Data innovation contest puts £125k up for grabs

The organisation – which is part of the UK government-funded Technology Strategy Board – is collaborating with companies including mobile network EE, Ordnance Survey and the British Library to seek solutions to five data challenges, each with a £25k prize attached.

The five challenges are:

Processing data efficiently – Ingram Content Group

“This challenge seeks ways in which ebook sales data can be more efficiently harvested and presented to book publishers.”

Commercialisation of mobile data – EE Limited

“This challenge seeks new applications, tools and services to help realise the value of the data gathered by telecommunications companies.”

Geospacial data mapping – Ordnance Survey

“This challenge investigates the feasibility of implementing a next-generation 3D building data layer for location-based services within a mobile platform.”

Data visualisation and analytical decision making – Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust

“This challenge seeks a visualisation tool to help commissioners of health services to navigate this challenging landscape and make strategic decisions to deliver a sustainable integrated healthcare system.”

Value of public-domain data – British Library

“This challenge is to encourage and establish the necessary feedback to measure the use and impact of public-domain content available through existing online platforms.”

The contest opened this week, with a briefing event on 9 April and an application deadline of 7 May.

IC tomorrow programme manager Matt Sansam: “It’s not necessary to have an existing app or service, or to be currently active in the data industry. We welcome applications for innovative products, platforms or services from a range of startups and small businesses, even if they are only at ideas stage.”

The organisation is currently running a separate digital innovation contest, in which companies including Syco Entertainment, Penguin Random House and the BFI have set data analytics challenges.