Launch of 5G innovation challenge for improved healthcare delivery in Scotland

The Scotland 5G Centre and its S5GConnect Dumfries hub launched their first innovation challenge today.

The ‘Shaping Digital Health & Social Care’ Innovation Challenge will support three projects to improve healthcare delivery, by giving the selected companies the 5G know how to make their solution market ready.

This inaugural acceleration programme is being managed by Urban Foresight for S5GConnect. It is supported by two key challenge owners, namely Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership and Scottish Care.

The ‘Shaping Digital Health & Social Care’ Innovation Challenge invites businesses to respond to real problems and bring their solutions, enabled by 5G, to meet patient and care provider needs accurately, efficiently, conveniently, cost effectively and at scale.

Companies entering are required to highlight a solution that addresses one of the following challenges:

• Enhance and develop digital access to health and care services across the region, particularly in rural areas.
• Digital ideas to help support people to manage their own conditions and care for themselves safely at home.
• Connectivity solutions that enable information to be shared with people and others involved in patients’ care safely and efficiently.

The challenge will provide access to a cutting-edge private 5G network in Dumfries, with expertise and advice to drive development within a 5G environment.

The winning companies will get access to the challenge owners’ expertise and insider knowledge throughout the accelerator programme, with support also committed post programme to bring the solution closer to market integration.

The ‘call’ is open to SMEs across Scotland and the UK who currently have a healthcare product or service in development or already on the market but requires additional digital capacity to meet a need or improve performance. Entrants also need to show they are committed to the programme and can ensure team members can attend the required sessions. There is a £1000 travel and subsistence budget available to each winning company to support these costs.

A comprehensive package of support will be provided to up to three successful companies. This includes a 15-week development programme, access to the 5G testbed in Dumfries, and one-to-one technical expertise to support technical development. Companies will receive business and investment advice, introduction to potential customers, and ongoing commercial and technical support until March 2023.

Details of the innovation challenge, including a link to the Expression of Interest form and Q&A event are available here.

Timetable for applications:

• 12^th April – Challenge Launch
• 21^st April – Live Q&A Application Support Event
• 18^th May – First Stage: Expression of Interest Documentation to be submitted
• 1^st – 3^rd June – Second Stage: Technical Interviews with shortlisted Companies
• 6^th June – Winning companies will be notified
• 27^th June – Companies to start.