1) PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

1.1 The Programme

Delivered by Digital Catapult, as part of the FutureScope cross-technology acceleration

Programme (“Programme”), the Experiment track is focused on supporting innovative companies (“Participants”) to leverage and experiment with advanced digital technologies.

This call aims to find three (3) organisations, to which Digital Catapult will provide technology support and expertise for them to leverage and experiment with 5G and other advanced digital technologies to augment an already developed interactive or immersive experience, installation or production for the Heritage sector.

On the Programme, Participants will collaborate with Digital Catapult and will receive the collaboration Programme benefits (“Collaboration Benefits”) on condition that they comply with the collaboration Programme obligations (“Collaboration Obligations”), as set out in these Competition Terms.

Participants will also receive some in-kind benefits on the Programme from Digital Catapult (“State Assistance Benefits”), which are provided by way of State Assistance (see paragraph 8.2 for further details on State Assistance).

1.2 Digital Catapult

Digital Catapult is the UK authority on advanced digital technology. Through collaboration and innovation, we accelerate industry adoption to drive growth and opportunity across the economy.

We bring together an expert and enterprising community of researchers, startups, scaleups and industry leaders to discover new ways to solve the big challenges limiting the UK’s future potential. Through our specialist programmes and experimental facilities, we make sure that innovation thrives, and the right solutions make it to the real world.

Our goal is to accelerate new possibilities in everything we do and for every business we partner with the journey – breaking down barriers, de-risking innovation, opening up markets and responsibly shaping the products, services and experiences of the future.

Digital Catapult works with organisations on projects involving at least one of the technologies from its “Advanced Digital Technology Stack”: Artificial Intelligence, Immersive, Internet of Things, Distributed Ledger Technologies and 5G/Future Networks.

1.3 The Programme Partners

The following organisations are partnering with Digital Catapult to deliver the Programme:

Programme Sponsor: The Programme will be sponsored by Brighton Dome & Festival Limited (“BDBF”). BDBF may support the Project through delivery of relevant workshops, hosting office hours, providing 1:1 scope development support and access to the Corn Exchange facility in Brighton, subject to availability. 

Programme Technology Partner: During the Programme, technology partner Wired Sussex Limited may support the Project through delivery of relevant workshops, hosting office hours and access to the FuseBox facility, subject to availability.

1.4 The Programme Judges

During the application stage, the judges will be responsible for scoring the applications according to the process and criteria set out in these Competition Terms. The judges will be chosen based on their experience and expertise

Internal Judges: A number of judges from Digital Catapult will help judge the applications.

And may include any of the following:

Programme Sponsor Judges: A number of judges from Brighton Dome & Festival Limited.

Programme Technology Partner Judges: A number of judges from Wired Sussex Limited.

1.5 Applicants & Participants

You are considered an “Applicant” if you apply to this competition.

You are considered a “Participant” if you are successful with your application and complete all pre-Project activities (e.g. signing the Programme Agreement).

2) PROGRAMME BENEFITS

Participants on the Programme will receive the following benefits:

Collaboration Benefits:

• £20,000 funding to support your organisation during the 4-month Programme.
• Regular interactions with the Digital Catapult team, the Programme Sponsor and the Programme Technology Partner, to assess, iterate and accelerate your concept and technical development.
• Access to 5G testbed facilities in Brighton for testing and experimentation, as well as access to the Fusebox working space, subject to availability.
• Regular concept and technical support from Digital Catapult technologists and product team throughout the concept development and product development phases of the Programme.

State Assistance Benefits:

• Diagnostic session with your leadership team to determine current technological, commercial and strategic needs.
• Tailored technical and business workshops to develop and improve your demonstrator and wider organisation’s business.
• Networking events with other Participants and industry leaders.
• Peer support from other Participants on the Programme, sharing learnings and insights gained from the Programme as well as previous expertise.

A showcase during which Participants will present to an invited audience of stakeholders, partners and industry representatives.

