenge in partnership with Welsh Government to support town centre regeneration in the region.

The Call 2 funding round closed on 1st October, eight applications were received with a total funding ask of £10.6m.

Contact ccrchallengefund@cardiff.ac.uk to find out more.

Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV)

September saw the CCR Cabinet, and Regional Transport Authority endorse the latest developments in rolling out a unified ULEV strategy across southeast Wales – including provision for the new ultra-low emission vehicle infrastructure, with 34 50kw dual chargers at 31 sites for taxi use due to be completed by the end of this year. In fact, some of these have already been commissioned and are usable right now! Since the end of this quarter, they have also launched a green taxi ‘try-before-you-buy’ pilot scheme in partnership with Welsh Government which was unveiled at the Cop Cymru Clean Transport South East Wales Regional Roadshow.

Cyber Masters programme

With support from the CCR, 15 fully funded places were offered in September to MSc in Cyber Security and Technology students for the 2021/22 academic year. This advanced cyber security programme was developed by Cardiff University in partnership with Pw. It was established in order to prepare high-class, employment ready, cyber security professionals sought after by organisations worldwide.

The scheme promotes partnership working across government, higher education and industry and it’s innovative learning models world-leading contributors help create a reputation for South East Wales as the place to recruit industry ready cyber talent – and the place for cyber security businesses to start up and scale up.

FinTech

The CCR was one of the founding partners of the FinTech Foundry (with Principality Building Society and Admiral Pioneer). This innovative 12-week business accelerator programme supported eight companies and led to: the creation of 12 new senior roles in Wales; 20 hires across the programme; and a fundraising pipeline of £9m.   Two of the cohort were award winners at the Fintech Wales Awards. CRR are currently working with FinTech Wales on their exciting and ambitious plans for growing FinTech in the region, with more news to come in the early part of 2022.