IoTUK, a national programme designed to amplify the UK’s Internet of Things (IoT) capability and opportunities, has today announced the four winning partners for its IoTUK Boost initiative. The Boost programme, which aims to support IoT innovation and adoption across business and the public sector, will deliver a series of local open innovation challenges and rapid incubation activities across the UK over the next five months.
Following a competitive application process, the partners selected are Scottish based CENSIS, the innovation centre for sensor and imaging systems;DataCity - Leeds in Partnership with ODI Leeds & DigicatYorks; technology community CW (Cambridge Wireless Ltd), which will run the Boost programme in in both Bristol and Guildford; and Sunderland Software City, which supports aspiring and established software businesses in the North East of England.
“The Internet of Things has the potential to transform businesses and public sector organisations across the UK, as well as drive economic growth and social change. No individual, company or government can do this alone; it can only be achieved through collaboration and bringing together innovators with challenge owners, and it has to especially be achieved at the local level, leveraging the wealth and diversity of talent across the UK. The IoTUK Boost programme will do just this, a coordinated acceleration programme in the IoT across regions to grow new business opportunities in IoT in, and for, the UK,” said Maurizio Pilu, Executive Director for Collaborative R&D, Digital Catapult.
Each Boost partner will bring together up to 20 SMEs with challenge owners such as large companies or local authorities. The support will culminate in a two-day workshop and innovation contest, with winners gaining access to business, technical and mentoring support from the IoTUK team.
IoTUK Boost will be delivered as a collaboration between the selected local partners and the Digital Catapult and the Future Cities Catapults, ensuring a deep understanding of local needs and capabilities comes together with the application of the very best subject matter expertise. It will be delivered in each geographic area in early 2016, followed by one month of support activities which are set to take place up until the end of March.
Pilu continued: “We are very delighted with the four partner organisations selected to drive the Boost programme. They represent some of the best conveners and clusters from across the UK. Our aim is to be fast and agile in the implementation of this programme, also to reflect the speed of innovation required for the UK to grow into a global leader and innovator when it comes to IoT.”