3) PROGRAMME OBLIGATIONS

Participants must be willing to commit to the following key obligations:

• Attend the commencement event hosted by Digital Catapult.
• Create a technology roadmap and scope of work in collaboration with Digital Catapult technologists and the Programme Sponsor during the concept development period.
• Present an updated demonstrator proposal at the end of the concept development stage to other participants on the programme and Digital Catapult.
• Attend 5G Brighton Testbed bi-weekly with Digital Catapult technologists to support the 5G use case development.
• Attend bi-weekly check-ins with the Programme Sponsor and Digital Catapult technologists respectively. Participants will be required to nominate at least one individual who will be expected to interact with the immersive and 5G technologists.
• Take part in the mid-point review meeting and demonstrate that the milestones according to their respective project plan have been reached.
• Present at monthly milestone meetings the overall demonstrator progress, risk and mitigations and focus for next month of development.
• Attend, present and demonstrate their demonstrator at the Showcase event in May/June 2023.
• Provide Digital Catapult and Programme Sponsor with a licence to use the demonstrator.
• Attend and provide relevant information for the Business Health Scan.
• Attend Founder’s Story & Social events.
• Attend one (1) tailored business workshop.
• Participant shall complete the Digital Catapult’s EDI Survey (please note each question will have a “prefer not to say” option).
• Participant agrees to be visibly (name and logo) associated with the Programme, whilst on the Programme, and afterwards as a former participant and beneficiary.  This includes marketing collateral, such as website, print and digital materials.
• For a maximum period of five years following the Project end date, Participant shall use its reasonable endeavours to answer specific questions from Digital Catapult relating to its growth and progress to assist Catapult demonstrate the impact of its activities. This shall include: (i) participation in an annual telephone conversation of one hour, and (ii) participation in a two early survey issued by Digital Catapult.

Programme Specific obligations

Programme Sponsor is providing the funding to support the Participant, and does so with the following condition(s):

• Participants are required to agree to the following intellectual property principles which will apply on the Programme:
  • Digital Catapult, the Programme Sponsor and Participants (“All Parties“) will maintain their rights in their existing intellectual property developed independently of the Programme (“Existing IP“).
  • The Programme Sponsor will be assigned all rights to any modifications and iterations of its Existing IP, and will receive delivery of any work products (e.g. images, files).
  • All new intellectual property created by the Participants on the Programme (excluding Existing IP) (“New IP“) shall be jointly owned by the Programme Sponsor and the Participant. Each co-owner shall not use or commercialise the New IP without the agreement of the other co-owner acting reasonably and fairly. Such agreement may be subject to additional terms as agreed between the co-owners acting reasonably and fairly.
  • All Parties will be able to showcase the Demonstrator Experience, with licences provided as necessary.
  • Where the Participant wishes to utilise the Programme Sponsor’s Existing IP outside the Programme, it may enter into commercial discussions directly with the Sponsor to try and agree terms. The Programme Sponsor agrees to reasonably consider any request from the Participant in respect of its commercialisation.
  • It is noted that the Participant may often require modifications of its Existing IP as generated by it as a result of participation in the Programme, to be owned by it. If this is the case, Digital Catapult, the Programme Sponsor and the relevant Participant shall promptly discuss the issue in good faith and acting reasonably to agree a suitable remedy for All Parties, and in order to enable the objectives of the Programme to be met.

4) APPLICANTS

4.1 Minimum Requirements

• Have an interest and use case for augmenting an already developed interactive or immersive experience, installation or production with 5G as well as any other advanced digital technologies they wish to experiment with during the programme.
• Are currently working within the immersive experience or augmented reality space, who have a proven track record of creating either intimate or large-scale mixed reality experiences, installations or productions.
• Have the necessary skills required for their proposed project. Experience with 5G is not necessary for the programme, but skills in immersive/ augmented technology is a requirement.
• Applicants must be eligible to receive £25,000 (equivalent to approximately €29,029.26 in State Assistance (see section 8.2 below for further details)).
• Applicants must have a UK business bank account for any payments to be made.
• Applicants must be a UK registered company, or prove they are a company that has an establishment in the UK, and undertake all activity in the UK.
• Applicants must develop solutions enabled by at least one of the technologies from the Advanced Digital Technology Stack: Artificial Intelligence, Immersive, Internet of Things, Distributed Ledger Technologies and 5G/Future Networks.

