Based in Caerphilly, Nightingale HQ is helping manufacturers work more efficiently, while reducing waste and carbon emissions. With support from the Welsh Government’s Innovation team, the company has accelerated research and development (R&D), launched its first commercial product and strengthened international partnerships, supporting Wales’s growing reputation for advanced manufacturing and green technology innovation.
Established in 2018 by co-founders Ruth Kearney and Stephanie Locke, the business set out to address a long-standing challenge in the metals sector by reducing manual processes, improving planning and cutting material waste. Its solution, GoSmarter.ai, uses artificial intelligence to digitise key production documents, automate planning tasks and help manufacturers make more informed operational decisions.
In early 2025, the company received Welsh Government innovation support through the VInnovate interregional collaboration programme, which helps organisations in Wales work with international research and industry partners to develop new technologies, share expertise and accelerate innovation projects.
Through this support, the company partnered with the Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia (CTAG) and technology partner OVEUN on its Driving Sustainability in Manufacturing project. Over the 12-month collaboration, the support enabled the company to:
- Develop and test Digital Twin technology to simulate manufacturing processes.
- Launch its first commercial product and validate the technology in live factory environments.
- Build new international research partnerships supporting future innovation.
- Accelerate development of AI-powered tools designed to reduce production waste and improve efficiency.
Stephanie Locke, Head of Product at Nightingale HQ, said: “Wales's success rests on its manufacturing base and, increasingly, on its growing tech startup community. We were thankful for the support from Welsh Government through VInnovate.
“It’s enabled us to collaborate internationally and achieve more for manufacturing through tech. Welsh R&D-intensive businesses should consider it for the financial support, but also for the great advisors in Welsh Government’s Innovation teams.”
The flexibility of the programme enabled the company to increase its R&D activity, strengthening market readiness and building new collaboration opportunities across the UK and Europe. The business plans to expand its workforce and scale its solutions internationally as adoption of its technology grows.
The impact of the company’s innovation is already delivering results:
- Manufacturers using the platform are saving substantial time through automated documentation processing.
- Production Managers using its Mill Cert Processor tool are saving one month’s manual work per year.
- Trials of long product optimisation tools have demonstrated 50 percent reductions in production scrap, improving efficiency and supporting lower emissions.
Ruth Kearney, CEO at Nightingale HQ, added: “The support gave us the time and resources to undertake the research needed to validate the technology in real factory environments and bring our first commercial product to market. It enabled us to test new ideas with international partners while keeping our focus on helping manufacturers digitalise, improve productivity and reduce waste.
“The partnerships developed through the project are continuing to support our growth and international outlook. This kind of collaborative innovation support has been invaluable in helping us move from development into real-world deployment.”
The company’s work supports the Welsh Government’s Innovation Strategy priorities, particularly the economy and climate and nature missions. By supporting the modernisation of the steel and metals sectors, the business is helping strengthen one of Wales’s key industrial foundations and improve long-term sector resilience. The founders have delivered AI-readiness training to the Tata UK leadership team at Port Talbot, supporting the adoption of advanced technologies in Wales.
Its innovations are helping manufacturers adopt smarter decision-making tools that support more sustainable operations and future investment in low-carbon production.
Following the VInnovate project, the company is now accessing the Welsh Government’s SMART Flexible Innovation Support (SFIS) to accelerate the next phase of product development.
Find out more about how VInnovate and SMART Flexible Innovation Support (FIS) can support your organisation. Visit Business Wales Innovation to learn more.