ENTRY is now open for a competition that aims to find innovative new ideas from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aimed at protecting the UK’s critical infrastructure and keeping public sector and business data secure.
The BT SME Award 2017: Securing the Nation will give SMEs from Northern Ireland the chance to showcase their new technology and product ideas within three award categories: Cyber Security; Data collection, mining and analytics; and Digital Innovation.
The winning entrants are expected to demonstrate how their new ideas will address key challenges in securing data for businesses and public sector organisations.
For the data collection, mining and analytics category, BT is searching for SMEs with ideas for solutions that can help the Police and the Home Office tackle modern slavery and human trafficking. There is currently not enough effective data and insight to tackle this growing crime, and so innovative, new solutions have the opportunity to make a real impact. The competition is an opportunity to demonstrate that technology can be used for good, and SMEs with digital technology experience, who may never have thought about how technology can be used to combat trafficking, are encouraged to apply.
Shortlisted finalists will be invited to the BT Tower in London on April 4 to pitch their ideas to a Dragons Den style judging panel of experts spanning security, innovation, defence, and other public services. Amongst the panel will be CEO of BT Security, Mark Hughes; BT’s MD of Research & Innovation, Tim Whitley; Met Police Detective Superintendent, Caroline Barker; and Technical Director of the National Cyber Security Centre, Ian Levy.
There is a total prize pot of £30,000 across all three categories. The judges will award each category winner a cash prize of £10,000, plus six months flex membership at TechHub’s sold out London start-up space which includes access to the London and all global TechHub spaces, plus the opportunity to network with the community of members all working on technology products.
All three winners will have the opportunity to work with BT to explore technical and commercial partnerships to bring their solutions to market with BT.
The closing date for entries is March 3 and more information can be found at www.btplc.com/btinfinitylab/securingthenation.