There has never been a better time to become a Challenge Sponsor
Across Scotland there are public and third sector organisations with problems they would like solved. With budgets under pressure and rising demand straining services, the need for smart and efficient solutions is ever greater and the public sector is increasingly aware that innovation is a good way to create them. The Scottish Government is also committed to ensuring that a large part of its tech spend goes to small, innovative businesses - this is where CivTech comes in.
The CivTech Accelerator is designed to create digital solutions to problems as quickly and effectively as possible. Teams in the public and third sector can contact CivTech with a problem they have, and work to define it as a set ‘Challenge’ which is then put out to tender for companies to solve, and in doing so they become a Challenge Sponsor.
From companies helping Citizens Advice Scotland to improve their call centre services during lockdown, to using the Internet of Things sensors to give Stirling Council early warnings on housing issues like damp and mould, the CivTech programme is truly making a positive impact on the lives of people in Scotland.
There has never been a better time to become a CivTech Challenge Sponsor. 2022 has been the biggest year so far for CivTech with rapid scaling is supported by £46 million of Scottish Government funding over the next four years, including £10 million for 2023-24. This means CivTech is able to part-fund and support more Challenges than ever, and our Challenge Managers can even work to pair up organisations to become shared Challenge Sponsors.
The CivTech Accelerator is a flexible but fast process, with an impressive success rate. Challenge Sponsors are offered support and guidance from the CivTech team to develop and define their Challenge in order to attract the best and most suitable solutions from tech companies. You can watch this video to hear more from public sector Challenge Sponsors on their experience.
The tech companies chosen to build solutions to the Challenges are also given access to great CivTech programme support which includes workshops, networking, and training. By supporting tech innovators to grow their own business and industry profile the programme leverages further contracts and private investment for participating companies.
We’re launching the next round of CivTech Challenges in the summer of 2023. If you are a Public or Third Sector organisation with a problem you want to solve then you could become a CivTech 9 Challenge Sponsor. It all starts with a conversation, email civtech@gov.scot