Mid Wales Challenge Led Launchpad Round 2 - Rural Health and Wellbeing Challenge (Currently Closed)
Closed
What is the Mid Wales Challenge Led Launchpad Series?
The Mid Wales Challenge Led Launchpad is a programme funded by the UK Government, driven by Levelling Up, aimed at developing novel solutions to public sector and societal issues through research and innovation whilst offering new market opportunities for businesses and people in Mid Wales. Projects are 100% funded to participate in R&D, focused on specific identified needs and are open to all organisations that can demonstrate a route to market for their solution.
Who is involved?
The programme is delivered by AberInnovation and Innovation Strategy and supported by the following partnerships:
- Ceredigion County Council
- Hywel Dda University Health Board
- Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership
- BT
Round 2: Rural Health & Wellbeing
MATCHMAKING CHALLENGES & IDEAS
Challenge Led Launchpad Series will involve stakeholders from public, private, and academic sectors identifying and selecting the most pressing, regional societal issues requiring solutions and working together to support businesses in the development of solutions to the identified problem. To achieve this we have created the Mid Wales Challenge Led Launchpad Series, a structured programme to build new solutions to solve the greatest challenges affecting Mid Wales.
MENTORING & SUPPORT
Throughout challenges businesses will receive one to one mentoring and networking opportunities and they will take part in thematic workshops and masterclasses supporting them in the development of innovative solutions. Businesses will benefit from the expertise from programme partners, AberInnovation, Innovation Strategy and British Telecom and will receive opportunities to utilise unique facilities and technology during their projects. Public Sector partners will guide businesses in the development of solutions to ensure new solutions are fit for purpose and meet policy objectives throughout the region. The mentoring and support provided within the Challenge Led Launchpad Series is fully funded and accessible to all participating businesses.
SUPPORTING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
The Challenge Led Launchpad will also support individuals in the development of skills and knowledge throughout Mid Wales communities through an innovative work placement and match making scheme. Individuals will be offered opportunities to work alongside successful businesses undertaking projects at Technical Readiness Levels 3 to 4 to gain new skills and knowledge throughout the project - an application form for this can be found at the end of this webpage.
Businesses will provide tasks and offer shadowing opportunities to individuals to stimulate new ideas and increase confidence during the programme. Through this businesses will benefit from additional resources, improved skills and understanding of how to employ new staff. Individuals stand to benefit through the development of news skills supporting their careers, building relationships with potential long-term employers, and improving the chance of sustainable employment.
NOTE: Projects at Technical Readiness Levels 1-2 (receiving the smaller funding contract) are not required to employ an individual.
The Opportunity
This challenge is a single-phase challenge intended to show the feasibility of the proposed concept. The development contracts awarded will be for the duration of 3 months with individual contracts valued up to £1,000 (inc. VAT) for early-stage/small-scale solutions at Technical Readiness Levels 1-2 AND £15,000 (inc. VAT) for further established solutions at Technical Readiness Levels 3-4.
To determine the Technical Readiness Level of your solution further information can be found on UKRI’s website here. Projects will be selected by an open competition process and organisations will retain the intellectual property generated from the project. Successful projects must start on the 8thJanuary 2024 and conclude 29th March 2024.
Round 2: Rural Health and Wellbeing Challenge
Aim: Identify innovative solutions to improve rural health and wellbeing aligning to Ceredigion County Councils' Well-being and Improvement Objectives and Hywel Dda University Health Board's strategy "a Healthier Mid and West Wales."
This challenge offers opportunities for businesses to develop innovative solutions to promote rural health and wellbeing and contribute to the development of an innovation ecosystem which can support growth and economic benefits to the Mid Wales region. Innovation and technology change plays a key role in productivity gains and businesses will need to demonstrate how their innovative solution supports tangible business growth. Businesses will need to address one of the sub-themes highlighted below, further theme details are included in the competiion documentation on Sell2Wales.
Ageing well and promoting wellness
Promoting a wellness system, involves every part of life that affects our health and well-being. This builds upon the concept of a 'social model for health' and shifts the emphasis from hospital-centered care to a more holistic approach centered around wellness and prevention. With fewer people aged 25-44 and more people aged 55-79 than any other place in Wales, there are unique needs to support our ageing population and future generations in the Hywel Dda UHB catchment.
This theme is seeking innovative approaches to support healthy ageing and promote wellness that have the capability to promote growth and deliver economic benefits to the region. Could innovative approaches encourage physical exercise in older people? Could improved food and nutrition promote wellness? Could technology address rural isolation and improve health?
Farming and primary production to promote yields
Agriculture is important for Ceredigion’s economy and for the health and wellbeing of residents. Agriculture can help reduce poverty, raise incomes and improve food security. However, there are increasing pressures from climate change and food losses in primary food production. The combined impacts of slow economic growth, the cost of living and the socio-economic effects of both Brexit and Covid-19, have also contributed to food insecurity and made it more difficult for people to access the foods they require to maintain good health.
Can new technology help predict weather patterns to increase yields and prevent losses? Could novel approaches to cold-chain management and infrastructure prevent spoilage or degradation during storage? Can innovative sustainable farming practices increase yields locally?
Protecting our waterways and coastal areas
The environment has a direct impact on health and well-being and protecting our waterways and coastal areas plays an important role in maintaining health. Our waterways face multiple challenges, from polluted watercourses to flood events exacerbated by climate change. Phosphorus and nitrogen in our waterways can be harmful to ecosystems and human health, and costly to the economy.
Could innovative approaches to precision agriculture prevent fertiliser loss and water pollution? Could sensors monitor nutrients in aquatic environments accurately and efficiently? Could early warning systems for extreme events such as storms reduce impact?
Applicants may want to refer to the following policies to understand the challenges and opportunities to contribute to improving the rural health and wellbeing of Ceredigion's population.
- Ceredigion County Councils’ Well-being and Improvement Objectives
- Hywel Dda University Health Board’s strategy "A Healthier Mid and West Wales"
- The Growing Mid Wales Vision
- The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
- The Innovation Strategy for Wales, 2023
- NHS in 10+ years - An examination of the projected impact of Long-Term Conditions and Risk Factors in Wales
HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?
A briefing event for organisations interested in finding out more about the challenge will be held virtually on 20th November at 2pm.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must register at Sell2Wales to access the challenge documents and online application form. The deadline for applications is the 4th December 2023 at 17:00.
Documents must be downloaded from here: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV456439 and completed using the online form format.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Enquiries about this challenge should be addressed to [email protected]. If you require any assistance with the Sell2Wales website please contact the helpdesk on 0800 222 9004.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SKILLS BUILDER - OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS
The Mid Wales Launchpad Skills Builder is specifically aimed at supporting individuals throughout Mid Wales to develop new skills and knowledge aiding their career progression. During the placement you will take part in tasks to support businesses in the development of solutions and will be offered a chance to shadow staff to stimulate new ideas, gain confidence and develop interest in new areas of innovation. This exciting opportunity will help you to develop your careers and build relationships with potential employers which will improve your chance of long-term employment.
To join this exciting scheme applicants must complete the short form linked below and return it to [email protected] by the 4th December 2023. All applicants will receive an email response by 8th January 2024.
