Ongoing challenges – from reducing workloads of teachers to improving firefighter safety – will be tackled through new innovation funding.
Currently, 13 companies enrolled in the annual CivTech programme have secured contracts to begin developing solutions.
Submitted and approved pitches are now in a ‘pre-commercialisation’ stage. This provides access to a maximum of £7million to bring products to market.
‘CivTech is recognised internationally as the world’s first successful public sector-focused innovation Accelerator, and as a leader in the rapidly expanding GovTech sector – set to be a trillion-dollar worldwide market,’ said Scotland’s Business Minister, Richard Lochhead.
‘Through CivTech we are not only driving economic growth and stimulating the high-growth startup community, but unlocking solutions that are already delivering benefits and millions of pounds of savings across Scotland’s public sector,’ he added.
Competition for places on the scheme has been fierce, with more firms applying to participate in CivTech10 than any previous edition. The programme began in 2016, and around 100 organisations have benefited so far. £25million in public financing has been allocated, leveraging £125mllion in private investment.
Successful participants have included Tape4Trees, a nature germination and planting system now saving Forestry and Land Scotland millions annually. Meanwhile, Netcompany is in the process of finalising a communication platform which is believed to offer the public purse a potential £100million in savings each year, and real time risk monitoring by FireHazResearch is already helping some brigades better identify and measure factors such as exposure to contaminants.
Last month saw the launch of the Scottish Technology Council, which will work on shaping national policy to foster greater collaboration between government and business. Covering life sciences, data, AI, advanced manufacturing, and space, 15experts have been confirmed as members, including executives and leaders from TechUK, Dyson, Volvo and the Scottish AI Alliance.
Image: Johannes Plenio / Unsplash
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