4.2 What we’re looking for

We are looking for organisations, who can highlight in their application their good ideas, creativity and a willingness to learn and evolve throughout the programme. These organisations, although may not have prior experience with 5G, will be interested in understanding and utilising this technology to transform how people engage with the Heritage sector. They will be looking to help the Programme Sponsor reach and engage with new audiences and use advanced digital technologies as a vehicle, not a tool, to capture the rich and diverse history of the Royal Pavilion Estate.

5) KEY DATES

• Open Call – Applications Open – 16 November 2022
• Open Call – Application Deadline – 13^th December 2022 @ 23:59 hours GMT
• Pitch Day – W/c 23^rd January 2023
• Intended notification of all Applicants – 6^th February 2023
• Intended public announcement of successful Participants: W/c 6^th March 2023
• Programme:
  • Start Date: 27^th February 2023
  • End Date: 25^th June 2023

6) THE APPLICATION

6.1 What information should my application contain?

Applicants must answer all required questions in the full online application form.

6.2 Who will see my Application?

The following people will see your application:

Catapult Representatives: Relevant Catapult representatives will see your application in order to assess the application, and otherwise in the administration of your application and, if successful, participation on the Programme.

Judging Applications

Programme Judges: will see your full application, except for your personal information fields.

Programme Participation

Programme Partners: For Participants, Technology Partners and the Sponsor will see your full application, along with your company name, key contact name and key contact email address in order to provide bespoke support during the Programme including 1:1 office hours, mentorship, workshops and/or webinars. Note that Programme Technology Partner and Programme Sponsor Judges will not see your personal information fields when judging applications.

6.3 Key contact

Applicant will appoint a main contact for the Programme (“Key Contact”). This person will be Digital Catapult’s main point of contact for the competition and, if successful, Applicant’s Programme activities, including: workshop and event commitments, team members’ availability, ongoing activities, and assessment of progress during and after the Programme.

Digital Catapult will use this personal information for the purpose of carrying out due diligence on Applicants prior to the point of selection onto the Programme and to notify successful and unsuccessful Applicants over their submissions. The personal data we collect may be shared with and processed by Programme Partners for the purpose of assessing the Applications and for the provision of benefits to the Participants on the Programme, as set out in these Competition Terms.

6.4 Submitting your application

You must submit your application via the Submittable form (“Submission Method”).

All applications must be submitted via the Submission Method by the Application Deadline.

Once your completed application has been received, Digital Catapult will send you a confirmation receipt by email. If you do not get a receipt within twenty four (24) hours of the next working day, please email us at [email protected] with the subject ”Heritage XR Application Submission”.

6.5 Digital Catapult’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion Survey

In addition to your application, you will be required to complete Digital Catapult’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion Survey (‘Survey’). Whilst the completion of this Survey is mandatory, please note that your responses to this Survey will be kept separately from your application and will have no effect whatsoever on your application to the Programme.

Digital Catapult (as the Data Controller) will collect and process your personal data, including the following special category data to help Digital Catapult improve its services in respect of equality, diversity and inclusion:

• Racial and/or ethnic origin
• Sexual orientation
• Health (including disability)
• Religious and/or philosophical beliefs

The data collected and processed may be shared with relevant third parties and/or published but only in an aggregated form, which means you will not be personally identifiable.

Your personal data will be kept for 15 months from the time you respond to the Survey. Should you apply to another of Digital Catapult’s opportunities within the 15 month period, we will provide you with the option to allow us to re-use the data we already hold, to resubmit the Survey or to delete your Survey data. If you choose to complete the Survey again, we will keep your updated data for 15 months from the time you resubmit the Survey.

Please note you are responsible for the accuracy of the data you share with Digital Catapult and you agree to inform us if your data needs to be updated.

For more information on Digital Catapult’s collection, use and protection of your personal data and your rights in regards to your personal data, please see Digital Catapult’s privacy policy (https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/legal/privacy-policy/) or contact us at [email protected]. If you have specific queries on our use of your Survey data (including a request to delete your Survey data), please contact us at [email protected].

7) SELECTION

7.1 Qualification

The Catapult will undertake an initial assessment of the Applicants against the Programme Requirements.

7.2 Selection process

Stage 1 – Initial Evaluation

All qualifying applications will be reviewed and scored by the Programme Judges panel based on the criteria set out in section 7.3 below. Up to 10 of the highest ranked applications will be invited to a Pitch Day.

