Funding: Data2Sustain EDIH
Accelerating Action Limited
The Accelerating Action Together platform supports sustainability professionals through tag-based data entry, SDG “starburst” visualization diagrams, and a compendium of 1,000+ action ideas and 2,000+ indicators. Users can export spreadsheets, PDFs, and reports. BASIC and ENTERPRISE versions offer varying assessment, communication, and improvement functionality. Prior to this project, all platform content was static—delivering identical recommendations regardless of user context, location, or project requirements. CEO Tom Lindsay and the founding team recognized this limitation constrained the tool’s long-term value and sought EDIH support to explore whether AI could enable dynamic, adaptive capabilities.
Accelerating Action Limited partnered with the Data2Sustain EDIH and WiSAR Lab to transform their AAT decision-support platform from a static information repository into an intelligent, AI-powered system. The platform uses UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its framework to help sustainability leads – Climate Action Officers and Biodiversity Officers – assess, communicate, and improve projects across environmental, economic, political, and social dimensions.
The Challenge
The project addressed interconnected challenges: static content couldn’t evolve with emerging practices or adapt to regional differences; identical recommendations served users in vastly different geographical and regulatory contexts; generic guidance required manual filtering; AI integration needed to work seamlessly with existing architecture; and the solution needed scalability for continued enhancement. The question: Could AI transform a well-structured but static tool into an adaptive, context-aware system?
WiSAR Solution
Data2Sustain EDIH / WiSAR Lab conducted a staged “Test-Before-Invest” project to minimize risk and maximize learning.
Phase 1 – System Architecture Analysis
Team mapped data flows, documented the tag-based entry system and SDG connections, analyzed the sustainability compendium structure, and identified integration points. This revealed the platform’s tag-based categorization provided an excellent foundation for AI enhancement without requiring complete rebuild.
Phase 2 – AI Pilot Development
Engineers implemented a lightweight demonstrator that analyzed user input patterns and project tags, incorporated geographical parameters, dynamically prioritized indicators from the compendium, generated personalized actions adapted to context, and maintained compatibility with starburst visualizations and reporting.
Key Deliverables: Technical report documenting architecture, AI design, and feasibility; working proof-of-concept model; integration roadmap for production scaling; and performance metrics comparing static vs. dynamic delivery.
Accelerating Action also received Ecosystem & Networking support, connecting with EU innovation networks and market partners.
Impact & Benefits
- Proof of Feasibility: Validated the practical integration of AI-driven personalisation into an operational decision-support tool.
- Enhanced User Engagement: Personalised recommendations improved the user experience and relevance of output.
- Scalable AI Framework: Created a foundation for future AI expansion within the AAT platform.
- Increased Market Readiness: Strengthened the company’s position in the sustainability innovation ecosystem.
- Collaborative Growth: Expanded Accelerating Action’s connections through EDIH networking and advisory support.
