Thanks to the Scottish Government’s CivTech programme, technology firms are being invited to help provide solutions to issues that the public sector is facing.
The programme centres around an intense 15-week accelerator, which enables innovative and ambitious responders to be selected through an “open and straightforward process” and then be paid to build working prototypes and receive business growth support.
With £7 million worth of contracts on the table, entrepreneurs and businesses of any size are able to respond to challenges that have been set by public sector bodies, local councils, charities, and the Scottish Government.
Since being set up in 2016, CivTech has set 64 challenges for entrepreneurs and firms to solve, with 184 taking par tin the original exploration stage. Of the teams engaged, over 90% were pre-starts, start-ups, and early-stage SMEs.
Ivan McKee, Business Minister, said:
“We want thinkers, creatives, entrepreneurs, innovators, to all come together and join us in finding answers to major challenges facing not just communities and individuals across the country, also around the world.”
The challenges for 2022 are focused on how technology can be used to empower minority groups, communities, and marginalised individuals, with another focus on helping improve transport infrastructure and helping to solve environmental problems.
Firms that are successful will be paid at different stages of work with public sector organisations, with the contract values sitting between £350,000 and £800,000.