Stage 2 – Pitch Day

Successful applicants at Stage 1 will be invited to a Pitch Day to pitch their proposal to the Programme Judges and for the Programme Judges to ask further questions. The Pitch Day will take place at the Corn Exchange in Brighton. If applicants are not able to attend the pitch day in person, there will be an option to attend virtually. Applicants will be assessed on the Pitch Day on the criteria in section 7.3 below and their score combined with their Stage 1 score. The final score will be made up of 50% of the total Stage 1 score and 50% of the total Stage 2 score. Generally, the highest ranked Applicants will be accepted onto the Programme, but Digital Catapult reserves the right to select the cohort on a portfolio basis to ensure the Programme as a whole is able to deliver consistent support and activities that provide value to all Participants and optimise the impact of the Programme.

7.3 Application Scoring criteria and weighting

The scoring criteria will be assessed based on statements in the areas below. Each criterion will be scored on a range from 0 to 5. 0 being an “Unacceptable or No submission” score for each criterion and 5 being an “Excellent” score for each criterion. This scoring will be applied to all applications and will be weighted as set out below.

There are 6 criteria upon which applicants will be assessed:

1. Programme Relevance – 25%

The proposal shows a good understanding of the brief, with a clearly defined demonstrator combining the history and heritage of the Royal Pavilion Estate with an engaging and interactive experience/ product/ installation that can be enjoyed by a range of audiences.

2. Technical Feasibility – 25%

The technical delivery of the proposal is clear and achievable in the time frame and budget. The proposal shows a clear use case for how they can leverage 5G as well as any other advanced digital technologies they wish to use during the programme.

3. Appropriate Team Experience -20%

The team is equipped to deliver the proposed demonstrator and has appropriate creative, immersive production, technology and business skills and know-how.

4. Inclusivity – 15%

The demonstrator makes concerted efforts to include a diverse range of audiences through its planned design, content and how it is experienced.

5. Originality – 10%

The idea is out of the box and likely to push boundaries for immersive content and innovation in the Heritage sector.

6. Commercial potential – 5%

The demonstrator has the potential to be replicated beyond the Project and the proposal shows an understanding of how it can be commercialised further.

7.4 Due diligence

We will carry out due diligence on applicants prior to the point of selection onto the Programme. Applicants must be willing to submit further information or documentation upon request to qualify as ‘successful’.

7.5 Successful applicants

Successful applicants will be notified and provided with a standard agreement for review and execution (“Programme Agreement”).

The Programme Agreement is a standard agreement and not negotiable.  We do try and ensure these contracts are fair and reasonable.

In order to be accepted onto the Programme, successful applicants must sign the Programme Agreement.

8) COMPETITON TERMS – SPECIFIC

8.1 Benefits

All the benefits provided under the Programme by third-party organisations (“Suppliers”) are subject to the Supplier’s terms and conditions stated in the Programme T&Cs.

Any optional benefits provided by third party organisations whose terms and conditions are not contained in the Programme T&Cs will be agreed between the Participant and the Supplier directly.

Digital Catapult reserves the right to amend the list of benefits at its sole discretion.

8.2 State Assistance

Participants are receiving some of the benefits on the programme pursuant to Special Drawing Rights (aka minimal financial assistance), or to the extent applicable under the NI Protocol, the de minimis aid regulations (COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1407/2013), collectively referred to herein as “State Assistance”.

The total State Assistance received or due to be received by a Participant (including any associated companies e.g. subsidiaries), originating from a United Kingdom source, must not exceed £315,000 for GB companies, and €200,000 (approximately £165,000) for Northern Ireland Companies (or any company subject to the Northern Ireland Protocol) in aggregate across the Participant’s current fiscal year (as at the Agreement Date) and the previous two fiscal years.

This Programme has been assessed as providing £25,000 (approximately equivalent to €29,029.26) for Participants.

Before signing the Programme Agreement, Applicants will therefore be asked to sign a declaration confirming that you are eligible to receive the State Assistance

8.3 Applicants

Digital Catapult reserves the right to accept any application which does not fulfil the minimum requirements.

