Slough companies are among Tech Nation’s Rising Stars

Two Slough companies are among 33 regional winners of Tech Nation’s Rising Stars competition, the UK’s only national early-stage tech scale-up competition

Tech Nation is the UK’s leading network for ambitious tech entrepreneurs.

IMGeospatial deploys artificial intelligence in unconventional ways to digest and disseminate data efficiently, regardless of how imperfect or vast the amount of data becomes.

Seakr Carer helps home carers choose their hours, clients and income so that they receive recognition and reward for delivering care.

The company vets, trains and supports carers and matches them with elderly and vulnerable clients.

REGIONAL ROUND-UP THAMES VALLEY

Thames Valley firms join reactor programme

Firms from the Thames Valley are part of a consortium that will develop a lowcost nuclear power programme to help Britain hit its zero-emissions target.

The Swindon-based governmentfunded UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has awarded £18 million to the consortium, matching the £18 million invested by project leader Rolls-Royce.

Bracknell-based BAM Nuttall and the Oxfordshire-based National Nuclear Laboratory join Assystem, Laing O’Rourke, Atkins, Wood, The Welding Institute and the Nuclear AMRC on the project.

It is hoped that by 2050 a network of 16 Small Modular Reactors will be producing low carbon electricity and creating significant export opportunities of up to £250 billion.

Components for the power stations would be manufactured in regional UK factories and transported to existing nuclear sites for rapid assembly inside a weatherproof canopy.

Each power station would cost £1.8 billion to construct, with a lifespan of 60 years, and could deliver 440 megawatts of electricity – enough to power a city the size of Leeds.

Paul Stein, Chief Technology Officer for Rolls-Royce, said: “Tackling climate change requires collaboration across industries and governments to find effective, affordable and sustainable ways of achieving net zero by 2050.”