Land Digital, a Sunderland-based transport technology company, announced it has secured over £700,000 in funds to accelerate the development and commercial rollout of its AI-enhanced proprietary platform for barrier-free tolling, parking and transport operations.

The funding comprises a £500,000 investment from Northstar Ventures’ Venture Sunderland Fund, as well as £25,000 from business angels and £180,000 from Creative England. The company will use the funds to strengthen its product roadmap and expand its team to support growth in a market where UK airport parking revenues alone are estimated at £2.1bn annually.*

Transport operators are increasingly moving away from barrier-controlled systems which create bottlenecks, frustrate motorists and constrain revenue collection. Land Digital’s platform uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), data processing and AI to optimise pricing and improve operational decision-making.

By enabling continuous operation and reducing reliance on manual processes and out-dated on-site infrastructure, Land Digital helps operators improve throughput and compliance, enhance customer experience, and reduce emissions caused by stop-start traffic.

The company has developed a highly configurable back-office platform that can be deployed more quickly and flexibly than many traditional transport management systems. Land Digital’s back-office system supports open-road tolling operations such as the Tyne Tunnel (TT2), which handles around 17 million journeys per year, and Warburton Bridge. The technology has also been adopted for parking operations at London Southend Airport, providing an important reference site for the company’s growing airport proposition.

Land Digital has evolved from a consultancy-led model into a scalable, product-led technology business. The team has deep domain expertise, and the board includes experts in the transport, infrastructure and digital sectors. This includes Chairman Julian Leighton, founder of OrangeBus, a previous Northstar Ventures investee, alongside Non-Executive Director Mark Pegler, former Managing Director of ParkVia, who brings significant commercial and airport sector experience.

Jon Leighton, Founder and MD, Land Digital, says: “Operators don’t want more technology – they want less friction, for their customers and their back office. This investment lets us bring AI-driven efficiency to both, faster, whilst meeting demand from operators ready to move on from barrier-based systems.”

Naomi Allen Seales, Investment Manager, Northstar Ventures, says: “Land Digital has developed a genuinely differentiated software platform for transport infrastructure at a time when operators are increasingly looking to modernise legacy systems. The team combines deep sector expertise with strong technical capability and has demonstrated the ability to win and deliver contracts across both tolling and airport environments. We believe the business has significant growth potential and we’re delighted to support the next stage of its journey through the Venture Sunderland Fund.”

Malcolm King, Investment Manager, Creative England, says: “We’re delighted to support the team at Land Digital through our Creative and Cultural Investment Programme (CCIP). The team has built an innovative platform that helps transport operators address key operational challenges, from reducing congestion to enhancing passenger experiences. As demand for smarter, more connected transport infrastructure continues to grow, Land Digital is well positioned for the future. We’re excited to back the team as they continue to deliver meaningful impact across the sector.”

*Source: ParkGeniusFly (parkgeniusfly.co.uk)