GXO launches Open Innovation programme
The GXO Accelerator will identify, test and scale new logistics technologies.
THE PROGRAMME brings together the best of GXO’s innovation cultures and expertise, and is designed and delivered in collaboration with global innovation specialist L Marks. The program will bring together startups, scale-ups and technology specialists through a structured Open Innovation model to explore practical solutions to some of the sector’s most pressing operational challenges.
“Supply chains are evolving rapidly, and collaboration with innovative technology partners is essential to staying ahead of that change,” said Paul Durkin, chief operating officer, UK & Ireland at GXO. “GXO Accelerator will give innovative technology companies the opportunity to work directly with our teams to tackle real operational challenges and demonstrate the value their solutions can bring to logistics operations today and tomorrow.”
Through the programme, selected companies will participate in a 12-week cohort collaborating with GXO experts in real world logistics settings to implement solutions that have the potential to drive greater efficiency, resilience and sustainability across supply chains.
The programme will focus on four key innovation themes vital to the logistics industry:
Defence and Infrastructure Logistics: Technologies that strengthen materials control, sequencing, traceability and asset monitoring across multi-site, regulated defence and critical infrastructure supply chains.
Digital Transport: Technologies that improve driver safety, bring execution-led intelligence to transport operations, and enhance visibility and coordination across yards and diverse delivery environments.
Future Workforce: Technologies that make workforce deployment more dynamic and data-led, streamline HR processes with AI, and give managers greater visibility of skills, potential and progression across a large, distributed operation.
Wild Card / Open Season: Technologies that fall outside the defined categories but have clear potential to create operational value for GXO.
Selected participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with GXO’s operational and technology teams in structured test-learn cycles, gaining access to real world scenarios to refine their solutions, with the potential to scale successful innovations within GXO’s UK&I operations.
GXO Accelerator succeeds and builds on the long-established Wincanton W2 Labs programme, following GXO’s acquisition of Wincanton.
Technology providers interested in participating in the first GXO Accelerator cohort can learn more, review the category Sponsors and apply at gxo.lmarks.com. Applications are now open.
Get active
GXO will present at the Tomorrow’s Warehouse Event on May 14 at Coventry’s CBS Arena.
The presentation from Claire Charlton, Head of Open Innovation, GXO Logistics, shares how GXO is applying its mature open innovation approach to early experimentation with agentic AI. Focusing on an outcome based, structured test, learn and scale approach, with responsible learning at the heart of all activities. Examining operational use cases Claire Charlton asks – is there a sausage as well as the sizzle?
AI will be a major issue at the event, which is a great opportunity to network and learn as warehouse transformation continues to be a key priority for many companies, large and small, up and down the land.
Entry, food and parking are all free.
