CivTech has announced its latest cohort set to use technology to solve real-life ‘Challenges’ facing public and third sector organisations in Scotland.  

The programme is announcing its successful 14 teams for CivTech 7, along with news about the success of last year’s alumni.

Collectively, CivTech 6 alumni companies received £2.5 million in follow-on contracts following their participation in the Scottish Government-supported accelerator programme. 

CivTech is a programme that seeks to tackle challenges facing public sector organisations. Its aims are simple: to create better public services for citizens while boosting Scotland’s economy by helping innovative companies launch new products with global potential.

The latest Challenges have a strong focus on empowering communities, minority groups, and marginalised individuals, as well as including opportunities to help solve environmental problems and improve transport infrastructure. The contract value available for each Challenge is between £350,000 and £800,000.  

Companies and entrepreneurs from across the UK and beyond have been competing to win a place on the Scottish Government’s prestigious Seventh programme since its launch on 30th May. 

 The CivTech 7 Accelerator will provide the winning teams with an intense programme of workshops and support as they develop their products and businesses over a 15-week period. This means that all teams – whatever stage they’re at – have the best possible grounding to take their products forward.

Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise for Scotland, said: “The success of CivTech is incredible to see. The £6 million in extra funding from the Scottish Government this year has bolstered the Challenges and created some incredible opportunities for third-sector organisations to get involved. 

“It’s great to see such a broad range of Challenges met with exciting proposed solutions. In Scotland, we need to be at the forefront of innovation to drive job creation and investment and to help tackle major global issues such as the climate emergency, biodiversity, care and wellbeing, and energy consumption.

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“The CivTech programme plays a vital role in bringing the public and private sectors together in a collaborative effort to effect positive change.”

 The CivTech Accelerator will culminate in a ‘Demo Day’ held in early February, where the selected teams pitch their newly developed products to an audience of several hundred people from across the public sector, the third sector and the private sector — including early-stage investors. 

CivTech is the world’s first Government-run accelerator for digital public services. It was launched in 2016 to inject innovation into how the public sector uses technology to improve the lives of Scotland’s citizens. Since its first launch CivTech has set 77 Challenges for entrepreneurs and companies, with 85 companies going through to the Accelerator Stage.

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