Northern Europe: Area Statements

  1. Open Sustainability Data: How can we use technologies to promote transparency about sustainability outcomes in government projects in the Nordic-Baltic region?
  2. Energy-Efficient Buildings: How can we use technology to improve energy efficiency in ​public buildings in the Nordic-Baltic region?
  3. Sustainable Tourism: How can we utilize technology to enhance sustainable tourism in the ​Nordic-Baltic region and reduce its environmental impact?

Southern Europe: Area Statements

  1. Inclusive and Accessible Services: How can we use new technologies to make public services more inclusive and accessible for all users and communities?
  2. Transparent and Open Government: How can we use new technologies and data to promote greater transparency and openness about public services and government outcomes?
  3. Community Engagement and Collaboration: How can we use new technologies to facilitate more meaningful and productive dialogues between public authorities and the communities they serve?

Content

Content will be delivered in form of masterclasses, workshops, roundtables and focus groups. Each week there will be a training day consisting of lecture and activity-based sessions. Startups can then implement what they learn across the rest of their week into their solutions.

Opportunity

Within the boot camps, we will also facilitate a number of opportunities for start-ups to work together with citizens and co-develop user-centric products.

Requirements

Northern Europe
Companies operating with solutions to the Net Zero challenge. Must have an office in any of these countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden.
Southern Europe
Companies operating with solutions to the Digital Infrastructure challenge. Must have an office in any of these countries: Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia.

The Boot Camp Challenges and Regions for 2023

GovTech Connect will run four boot camps covering all European regions and several industries across 2023 and 2024. In 2023, the project will be focusing on the following challenges and regions:
Achieving Net-Zero - Supporting the green transition of services.
Statement
1. Open Sustainability Data: How can we use technologies to promote transparency about sustainability outcomes in government projects in the Nordic-Baltic region?
2. Energy-Efficient Buildings: How can we use technology to improve energy efficiency in ​public buildings in the Nordic-Baltic region?
3. Sustainable Tourism: How can we utilize technology to enhance sustainable tourism in the ​Nordic-Baltic region and reduce its environmental impact?
Digitising Public Services for Enhanced Civic Engagement, Accessibility, and Transparency
Statement
1. Inclusive and Accessible Services: How can we use new technologies to make public services more inclusive and accessible for all users and communities?
2. Transparent and Open Government: How can we use new technologies and data to promote greater transparency and openness about public services and government outcomes?
3. Community Engagement and Collaboration: How can we use new technologies to facilitate more meaningful and productive dialogues between public authorities and the communities they serve?
Achieving Net-Zero - Supporting the green transition of services.
Digitising Public Services for Enhanced Civic Engagement, Accessibility, and Transparency

The Boot Camp Challenges and Regions for 2023

GovTech Connect will run four boot camps covering all European regions and several industries across 2023 and 2024. In 2023, the project will be focusing on the following challenges and regions:
Achieving Net-Zero - Supporting the green transition of services.
Statement
1. Open Sustainability Data: How can we use technologies to promote transparency about sustainability outcomes in government projects in the Nordic-Baltic region?
2. Energy-Efficient Buildings: How can we use technology to improve energy efficiency in ​public buildings in the Nordic-Baltic region?
3. Sustainable Tourism: How can we utilize technology to enhance sustainable tourism in the ​Nordic-Baltic region and reduce its environmental impact?
Digitising Public Services for Enhanced Civic Engagement, Accessibility, and Transparency
Statement
1. Inclusive and Accessible Services: How can we use new technologies to make public services more inclusive and accessible for all users and communities?
2. Transparent and Open Government: How can we use new technologies and data to promote greater transparency and openness about public services and government outcomes?
3. Community Engagement and Collaboration: How can we use new technologies to facilitate more meaningful and productive dialogues between public authorities and the communities they serve?
Achieving Net-Zero - Supporting the green transition of services.
Digitising Public Services for Enhanced Civic Engagement, Accessibility, and Transparency

Key Dates

Live Q&A
20 and 25 April 2023
Application Extended
Open until 17 May 2023 for Northern Europe, and 23rd June 2023 for Southern Europe
Selection Release
Middle of May 2023
Boot Camp 1
5 June to 30 June 2023
Boot Camp 2
4 September to 29 September 2023

FAQ

Live Q&A Session

What is GovTech Connect?

The European’s Commission DG Connect has recently launched GovTech Connect, a pilot project aiming to foster the digitisation of the public sector through the use of an innovative European GovTech Platform - GovTech Connect. Carried out by a consortium formed by Intellera Consulting, PUBLIC Deutschland, The Lisbon Council, and Politecnico di Milano, GovTech Connect aims to support public administrations in the adoption of cost-effective and flexible digital solutions by articulating the GovTech ecosystem in the European public sector, over the course of two years.

What are the GovTech Connect Boot camps?

The project will run two open innovation activities per year, including two boot camps aiming to identify innovative solutions in different regions across Europe, to solve key pressing challenges.

