Thames Freeport’s Connectivity Lab Participants Announced

London, UK – 27 January 2026: Thames Freeport this week revealed the eight companies selected to participate in the Freeport’s Connectivity Lab, an initiative focused on validating commercially proven technologies in live port and logistics environments. 

Innovation sits at the core of Thames Freeport’s approach to growth. Through its Innovation Labs, the Freeport brings together industry, startups, researchers and the public sector to tackle real operational challenges, improving productivity while supporting jobs, skills and healthier communities across the region.

The Connectivity Lab is unlike traditional innovation programmes. Managed by L Marks, in collaboration with Cambridge Management Consulting, the Lab embeds technologies directly within live operational environments at three nationally significant port and industrial sites. This enables participating companies to move beyond pilots, validating technologies in conditions that reflect the scale, complexity and safety-critical nature of real-world port and manufacturing operations.

The level of global interest in the Connectivity Lab underlines the scale of the opportunity. Nearly 150 organisations from around the world applied last autumn, reflecting growing demand for real-world environments where digital and AI-enabled solutions can be tested at operational scale.

The Connectivity Lab builds on Thames Freeport’s landmark multi-site private 5G network partnership with Verizon and Nokia. This cutting-edge infrastructure creates an environment where innovators can develop and test solutions with global relevance, while positioning Thames Freeport and the wider region as an international testbed for digital innovation. 

In late November 2025, 20 standout companies showcased their solutions during the Pitch Day, and in January 2026 the eight successful participants began a 10-week sprint, with the aim of validating their technologies in real-world operational environments, with a focus on measurable outcomes and long-term impact.

Tom White, Director Innovation and Net Zero at Thames Freeport, said “The Connectivity Lab is the next phase of Thames Freeport’s programme to validate commercially proven technologies in live port and industrial environments and rapidly scale what works. Built on our multi-million-pound private 5G infrastructure investment, it’s part of a place-anchored, real-world ecosystem for leading innovators to prove measurable ROI, strengthen supply chain performance, and drive productivity gains for businesses and the wider region.”

Tim Passingham, Founder and Chairman of Cambridge Management Consulting, said, “Cambridge Management Consulting is delighted to support Thames Freeport’s innovative Connectivity Labs programme. Leveraging transformative technologies to produce positive impact for communities and corporations is central to our values, and I look forward to seeing how the Lab’s participants deploy their products towards this mission.”

Working with partners at DP World London Gateway, the Port of Tilbury and Ford Dagenham, the Lab is trialling a wide range of technologies including AI, digital twins, secure communications and advanced visual monitoring technologies. 

At DP World London Gateway:

MapBI (UK) is building a digital twin of the port’s container inventory, overlaid with operational and performance data to reveal operational insights to support loading/discharge, and inventory planning. 

Conroo (Germany) is implementing a smartphone-based app to track container arrivals at the port gates. The app will speed-up lorry discharge/load times, improve routing and reduce local congestion around the port. 

Purple Transform (UK) will use existing CCTV data to automate context-specific PPE detection, with the aim of improving the welfare of staff working with and around heavy plant, machinery and vehicles. 

At Port of Tilbury

Streamwide (Romania) will use a Push-To-Talk solution to help locate and contact staff across the entire Port site, while also adding a single all-party communications layer to enable critical alerts and multi-agency incident response. 

Aible (US) will use AI-based Key Performance Indicator analysis to identify which metrics directly impact operational planning and effectiveness, generating insights to aide efficiency and productivity optimisation. 

Allread (Spain) will use CCTV-based AI image analysis to augment the tracking of containers arriving and leaving the site by rail. 

And at Ford Dagenham:

Nokia (Finland/US) will use sophisticated 5G-enabled cameras to provide fully immersive visual and aural operational spatial awareness in locations not currently covered by Ford’s existing monitoring capabilities. 

Aible (US) will use AI Agents to understand and automate manual process flows around vehicle movements. 

FocalX’s (Denmark) mobile device-based AI analysis will enhance the inspection of vehicles arriving and leaving the site, monitoring for damage and condition changes. 

During the trial Connectivity Lab participants have access to senior decision-makers and industry networks, and the opportunity to position themselves as strategic partners in the future of UK ports and logistics by demonstrating measurable ROI and long-term impact.

By linking together innovation, investment and skills, Thames Freeport ensures growth turns into measurable benefits for businesses and communities across the region.

You can find out more about Thames Freeport’s Innovation Labs programme here.

About Thames Freeport

Thames Freeport is shaping a next generation growth zone along the River Thames, where innovation, investment and skills come together to deliver real economic and community impact.

Spanning Thurrock in South Essex and the London boroughs of Havering and Barking and Dagenham, Thames Freeport brings together nationally significant ports, industrial sites and development land to support the industries of the future. Its focus is on turning innovation into delivery, improving productivity, strengthening supply chains and creating good jobs.

Backed by government and working in partnership with global operators, businesses and local authorities, Thames Freeport supports growth across advanced manufacturing, sustainable construction, logistics, food and drink, clean energy and digital innovation. Every investment is designed to unlock opportunity for local people, linking economic growth to skills, jobs and healthier, more resilient communities.

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https://thamesfreeport.com/

About L Marks

Newly appointed as Thames Freeport’s strategic innovation delivery partner, L Marks is the global market leader in corporate innovation, trusted by many of the world’s most well-respected brands and organisations to identify, validate, and implement transformative solutions. Through its global network spanning more than 80 countries, L Marks discovers over 10,000 startups and scaleups annually and has enabled over 480 to pilot with corporate partners, achieving an industry-leading deployment rate of 78%.

L Marks alumni have collectively raised over $3.6 billion in venture funding. With over a decade of experience in delivering 100+ award-winning innovation programmes across Europe, North America, and Asia, L Marks is embedding new structures and technologies, driving an innovative culture, and ultimately fuelling sustainable growth.

https://lmarks.com/

About Cambridge Management Consulting

Cambridge Management Consulting (Cambridge MC) is an international consulting firm that helps companies of all sizes have a better impact on the world. Founded in Cambridge, UK, initially to help the startup community, Cambridge MC has grown to over 220 consultants working on projects in over 25 countries. Our capabilities focus on supporting the private and public sector with their people, process and digital technology challenges.

What makes Cambridge Management Consulting unique is that it doesn’t employ consultants — only senior executives with real industry or government experience and the skills to advise their clients from a place of true credibility. Our team strives to have a highly positive impact on all the organisations they serve. We are confident there is no business or enterprise that we cannot help transform for the better.

Cambridge Management Consulting has offices or legal entities in Cambridge, London, New York, Paris, Dubai, Singapore and Helsinki, with further expansion planned in future.

https://www.cambridgemc.com/