Tay5G Challenge Fund

Update

The Challenge Fund is now closed. We are exploring further opportunities for funding.

Four companies were awarded funding. You can read the outcome at this Tay5G news story.

Funding competition for innovative solutions using 5G 

Tay5G Challenge Fund overview  

• Agriculture, Food and Drink 
• Digital & Creative 
• Energy & Renewables 
• Life Sciences 
• Manufacturing 
• Mobility / Transportation 
• Smart Cities IoT 
• Tourism 
   

Challenge Expression of interest Opens - Wednesday 7th December 2022 

Challenge Expression of interest Closes – Tuesday 31st January 2023 

DROP-IN Support Sessions  

• Thursday 22 December 14:00 to 15:00 - Click here to join the meeting.
• Thursday 12 January 11:00 to 12:00 - Click here to join the meeting.
• Wednesday 18 January 14:00 to 15:00 - Click here to join the meeting.
• Thursday 26 January 11:00 to 12:00 - Click here to join the meeting.

Background to Tay5G

Tay5G is a project that is part of Tay Cities Deal (TCD), a programme of projects to deliver strategic, economic development that is funded by the Scottish and UK Governments.   

 

The Tay Cities Deal brings together public, private and voluntary organisations in the Scottish council areas of Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perth & Kinross to deliver a smarter and fairer region. Through initiatives like the Challenge Fund, Tay5G helps businesses, individuals, public sector and the third sector to engage with 5G technology. Tay5G promotes the exploration of the potential of 5G connectivity, unlocks access to word-class research and development expertise, state-of-the-art R&D resources and a diverse network of talent to develop impactful projects. 

 

The rollout of 5G networks is of national and regional strategic importance to the Scottish Government. Tay5G is committed to ensuring that digital is at the heart of inclusive economic growth, public services reform and creating the future workforce.  

 

Tay5G aims to deliver a range of outcomes, including productivity growth, digital skills, and connectivity improvement and promote the region and Scotland’s innovation credentials. The key outcomes include:

• Demonstration of which use cases and applications work
• Disseminating evidence and lessons learnt during project delivery which will reduce costs/barriers to 5G deployment – and identify barriers
• Increased and/or accelerated 5G R&D Investment in TCR
• Increased commercial certainty about 5G opportunities in the TCR and beyond
• Increased participation/collaboration with 5G ecosystems across SMEs, academia, larger companies, public and third sector
• Enhanced perception of 5G in the TCR, greater awareness of 5G capability 
• Creating new opportunities for local businesses, including SMEs, to develop new applications and services they can market at home and overseas

Projects supported by the Tay5G Challenge Fund are required to contribute to these outcomes.

The Tay5G Challenge Fund - Specifics

The Tay5G Challenge Fund is an opportunity for organisations from anywhere in the UK with an innovative product or service which uses 5G, to explore its potential. High-level stipulations to successfully secure funding are as follows: 

 

The 5G element 

The product or service being trialled must benefit from one or more of the below 5G characteristics: 

• Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) 
• Ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). 
• Massive machine-type communications (mMTC) 

 

Location of the funded projects 

The project must take place in the Tay Cities Region. We acknowledge that some remote work may be required. 

 

Use of Dundee’s 5G testbeds 

Applications may incorporate the use of one of the three (3) 5G test beds in the Tay Cities Region.  

• Slessor Gardens Outdoor Testbed – managed by Dundee City Council/AWTG 
• Abertay Indoor Testbed – managed by Abertay University  
• S5GC/Abertay Cyberquarter Testbed – managed by S5GC  

 

Focus sectors for the Tay region 

It is not a requirement for the project to provide a product, service or solution in relation to one of the Tay City Region’s eight focus sectors (see list below) but applications that do will be viewed favourably. 

• Agriculture, Food and Drink 
• Digital & Creative 
• Energy & Renewables 
• Life Sciences 
• Manufacturing 
• Mobility / Transportation 
• Smart Cities IoT 
• Tourism 

 

 

Detailed challenge guidelines and full terms and conditions will be made available after launch from the resource section at the bottom of this page.  

 

To discuss your project idea please email tay5G@urbanforesight.org.

Entry Requirements

The Challenge Fund is open to all UK registered organisations.  

 

If there is only one applicant, they must be an SME registered in Scotland. 

 

Consortia can apply, which may include organisations from the public, private, third or research sectors.  Rules for applications from consortia; 

• Consortium members can be any type of UK-registered organisation. 
• At least one consortium member must be a business registered in Scotland.  
• The consortium must have the resources (identified/committed) to complete the project. 

 

The Challenge Fund can provide grant funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 60% if you are a medium sized organisation
• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

 

Successful applicants are asked to provide match funding in cash or in kind such as staff time, expertise, resources and facilities. Overheads can be used as a cost match.

 

The applicant's product, process or service must have a Technology Readiness Level between 5 and 9. Please refer to the European Union definitions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_readiness_level 

 

To discuss your project idea please email tay5G@urbanforesight.org.

Competition and award

The Tay5G Challenge Fund officially opened on Wednesday the 7th of December 2022 at an event in Dundee held by Challenge Fund partner, the Scotland 5G Centre. 

 

The Tay5G Challenge Fund is a competitive funding opportunity and will involve a two-stage application process.

 

Stage 1 

Please submit a short Expression of Interest (EoI) outlining your proposed project.

Submission of an EoI does NOT require a technical project plan. The technical requirements of your project will be refined in collaboration with our partners prior to Stage 2.

 

Stage 2

Successful applicants will be invited to complete a full application. 

Stage 2 is when you will have to opportunity to collaborate with our technical partners to refine your detailed project plan and budget (funding request). 

 

 

All funded projects need to be completed by 31st March 2024.

 

To discuss your project idea or request an Expression of Interest Form, please email tay5G@urbanforesight.org.

Key Dates

• Challenge launch and open day - Wednesday 7th December 2022 
• Stage 1 application deadline – Tuesday 31st January 2023 
• Applicants notified - Friday 3rd February 2023 
• Stage 2 deadline – Friday 24th February 2023 
• Winners notified – Friday 17th March 2023 
• Projects begin - May 2023 
• Projects complete - 31st March 2024

 

To discuss your project idea please email tay5G@urbanforesight.org.

Who is managing this challenge?

Urban Foresight, the UK’s leading place based innovation consultancy, is managing the Tay5G Challenge on behalf of Dundee City Council and the Tay5G Board. 

 

Urban Foresight has deep expertise in running challenge-based innovation programmes. As part of its role, Urban Foresight will work to identify potential applicants and support the development of their proposals to ensure they are in line with the goals of the Tay Cities Deal and have the best chance of success.

Resources

Full challenge outlines will be added to this section when the challenge launches on the 7th of December.