A major challenge takes place in east Kent this autumn that aims to bring people together to develop innovative ways of using technology to improve their neighbourhoods. We’re asking local people to put forward their ideas and brings them together with designers & developers to find technology solutions.

Activities

Students & professors

Residents of East Kent

Community groups

Entrepreneurs

Digital agencies & startups

We’re working with local people…

…to tackle local challenges

…using creative methods

Prototype ideas…

That deliver social impact… and help people help each other

Brainstorming ideas… using new technologies

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Developing the functionality Simulating the service

Validating the usability Designing the interaction

…to design solutions

Previous winners

2011 – Customer Transformation• Help young people understand & tackle bullying• Leveraged £90K to roll out across several schools

2012 – The Sunshine Bank• Reward civic activity with a new social currency• Launched website integrating social network tools

2013 – Smoking Chimney (Kemuri)• Create connected sensor service to reduce dehydration• Shortlisted for Nominet Trust & EIT ICT Labs Challenge

Key statistics

Why sponsor the competition?

Associate your brand with a pioneering way of connecting local people and innovators to develop digital solutions to meet local challenges

Engage with college and university students & professors, startups, businesses, community groups and residents

Promote your brand at an event stimulating digital innovation in the community

How could you benefit?

Nominate a representative from your organisation to be a judge for the competition

Add your logo & marketing in print and online literature of the competition

Highlight your brand in announcements at workshops, at Digibury Weekender & Transformed by You and The Shed Makerspace launch day

Shape the Support Programme for the winners of the competition

Sponsor the support programme for winners• £3000

Sponsor a financial prize for winners• £3000 (Negotiable)

Gold Level Sponsorship

Sponsor a financial prize for winners• £1000

Sponsor the Innovation Day• £1000

Silver Level Sponsorship

Research: Help carry out market & user research to understand and target potential customers

Business: Help develop a business model & plan to pitch to investors and make the solution sustainable

Service design: Help support in designing the end to end service for the solution

Communications: Help develop a communications plan & branding to promote the solution

Coaching: Help coach the team / person to take their solution forward

Bronze Level SponsorshipThe different options below are in-kind support. The level of in-kind support to be negotiated with sponsor – between 1-3 days of consultancy.

Graphic & web design: Help provide graphic or web design support for the solution

Web & software development: Help provide development or programming support for the solution

User testing: Help test the solution with users using human-computer interaction

Digital making: Help advise how to make the best use of 3D printing and other digital making

Other (contact us with your ideas for how you could help)

Bronze Level (continued)The different options below are in-kind support. The level of in-kind support to be negotiated with sponsor – between 1-3 days of consultancy.

Supporter Level

Invite your members or staff to take part in the competition

Host a workshop to help people develop ideas, prototype or test solutions

Provide access to your open data or APIs developers can use

Host a workshop to help people get online and/or develop their digital skills

Blog and/or promote the competition

Other (contact us with your ideas for how you could help)

Support Programme

Winners each get assigned a coach who can help them make the best use of the programme

Winners come up with joint challenges they want help with. Local people invited to fortnightly /monthly meetups to help them tackle challenges in an hour.

Winners choose what support they need from the Silver Level Sponsorship and receive 1:1 support from the relevant sponsor

Winners meet up with Working Group every month to showcase and peer review each other’s progress

To help people take forward the solutions developed, we will develop a support programme where participants can choose what specialist support they require, complemented by collaborative activities with other participants & sponsors.

Support Programme (continued)

Winners also get group workshops on each module from the Silver Level Sponsorship organised by the relevant sponsor

Winners take part in a field visit to a space or organisation that uses creative methods to use/develop technology or use public space

Winners invited to showcase their solutions at Kent Public Services ICT Board, UKC Industrial Panel and other relevant events organised by partners

Previous sponsors

Previous supporters

What they said

“The best entries aren't necessarily the technically brilliant applications. It is more about making something that is provides a fresh, useful way to make use of an existing service”

“It’s a great opportunity to be really imaginative and yet produce something that will have a solid local impact and helped create a network of individuals”

“The best elements for me included giving our activity an edge and excitement, the time-bound nature of the day, roles on hand to help us out and the facilitation making everyone feel heard”

Get in touch!

Noel Hatchnoel.hatch@kent.gov.ukenquire@kentconnects.gov.uk 03000410496