The Constructing Excellence Offsite, Manufacturing & Technology group recently came together to explore the ambitions and early development of the Mission Accelerator Programme, recently launched under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the Industrialising & Digitalising Construction challenge.
Chaired by Alex Small (Tata Steel), the session reflected the group’s core focus: how to better leverage the collective knowledge across the construction supply chain and manufacturing base to add value to projects and programmes. With speakers Ron Lang (AtkinsRéalis), Mike Pitts (Innovate UK – UKRI) and Keith Waller (High Value Manufacturing Catapult – HVM Catapult), the discussion provided a valuable overview of the programme’s intent, structure and potential impact.
Responding to long‑standing industry challenges
The session set out the background to the Industrialising and Digitalising Construction Challenge. The programme is owned within UKRI’s mission‑led portfolio, with a clear emphasis on addressing long‑standing productivity, quality and delivery challenges in construction through innovation.
A key driver highlighted was the importance of a long‑term, visible pipeline. A stable, 10‑year view of demand is seen as critical to creating confidence for investment in digital technologies, manufacturing capacity and new delivery models. Without this certainty, many innovations struggle to move beyond pilots or isolated projects.
The Mission Accelerator Programme
At the centre of the discussion was the Mission Accelerator Programme itself and its ambition to support system‑wide change rather than isolated technological advances. The programme has been designed to bring together construction, manufacturing and digital capability around a shared goal: enabling industrialised construction at scale.
A core element of this ambition is the creation of a digital marketplace to support the development and deployment of industrialised building components and processes. This will include a collaborative platform where construction, manufacturing, technology companies and suppliers can jointly:
- Create and refine standardised digital designs
- Configure solutions for different building and infrastructure contexts
- Improve interoperability between design, manufacture and delivery
By enabling collaboration around common digital assets, the programme aims to reduce errors, cut waste and accelerate the delivery of major projects.
What’s different about this approach?
The materials shared during the session highlighted how this initiative differs from more traditional innovation programmes. Rather than focusing on individual solutions or one‑off projects, the emphasis is on market readiness and adoption at scale.
Key aspects include:
- A strong focus on system architecture, standards and integration
- Encouraging collaboration across traditionally siloed parts of the supply chain
- Recognising the need to align innovation with procurement, commercial and delivery models
- Supporting both technical development and the conditions required for uptake
The programme is currently in an early mobilisation phase, with foundational work underway to establish scope, governance and industry engagement.
Technical development and industry collaboration
Slides and discussion during the session illustrated a wide range of technical development areas, including digital design frameworks, manufacturing‑ready components and the data structures needed to support configuration, reuse and repeatability.
It was emphasised that technology alone will not drive change. Progress will depend on collaboration across the supply chain, from clients and designers through to manufacturers and suppliers. Shared understanding, common standards and early engagement were all identified as critical enablers of success.
These themes closely align with the aims of the Constructing Excellence Offsite, Manufacturing & Technology group, which provides a forum to connect ideas, share learning and support collective action across the sector.
Next Steps
Looking ahead, the Mission Accelerator Programme represents a significant opportunity to move beyond incremental change and towards a more industrialised and digitally enabled construction sector. By creating shared platforms, enabling collaboration and supporting long‑term thinking, it seeks to address some of the structural barriers that have limited progress for decades.
The Offsite, Manufacturing & Technology group will continue to provide a space for industry to engage with these developments, contribute insights and help shape how innovation is translated into real‑world delivery.
Get Involved
This session was held as part of the Constructing Excellence Offsite, Manufacturing & Technology group. To find out more about this group and their activities, visit the group’s page. Alternatively, find out about our other groups here or explore our upcoming events on the events page.
