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BT invites SMEs to shape cities of the future
BT have teamed up with Milton Keynes and TechHub offering £30,000 to SMEs with innovative digital products or services that support new smart city infrastructure.
BT last month launched a £30,000 competition to find innovative ideas from SMEs that will support cities in becoming more connected, efficient and sustainable.
The BT Infinity Lab SME Awards 2016: Connected Cities will give SMEs a chance to showcase their big ideas for future digital products and services, in areas such as health and social care, transport and education, employment and skills and across the wider public sector.
Entries will be judged in three categories: Smart City, Connected Society and the Internet of Things. Shortlisted finalists will be invited to the BT Tower in London on Tuesday 26 April to pitch their ideas to a “Dragons Den” style panel of connected cities experts from BT, the Cabinet Office, the Department of Health, the Department for Transport, Milton Keynes Council and TechHub.
The judges will award each category winner a cash prize of £7,500. The overall winner will pick up an additional prize of a £7,500 plus six months' membership at TechHub. In addition, the Smart City winner will have the opportunity to work with Milton Keynes Council to turn their idea reality, whilst the Connected Society and Internet of Things winners will each receive six months of support from BT to help them develop their ideas.
The awards are being run in partnership with the Cabinet Office, MK Smart and TechHub.
Entrants can submit their ideas to www.btplc.com/connectedcities.
Timeline
29th January – 11th March: Entry period for SMEs (www.btplc.com/connectedcities)
23rd March: Video review panel – we’ll sift through the entries and identify the priority list
8th April: Shortlist announced
26th April: Live pitch session at the BT Tower, dragon’s den style. Followed by announcement of the prize winners.