8.4 Key Dates

Digital Catapult reserves the right to change the Key Dates at its sole discretion. No extension to deadlines will usually be granted, with very limited exceptions where the Applicant requests an extension due to reasonable extenuating circumstances, beyond the Applicant’s control and unforeseen to them, subject to the Applicant providing evidence that proves the extenuating circumstance; and the Applicant informing Digital Catapult as soon as reasonably practicable following the extenuating circumstance becoming apparent. Digital Catapult reserves the right to consider the factors and decide whether such circumstances are extenuating and whether granting an extension is fair to other applicants. No extension granted will usually be for greater than two working days.

8.5 Applications

All information and documents requested must be submitted. Failure to submit all requested information and documents may result in the application being rejected.  Catapult will not use outside information in respect of your application unless otherwise indicated, other than to undertake due diligence.  Digital Catapult reserves the right to not work with people or an organisation which it believes could impact its reputation.

8.6 Previous Applications

Catapult reserves the right to either (i) reassess an application from a previous competition (together with information gained from an update meeting), or (ii) accept as a successful applicant an organisation that was previously successful in a previous competition, but whose participation was deferred to a later Programme.

8.7 Personal Data

Digital Catapult is the Controller for the personal information submitted in the Application for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR.

In submitting the Application, the Applicant confirms that it has made the Key Contact and any other person whose personal data has been submitted, aware of, and has the lawful grounds to enable each Controller (including its processors) to, process the personal information of the Key Contact (and any other person named in the Application and open call process) as set out in these Competition Terms and in accordance with the respective privacy policies: Digital Catapult (https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/legal/privacy-policy/)

8.8 Programme Agreement

Digital Catapult reserves the right to make amendments to the Programme Agreement it issues up until the point of execution by both parties.

8.9 Participant Programmes

Digital Catapult reserves the right to offer Participants access to its Participant Programmes, such as its Platinum Awards.

9) COMPETITION TERMS – GENERAL

9.1 Data Retention

Digital Catapult will store your application and the scoring it has received for the entire duration of the Programme.  If you are a successful Applicant, we shall also store your Application for a period of up to five (5) years following the end of the Programme.  For administration purposes, contracts may be stored for up to seven (7) years, contracts providing State Assistance for up to eleven (11) years, and deeds for up to thirteen (13) years from the end of the Programme.

9.2 Confidentiality

The information provided in your Application will be kept confidential and only used and disclosed as reasonably necessary for the purpose of assessing Applications, and, if admitted onto the Programme, for working with you on the Programme.  This may include with our Programme Partners as indicated above.

For practical reasons, NDAs will not be signed by Digital Catapult or the Programme Partners as part of this Programme Competition. The activities we provide can only be achieved through trust of the tech community. It is therefore not in our interest to release your sensitive information. Confidentiality provisions are included in the Programme Agreement.

The scoring of your Application will be treated as sensitive information.

As your Application will be transmitted over the Internet, ultimately Digital Catapult cannot guarantee its security.

9.3 Intellectual Property

We respect the intellectual property of others and we ask our Applicants to do the same.

In submitting the Application, you promise that you have and continue to have all necessary rights, licenses, permissions and consent to provide the content in your application to us, and for Catapult to use the Application as we have set out.

We will not remove from Applications any proprietary labels or copyright assertions.

9.4 Disclaimers

We accept no liability for any consequences, whether direct or indirect, that may arise from your participation in the Programme Competition, your reliance on any statements we may have made about the Programme, or its suspension or withdrawal.

In any case, to the extent permitted under law, Digital Catapult’s liability shall be limited to one thousand (£1,000) pounds. Nothing in these Competition Terms shall limit or exclude any liability for fraud.

9.5 Entire Agreement 

These Competition Terms constitute the entire agreement between Digital Catapult and the Applicant and extinguish all previous and contemporaneous agreements, promises, assurances, and understandings between them, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter of these Competition Terms.

Digital Catapult and the Applicant agree that they have not relied on any statement, representation, assurance or warranty (whether made innocently or negligently) that is not set out in these Competition Terms. Digital Catapult and the Applicant agree that they shall have no claim for innocent or negligent misrepresentation or negligent misstatement based on any statement in these Competition Terms.

9.6 Jurisdiction

The Programme Competition is governed by English law and the Applicant agrees that any dispute shall be exclusively resolved in the English courts.