In fact, Acciona funds innovation projects in a range of fields, and also in the field of tunneling. You can propose a project and seek funding. I believe it is a great opportunity for startups and individuals seeking funding to further their innovation ideas.

Below is some of the tunnel-related projects. Keep in mind that you can propose your own idea/project for Acciona to consider funding via this link.

Tunnel boring machine cutter disc wear real time monitoring

ACCIONA launches this challenge to identify a solution that defines a complete monitoring system, both for the hardware components integrated in the TBM and the interpretation and visualisation software that allows the degree of wear of the TBM cutters to be predicted in real time. The solution should be able to identify the following aspects related to the cutter:

Cutter bearing blockages.
Cutter ring wear.Individual pressure of the cutter against the ground.
Vibrations induced to the cutter during excavation.
Wear prediction based on project geology.

Budget 50.000 €

New technologies for geological prediction ahead of the tunnel face in TBM

ACCIONA is launching this challenge to identify a geological reconnaissance or exploration system, both at the level of sensorisation and at the level of interpretation and visualisation software that will enable a geological characterisation of the terrain to be carried out. This system must provide new geological reconnaissance techniques for tunnel boring machines ahead of the excavation face, both from the surface and from the machine itself. The requirements for the solution are:

Non-intrusive solution to the environment
Does not affect machine productivity
Enable consistent and coherent identification of profound changes in terrain characteristics.

Budget 50.000 €

New technologies for tunnelling ground improvements treatments

ACCIONA is launching this challenge to identify solutions that offer innovative alternatives in the area of ground improvement treatments in tunnels. The aim of this challenge is to find new ground improvement treatment techniques that improve current treatments from an economic, implementation and sustainability point of view. To this end, any aspect related to the treatment technique can be addressed: design, inspection, materials, equipment, procedures, digitalisation, data management, etc.

Budget 50.000 €

This is your home page, if you are interested in participation for Acciona's I'MNOVATION: https://imnovation.acciona.com/en/challenges-list/

Good luck!