We aim to develop an app or software solution that guides users to make sustainable decisions when undertaking home renovations, redecoration or making household purchases. The solution will initially focus on sustainability in the home and how simple choices can help us to reduce emissions and save money. It is powered by advanced environmental calculators that can determine the impact of different options across a wide range of different metrics. For example, when buying goods for the home, users will be able to compare carbon footprint, material sustainability, impacts on home environment (e.g to avoid materials that release toxic vapours) and long-term benefits (e.g. insulating properties for curtains). Our solution will cover everything from full home refurbishments and renovations (material and design choices including opportunities to improve insulation of walls/floors) to buying individual items (furniture, furnishings and general homewares). We aim to develop a user-friendly solution that delivers the information needed to make design or purchase decisions. Furthermore, we aim to provide a platform that motivates users to make beneficial decisions and stay engaged. In this project, we will work with users to identify their needs and co-develop an effective solution.

Miel Bakery is a small London shop with a neighbourhood feel, specialising in freshly made pastries and breads. We pride ourselves on producing everything on the premises, using only the finest ingredients. We have a core range of daily products and devote significant time to developing new and seasonal recipes, with a focus on optimising taste, texture, aroma, and the overall customer experience. Our menu includes a range of innovative products such as soft-serve ice cream, Galette des Rois, ice cream croissants, a unique Chai blend and process, seasonal croissants, sourdough and flavoured loaves, waste-busting bread pudding, and almond croissants, amongst others. We also run baking classes, where we teach people all kinds of baking techniques. Our dedication to innovation and commitment to quality and sustainability make us a highly respected and innovative bakery in London's vibrant food scene. In this project, we are collaborating with Oxford Cognitive Labs (OCL), specialists in innovative AI business solutions. Together, we are exploring the potential for using AI technology to help us predict sales, forecast how many of each product to make daily and optimise our baking processes. We will assess the technical feasibility of using historic sales and other data sources to predict future sales. We will also validate the business case for developing and adopting the technology in-house and we will explore the potential market for selling the solution externally (e.g. as an app or software subscription).

HiiGuru is a global on-demand home professionals platform. We break down the traditional design and renovation process into affordable, bite-sized services, starting with quick video calls. We empower homeowners and property developers with total control and flexibility over the type of expert support they get. Customers get direct access to professionals across a wide range of fields covering architecture, construction and interior design. This project explores the feasibility of using AI to help manage our customer journey from the initial enquiry and data collection stages to providing ongoing support through their project. HiiCoach will be an AI-powered chatbot that can be accessed via our webpage. It will support customers to get started with HiiGuru, answering questions and transferring them to a human advisor whenever necessary. HiiCoach will help the customer to provide the data needed by our expert designers and consultants. This will save time for our specialists, meaning they can get straight into sharing their expertise. During and after the consultation or design project, HiiCoach will continue to offer customer support. This includes optional prompts at timely points, advising the customer on what they might need to consider next in their renovation project. It will also help them to access other specialists as needed at different stages of the journey. All this saves time for HiiGuru staff and provides a better experience for the customer as their project data will be transferred easily between specialists. HiiGuru will benefit from increased productivity (as will our interior designer and architect contractors). Importantly, HiiCoach will facilitate communication, always ready to link to a human advisor when appropriate. This ensures HiiGuru maintains its reputation for delivering specialist advice at affordable prices with excellent customer service. Our objective is to help people understand the support they need along their whole renovation journey and to streamline the process of linking them to our specialists as and when they need support.

EcoTraceAI is an AI-powered conversational agent for collecting data across supply chains and using this to calculate accurate and reliable environmental metrics. Data gathering is achieved using an AI-powered chatbot which automates and simplifies the process. The chatbot uses conversational scripts to interrogate suppliers and extract the data required. The conversation adjusts dynamically according to the user input and data validation. For example, it might ask the user for further information if the data input is flagged as incomplete or outside of expected values. Supply chain data is combined with other data sources to calculate environmental impact metrics in granular detail. This will allow brands to understand and report on the environmental impacts associated with each individual product. They will be able to improve their environmental performance by identifying and addressing weaknesses in their supply chain. For example, they will be able to identify major sources of negative impacts and address these through changes to their designs, material use, operational procedures and/or supplier choice. Ultimately, we aim to create a more sustainable and equitable world through data-driven decision-making. Our ambition is to provide fashion brands with the tools and insights they need to measure and understand the environmental impact of their actions and ultimately to drive positive change. EcoTraceAI will make it the norm for consumers to be able to clearly see, understand and compare the real environmental and social impacts of any fashion purchase. Eventually, we aim to extend this technology to deliver the same benefits across other products and services in any industry.