Ten new projects have been unveiled as having joined the Scottish Government’s CivTech Accelerator programme, including an initiative to develop technology that will allow anyone carrying a mobile phone to measure and reduce their impact on climate change.
Another project is aiming to build a digital assessment tool for people living with dementia to help them find the best technology to maintain their independence.
To date, the scheme has helped to create 94 jobs and led to participants winning over £8.5 million in contracts.
Speaking as he announced the latest round of projects benefitting from the programme, Economy Secretary Derek Mackay said:
“Scotland is highly regarded around the world for supporting ambitious businesses to innovate and grow.
“I am delighted to announce the latest successful companies who will now work to create solutions to public sector challenges. These include looking at new ways to tackle the climate emergency, as well as ways in which we can improve the well-being of people across Scotland.
“I look forward to seeing the results of CivTech 4.0 and the positive impact that these new projects will make.”
CivTech: harnessing entrepreneurial tech innovation to solve identified public sector challenges
CivTech was set up by the Scottish Government in 2016, and has delivered three successful cycles.
CivTech 4.0 launched in June 2019 and is underway, with ten challenges and 14 companies joining the Accelerator on 5 November.
The accelerator programme harnesses entrepreneurial tech innovation – typically from start-ups and SMEs – to solve identified public sector challenges.
The 10 successful CivTech 4.0 projects, matching public sector sponsors with companies, are as follows:
- Skills Development Scotland with Global Trails on using technology to inspire primary school pupils in thinking about future careers.
- Alzheimer Scotland and the Scottish Government with Lumera Health on technologies to support people with long term illnesses.
- Student Awards Agency Scotland with WalletServices on enabling easier access to SAAS funding.
- City of Edinburgh Council with Novoville on technology for managing communal areas in privately owned tenements.
- Glasgow City Council with Reshape Technology to use data in helping people reduce their carbon footprint.
- West Dunbartonshire Council with M2M Cloud on tracking off-network council assets.
- West Dunbartonshire Council with Trickle Data Insights on using technology to support line managers in providing support to employees.
- Scottish Government People Services with Amiqus on making the pre-employment check and onboarding process more efficient.
- Transport Scotland with Deblur on the enforcement of a potential Blue Badge holder exemption law from low emission zones.
- Forestry and Land Scotland with Elsoms Seeds, Silvibio, Cumbria Tree Growers, Forest Research and Forestart on making better use of the country’s supply of high quality tree seed.