Innovate for Nature: reflecting on success and looking ahead to CivTech Round 11
By Graeme Jarvie, Innovation Manager, CivTech
At CivTech, we believe in the power of innovation to tackle some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. As we reflect on the success of our Innovate for Nature Initiative and prepare for the launch of CivTech 11 this summer, we're excited to continue this journey of collaboration and impact.
Launched in partnership with NatureScot at COP27 in 2022, the Innovate for Nature initiative has been a catalyst for environmental innovation across CivTech rounds 8, 9, and 10. Through this initiative, we’ve brought together a range of public and third-sector organisations, demonstrating the power of collaboration. Our partners to date include NatureScot, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Marine Directorate, the Environment and Forestry Directorate, the Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Economy, Scottish Forestry, Forest and Land Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland, and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
The Forestry Scotland team takes the stage at Demo Day Round 9 to present their CivTech Challenge.
The impact has been significant. The first four Challenges from CivTech 8 led to solutions that are now shaping the future of nature networks, biodiversity credits, and the understanding of Scotland’s protected sites. In CivTech 9, we saw the development of groundbreaking solutions to monitor tree health on a national scale and enhance deer management. Meanwhile, CivTech 10 is still in the early stages of its Accelerator, but promising projects are already underway—ranging from improving puffin monitoring to optimising peatland and woodland carbon projects.
A colony of puffins.
As we gear up for CivTech 11, launching in the summer of 2025, we’re on the lookout for new Challenges under the Innovate for Nature banner. We’re particularly interested in Challenges that have a strong community focus. This is an opportunity for individuals, organisations, and communities to look at collective actions that can help address the combined biodiversity loss and climate crisis. These could include changes at local and national scale. Whether it’s harnessing technology for citizen-led conservation efforts, developing new tools for ecological restoration, or finding innovative ways to empower communities, we want to hear from you.
The first step in developing a CivTech Challenge is to contact graeme.jarvie@gov.scot. Additionally, we are hosting an online ‘Become a Challenge Sponsor’ drop-in session on March 20th from 12:00 to 13:00, with a focus on environmental goals, including climate action, biodiversity, and the green sector. You can also explore the Innovate for Nature initiative here.
Let’s continue innovating for nature—together.