2024: Another year of innovation and impact
As the year draws to a close, we take a moment to reflect on our milestones, celebrate our successes, and look ahead to what the future holds for CivTech in 2025. In this month’s blog, we had the chance to sit down with CivTech's Divisional Director, Mark Elliott, to learn more.
Mark Elliott, CivTech’s Divisional Director.
As 2024 draws to a close, how are things shaping up at CivTech?
Wow – it almost feels like 2024 has only just started, but here we are, weeks away from 2025! It’s the time of year when many people are turning their heads to the festive season and winding down for the year. However, at CivTech, we’re still flat out: we’re about halfway through the final selection phase for the CivTech 10 Accelerator. We’ve whittled the initial 240 applications down to the final set – a huge achievement by the CivTech team itself. There’s now a load of follow-up work to be done, ready for the Accelerator in January.
It starts with the successful companies: I reckon with some Challenges possibly taking more than one team through to the Accelerator, there’ll be a dozen or more companies getting good news. That will be followed up with a slew of legal and contractual paperwork to be completed in good time. They’ll also get feedback on what we think is important to get them to a flying start. For the smarter ones, the good news comes with a lot of unexpected work when they were possibly thinking of putting their feet up over Christmas! For twice as many, the often really hard decisions we’ve made will come as a disappointment.
And for those teams who don’t make it through to the Accelerator?
Almost universally, the feedback on the Exploration Stage is about how much the teams got out of the process, and I doubt if there was a team that won’t be gutted to find out they won’t be on the Accelerator. We work to give genuinely constructive feedback, and it’s important that while they may be disappointed, they know getting to the Exploration Stage is a real achievement in itself. They leave CivTech with our thanks, our best wishes for the future, and a reminder that over the years, many successful applicants did not get through on their first attempt.
There’s always CivTech 11!
CivTech Round 10 Exploration Stage networking event.
Speaking of CivTech 11, what’s in the pipeline for next year?
We’re already developing potential Challenges, and the pipeline is shaping up to be really exciting. But there’s still plenty of time to build a Challenge with us. You’ll be doing it with what’s acknowledged as not just the world’s first successful public-sector-focused innovation accelerator system, but also one that’s recognised internationally as a leading GovTech initiative and the ‘gold standard’ amongst innovation drivers.
Can you share some examples of CivTech’s past successes?
Of course! Here’s a snapshot of a few of the Challenges we’ve delivered and, perhaps more importantly, the results:
Empowering women to manage their menopause: This Challenge, sponsored by NHS Scotland, led to two innovative products from companies Lumino and Adora Digital Health, using AI-driven approaches. These products have seen significant international interest, including in the US, as genuine breakthroughs.
Revolutionising tree seed germination, planting, and survival rates: Sponsored by Forestry and Land Scotland, this project by Tape4Trees has massively increased performance, including doubling germination rates and setting a world record for tree planting.
The world’s first national AI Register: Developed by Saidot, this register is a trailblazing step in building trust in AI. It recently led to a major partnership with Microsoft.
Are there any groundbreaking projects underway right now?
Yes, several! For example:
National Business DataSpine: This system, developed by DeepMiner, provides an unprecedented view of Scotland’s economy, offering new possibilities for strategic planning, supply chain management, and more.
Ethical AI intelligent citizen support for caring organisations: HelpFirst developed a product for Citizens’ Advice Scotland that dramatically improved client engagement, saving millions and enabling better support for 60,000 additional vulnerable children annually.
Land management for biodiversity and carbon capture: Rethink Carbon’s AI-powered platform enables land managers to make informed decisions to increase carbon storage, restore nature, and unlock revenue streams.
The HelpFirst team alongside their Challenge Sponsor, Citizens Advice Scotland, at Demo Day.
How does CivTech measure success in these initiatives?
This is a big focus for us. The National Benefits Realisation System, developed by PortF, is capable of tracking results across hard metrics (like jobs created or tax revenue) and softer societal objectives. It’s already delivering significant cost efficiencies for organisations like Social Investment Scotland and Scottish Enterprise.
What is driving CivTech's efforts to make Scotland a fully digitally inclusive nation?
We’re increasingly focusing on developing foundational products – the building blocks of a seamless digital experience for citizens. Challenges like Mailbox, licensing, and identity vouching from CivTech 9 are part of this vision. Countries like Denmark and Estonia show us what’s possible with integrated systems. Our goal is for Scotland to have the best public services in the world, available 24/7/365, enabling quick and efficient interactions for all citizens.
How do CivTech’s values shape its approach?
Our values play a central role in everything we do. One of our key values is “Delivery. Nothing matters if we don’t deliver.” We focus on turning trust, resources, and faith into meaningful results for the people and organisations we serve.
Another value that’s close to our hearts is “Fun, kindness, and laughter are vital.” We strive to create a better world, and while the work can be stressful, maintaining good humour and grace makes everything more worthwhile.
The CivTech team with the CivTech Round 9 companies and Challenge Sponsors at Demo Day.
What’s next for the CivTech team as you prepare for 2025?
We’ll be working hard to get the CivTech 10 Accelerator ready for January and the CivTech 11 Innovation Flow ready for launch in mid-2025. But first, after finalising the legals this month, we’ll take a well-earned break – and enjoy it with fun, kindness, and laughter.
Here’s to 2025… and doing great work with you!