Since 2020, Launch Academy has supported 74 companies across its national and regional programmes, collectively raising £27.5 million in private investment, £11.7 million in grant funding and filing 153 patents.
The companies that won places on the 2026 one-year award-winning programme are based in Scotland, Wales and England, with a wide variety of technologies being developed. Winning company Nature Based Ltd, based in London, is developing a living kelp forest wave attenuator – a structure designed to reduce wave impact, which would calm the sea around turbines, regenerate marine life and lower operating costs for offshore wind installations.
“Joining the Launch Academy is a massive honour, with ORE Catapult having been a huge supporter of our work from the get-go, it is exciting to join with fellow offshore innovators” said Harland Waterfield, CEO at Nature Based Ltd. “Through the programme, we hope to prepare for a demonstrator-scale deployment and continue to prove the value case for living systems engineering.”
Wind Rider Caledonia Ltd from Edinburgh, is designing a world-first passive yaw system for offshore wind turbines, where an aerofoil shaped tower self-aligns with the wind, reducing tower drag and potentially cutting the size of wind turbines.
“Being selected for ORE Catapult’s Launch Academy is a pivotal moment for Wind Rider” added Dr. Wangwen Zhao, Founder and Technical Director at Wind Rider Caledonia Ltd. “It validates not only our technology's potential but also our commitment to transforming offshore wind economics through bold engineering. Over the next nine months, we aim to refine our commercial pathway, deepen engagement with developers and OEMs, and de-risk the final steps toward a full-scale prototype. With Launch Academy's mentorship and industry access, we are confident we can accelerate the adoption of a simpler, lighter, and more reliable turbine support system - helping Scotland and the UK lead the next generation of offshore wind innovation.”
Ecodetect, based in Anglesey, Wales, is developing seabed and surface mounted marine monitoring and communications to detect wildlife and other objects near offshore infrastructure, using AI-driven, data processing and analytics.
Launch Academy is sponsored by ScottishPower Renewables (SPR), EDF Power Solutions, and JERA Nex bp, and is an industry-recognised technology acceleration programme for early-stage companies with innovative products and services that could boost the offshore wind supply chain.
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