We're back! CivTech® 2.0 is here. More challenges, more challenge sponsors and a fast-track into the public sector to win contracts and deliver better services for us all. Don't take our word for it though - here is what our pilot cohort companies and sponsors have to say...
CivTech® harnesses new technologies to drive daring and innovation in the public sector. It brings together private sector innovation, public sector organisations and citizens to develop more efficient and effective products and services, which will translate to new, better, faster and easier experiences for everyone. Run out of the Scottish Government's Digital Directorate, it provides an unprecedented route for entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs and other businesses to develop the benefits of digital transformation in the public sector. And crucially, it creates a swift, secure and practical pathway for those businesses to potentially win public sector contracts.
This is your chance to take a problem identified by a public sector organisation, solve it, and grow your business.
It's based around Challenges...
A Challenge is simply a problem which a Challenge Sponsor (public sector organisation) would like solved. We're not prescribing the solution - that's for you to figure out! Check out the CivTech® 2.0 Challenges!
We will run engagement sessions for each of the challenges. This is an opportunity for you to ask questions directly of the Challenge Sponsors. More information on the dates and times can be found in the Challenge pages above.
It's for everyone...
Depending on who you are, what you want to contribute and how, there are many ways to get involved. CivTech® brings together private sector expertise, public organisations, research institutions and the all-important citizen. The pilot demonstrated you can be the person on the street with a good idea, get selected and build a product with your first ready-made client.
The at-a-glance opportunity for entrepreneurs, start-ups, established SMEs and businesses...
CivTech® is your chance to...
- Take a public sector Challenge and solve it in an innovative way
- Secure a public sector client through a streamlined procurement process
- Get paid to co-design and co-develop the new products: there's an Exploration Stage (£3k), an Accelerator Stage (£17k), then a Commercialisation Stage (the amount will be dependent on the Challenge and the nature of the product)
- Keep 100% of your IP
- Keep 100% of your equity
- Be part of a bold movement to drive daring and innovation into the public sector
- Be part of a unique tech co-location and collaboration space in CodeBase, Edinburgh
- Help make Scotland a more prosperous, just, open and equal society - and along the way, make people's lives better.
How the CivTech® Innovation Flow works
Ten public sector organisations have set seven Challenges - problems they need solving. We are asking you to solve them. You can apply for one, or as many as you wish.
The CivTech® Innovation Flow has a number of stages -
Stage One: Challenge creation: Challenge Sponsors (Public Sector Organisations) identify their Challenge, define it, provide all relevant data, information and market opportunity for the Challenge, and ask for solutions (they do not define the solution).
Stage Two: Application: the 'digital ecosystem' responds with potential solutions: these could come from new start-ups, scale-ups, students, and citizens from any part of life.
Stage Three: the Exploration Stage: three teams are selected to work with the Challenge Sponsor for three weeks to refine their proposed solution.
Stage Four: the CivTech® Accelerator: one of the three companies are selected to develop their product in collaboration with their Challenge Sponsor, and with citizen participation in a three-month product development cycle.
Stage Five: Pre-Commercial development: at the end of Accelerator period, the Challenge Sponsor has the opportunity - and is be encouraged - to continue the contract with the participant team.
Stage Six: National and international commercialisation: the product is now commercialised and looking to build a national and international client base.
Highlights from the pilot...
Apart from creating great new products and services, the CivTech® pilot was set up to drive a number of things, and test some others -
We wanted to push a user-centred approach with companies, public sector sponsors and citizens working together to co-produce innovative solutions. This proved extremely successful, with huge leaps forward made as citizens and citizen groups got involved.
We sought to pioneer a smart, streamlined and faster procurement process. We posed open challenges, rather than sending out prescriptive and unduly detailed tenders. We made the aplication process simple and straightforward. And we helped to reduce the risk of innovation for the public sector Challenge Sponsor.
The development of the CivTech® Accelerator meant delivery became fast-paced - minimum viable products developed by each of the eight companies within four months.
We secured IP and equity for the teams on the Accelerator. So they are best able to go forward and win new clients, and attract private sector investment.
All of the the CivTech® pilot companies have secured follow-on funding from their respective client sponsor.
Half have already won additional contracts with other public and private sector organisations - and the rest are confident of doing so.
There's been huge interest generated: there have been a large number of enquiries about all the teams on the pilot, and indeed about the CivTech® model itself - from both the public and private sector.
Culture and ethos
How do I find out more?
- The menu on the left will help you find out more about CivTech®
- Sign-up to our mailing list here
- Follow us on Twitter @CivTechScotland
- Like us on Facebook and LinkedIn
- Watch our videos on our Youtube Channel
- If you decide to apply for a Challenge and would like to ask a question about it, please do this through the relevant Challenge section on Public Contracts Scotland
- If you have any further questions, you can contact us at civtech@gov.scot
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HOW THE CIVTECH® INNOVATION FLOW WORKS
THE CIVTECH® ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME
PILOT COHORT - WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
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