Welcome to CivTech 7!
Applications for CivTech 7 have now closed
Further Challenges will be launched later this year so please follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and join our mailing list for updates
If you’re an innovator, entrepreneur, start-up or established company, CivTech offers an unrivalled opportunity to develop a product for a public sector or charity customer with a real need — and rapidly grow your business.
With problems framed as Open Challenges, application is easy and procurement streamlined; it’s a swift and proven way to win public sector customers.
To launch our seventh programme, we’re excited to announce thirteen new Challenges across themes as diverse as empowering communities, helping marginalised individuals, tackling environmental problems and improving our transport infrastructure. Together, they present more than £7m of contract opportunities for innovative teams and businesses.
Some of these Challenges are quite specific and immediate, others are nothing short of an invitation to reinvent how we do things. They’re all part of the Scottish Government's determination to build our nation, and to drive it forward.
Innovation — creating ever better products and services — is at the heart of this, and this leads to economic opportunity. CivTech has clear, compelling evidence that it’s delivering on both these things — with huge benefits delivered to public sector organisations, and a really high success rate for the companies involved.
Put those two things together and you have something compelling. An opportunity for all parts of society to work together to build the kind of world we want. For public services to become better and more efficient. For people to solve problems and build a business.
We want to encourage the widest range of applicants and applications possible, because it’s in the diversity of teams and solutions that we’ll develop really compelling propositions. The application process is a friendly one and you don’t need to be a company to apply.
You don’t have to be someone with a technical background, or an experienced business person, or an academic to come up with a brilliant solution to our Challenges. All you need is a great idea, and a determination to see it develop — we’ll help you do the rest.
This is about innovation and tech for good, for everyone.
CivTech 7 key dates
Please note these are subject to change. Find out more about the CivTech process.
31 May to 28 June 2022
Challenge call
The CivTech 7 Challenges will be announced here on the CivTech website and published on Public Contracts Scotland. Proposals must be submitted via Public Contracts Scotland by midday on 28 June.
25 to 29 July
Exploration Stage interviews
Shortlisted applicants are invited for a short interview, following which up to three teams per Challenge will be selected and taken forward to the Exploration Stage.
15 August to 2 September
Exploration Stage
Selected teams spend three weeks working with their Challenge Sponsors, the CivTech team and other stakeholders to develop and refine their proposals.
2 September
Resubmission deadline
Exploration Stage teams must submit their updated proposals, no later than 5pm.
5 to 9 September
Accelerator interviews
Exploration Stage teams are invited back for interview, following which the final selection will be made for the Accelerator Stage.
3 October 2022
to 27 January 2023
Accelerator Stage
The heart of the CivTech Innovation Flow — an intensive 15 week programme (plus a two week festive break) of fast-track product development and world-class business workshops. The selected teams and Challenge Sponsors will come together to produce a Minimum Viable Product that proves the approach and is capable of further development.
6 to 10 February 2023 (TBC)
Demo Week
Our flagship event, where the Teams and Challenge Sponsors show off their hard work, and pitch their products to senior figures from the public, private and third sectors.
30 January onwards
Pre-Commercial Stage
Towards the end of the Accelerator Stage, the Teams and Challenge Sponsors will have the opportunity to extend their relationship to further develop the solution and roll it out more widely.