The boot camps will run as accelerated and intensive training programmes. Each boot camp will be delivered online over four weeks and will culminate with a final online pitch event in week 6.

Content will be delivered in form of masterclasses, workshops, roundtables and focus groups. Each week we will start with a full day of training, housing both lecture and activity-based sessions.

Within the boot camps, we will also facilitate a number of opportunities for start-ups to work together with citizens and co-develop user-centric products. Each start-up will be matched with a small pool of citizens that will be recruited by our consortium or directly by the start-ups, at the beginning of the programme.

What are the regions and challenges for 2023?

The project will run two open innovation activities per year, including two boot camps aiming to identify innovative solutions in different regions across Europe, to solve key pressing challenges.

For 2023, the regions and challenges are the following:

  • Northern Europe: Achieving Net-Zero - Supporting the green transition of services.
  • Southern Europe: Digitising Public Services for Enhanced Civic Engagement, Accessibility, and Transparency.

Who is running the Boot camps?

The boot camps will be delivered by PUBLIC, with contributions from Politecnico di Milano, Intellera and Lisbon Council, all part of the Consortium implementing the pilot project GovTech Connect on behalf of the European Commission. PUBLIC has significant experience in working with European governments and innovators, having facilitated 100+ collaborations between government organisations and SMEs across 4 countries through thought-leadership and consulting activities, product development, innovation programmes and events.

Boot Camp Format

What is the time and resource commitment?

The boot camps will run as accelerated and intensive training programmes for 4 weeks, with a dedicated learning day once per week. At least 1 startup team member must attend all sessions. The boot camps are funded by the EU.

What is the learning content of the Boot camps?

The content of the boot camps includes topics on working with the government, innovative business models, sources of funding, pitch preparation and a closing final pitch.

Content will be delivered in the form of masterclasses, workshops, roundtables and focus groups. Each week we will start with a full day of training, housing both lecture and activity-based sessions.

Within the boot camps, we will also facilitate a number of opportunities for start-ups to work together with citizens and co-develop user-centric products. Each start-up will be matched with a small pool of citizens that will be recruited by our consortium or directly by the start-ups, at the beginning of the programme.s.

When will the Boot camps be delivered?

  • Northern Europe, Achieving Net-Zero - Supporting the green transition of services: 5 June to 30 June 2023.
  • Southern Europe, Digitising Public Services for Enhanced Civic Engagement, Accessibility, and Transparency: 4 September to 29 September 2023.

Who will be delivering the sessions?

Training sessions are regional specific and will be delivered based on personal experiences from recognised experts, drawn from our network of leading entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, academics and public sector officials, with diverse expertise that span public sector procurement, investment, entrepreneurship, service design, design thinking and more.

Open Call

What startups can apply?

The boot camp is targeted to early-stage start-ups that are developing technology-based solutions with the capacity to generate value for the public sector. These startups are usually in their pre-seed/seed phase. However, more mature startups that are new to working with governments are also encouraged to apply. Startups must fit within one of the challenges and its region.

  • Companies operating in Northern Europe with solutions to the Net Zero challenge. Must have an office in any of these countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden.
  • Companies operating in Southern Europe with solutions to the Digital Infrastructure challenge. Must have an office in any of these countries: Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia.

What does the application process look like?

Interested startups can apply to one of the boot camps via the application portal where they will be requested to provide general information on their company and team as well as more detailed information on their proposed solution and how it addresses the relevant challenge.

What is the application deadline?

The application deadline for both boot camps is 5 May 2023.

What are the benefits for the participating startups?

The boot camps offer a number of unique benefits to startups:

  • Learn how to effectively approach working with governments and hear from a variety of stakeholders with first-hand experience on how to implement a GovTech solution successfully
  • Explore key methods for co-designing user-centred and compliant GovTech products together with citizens
  • Receive expert advice on how to successfully build your B2G (Business to Government) model and pricing strategy
  • Gain knowledge, skills and tools to master the process of accessing funding and raising investments in the GovTech sector
  • Showcase your solution to investors and buyers on pitch day and receive buy-in from relevant stakeholders to continue collaborating through future pilot phases

What are other ways to participate if I’m not eligible?

We encourage all startups, including those from other regions of Europe, to subscribe to our JoinUp page and follow the project LinkedIn page to receive updates on any other project activities. In particular concerning the upcoming boot camps with a focus on Western Europe and Eastern & Central Europe in 2024.

General Information

What does the selection process look like?

A jury panel will assess applications made up of representatives from the project team, sectoral experts and citizen engagement leads.

Eligible startups will be scored based against the following criteria: Team Experience, Company Experience, Solution Feasibility and Citizen Engagement.

What is the expected resolution date?

The expected resolution date will occur in the middle of May 2023.

*More questions can be submitted before the Live Q&A sessions through this link.
Download the PDF here
Guidebook Authors:
Johnny Hugill
Dr. Steffen Triebel
PUBLIC Hall, One Horseguards Avenue, Westminster, London, SW1A 2HU
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