University spinout secures investment for AI platform built specifically for transport

TransHumanity, a technology company spun out from Loughborough University, has secured £400K in pre-seed investment to develop an AI assistant to help transport authorities make faster, smarter human decisions.

Described as “Imagine ChatGPT, but built specifically for transport”, TransHumanity’s Aptiq product “transforms data into accessible, actionable intelligence” using large language model-based agentic AI.

AptIq, it says, is designed to help transport authorities quickly analyse data and models, turning “days of analysis into seconds”. By simply asking questions in plain English, users can gain instant insights to support key initiatives like congestion reduction, road safety, creation of business cases and net-zero targets.

The investment round was led by SFC Capital, a leader in UK early stage investment with additional investment from Silicon Valley-based Plug and Play.

Developed by Dr Haitao He, a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow in Transport AI at Loughborough University and also co-founder and Director of TransHumanity, Dr He said, "I am proud to see my research translated into trusted real-world AI innovation for the transport sector. With this investment, we can scale a technology that empowers authorities across the UK to deliver integrated, net-zero transport."

AptIq, previously known as TraffEase was named a Top 10 finalist for the 2024 Manchester Prize for AI innovation and was recently highlighted as one of the Top 40 UK tech start-ups at London Tech Week by the UK Department for Business and Trade.

SFC Capital Investment Manager Adam Beveridge said "We are excited to back TransHumanity. The combination of cutting-edge research, a proven founding team, clear market demand, and positive societal impact makes this exactly the kind of high-growth venture we are committed to supporting."

AptIq is currently in a test deployment with Nottingham City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester, with plans to expand to other city, regional, and national authorities across the UK within the next 12 months. With a product roadmap that includes diverse data sources, advanced analytics and giving the user full control over the AI tool when required, interest from the transport sector is described as already high.

Professor Nick Jennings, Vice-Chancellor and President of Loughborough University, notes, "I am delighted to see TransHumanity fast-tracked from lab to investment-ready spinout. This journey shows what’s possible when the University’s ambition aligns with national innovation policy."