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BelowAcademics, start-ups, scale-ups and corporates can work on projects in ways that suit their resources and skillsINTRODUCING THE ACCESS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMMESHARED INTELLIGENCE, COST BENEFITS, COMPETITIVE EDGE… In this age of Intelligent Mobility (IM), and fast-emerging new technologies, the transportation of goods and people is being rapidly and radically transformed. Staying afloat on this stream of complex changes is a challenging business, but a vital one for companies and academics working in the transport and mobility space. One way businesses and individuals operating in the sector can ensure they are apprised of latest developments is by participating in a new series of research programmes organised by the Transport Systems Catapult (TSC). The Intelligent Mobility Access Partnership Programme brings a multi-disciplined group of large corporations, smaller businesses, start-ups, and academics together for up to three years to solve targeted problems in the IM space. “It is a truly collaborative model,” says Yolande Herbath, the TSC’s Programme Director for Business Innovation. “You might have a number of large corporates who are all encountering the same challenge, but who don’t individually have the time, the resources or the funds to resolve that challenge.” By pooling their input, adds Herbath, they all get “more bang for their buck”, while making an important contribution to the end goal of identifying the UK as a world leader in transport systems innovation.Not every member of the IM Access Partnership Programmes will play the same role. There are four engagement models, with academics, start-ups, “scale-ups” and corporate organisations each contributing in different ways, and accruing distinct benefits, ACCESS PARTNERSHIP36IMAGINE