Can you help us see inside a smart city? This is the focus of the latest funded challenge launched by HMGCC Co-Creation.
We’re looking for innovators to build a tool that lets security professionals quickly visualise a smart city in 3D — showing where nodes and sensors are located, how they connect, and where the vulnerabilities might be.
Smart cities use thousands of sensors, cameras and connected devices to manage infrastructure and public services. But, to mitigate security risks, better ways are needed to understand where those devices are and how they connect.
HMGCC is looking for software that can take open-source smart city data and display it as an immersive, interactive 3D map — layering in the locations and types of sensors and connected devices across an urban environment. Approaches such as Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) are welcome, but we would also like to hear about novel methods.
The goal is a Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL 5) demonstrator – technology basic validation in a relevant environment.
HMGCC Co-Creation will be hosting a two-stage competition process, with one-page proposals in phase 1, and successful phase 1 applicants invited to submit a more in-depth proposal for phase 2. HMGCC Co-Creation will provide funding for time, materials, overheads and other indirect expenses for applicants successful in phase 2 of the competition.
Technology themes
App development, business intelligence, communication systems, control software, cybersecurity, data science and engineering, digital services, digital twinning, geospatial science and technology, information technology, modelling and simulation, software development.
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This challenge is open to sole innovators, industry, academic and research organisations of all types and sizes. There is no requirement for security clearances.
Solution providers or direct collaboration from countries listed by the UK government under trade sanctions and/or arms embargoes are not eligible for HMGCC Co-Creation challenges.
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Context of the challenge
A smart city is an urban environment that uses technology, data, and digital connectivity to improve infrastructure, enhance public services, and create a safe and sustainable liveable environment. These sensor rich environments are developed through a complex supply chain of vendors. Understanding more about the way they work can help mitigations be put in place around any potential risks for privacy or information security.
To better understand these threats, HMGCC Co-Creation requires a user-friendly solution that enables us to see an immersive version of any global city.
The gap
Although the ability to create a 3D virtual city exists, and some open source smart city data is openly available, what is rare is bringing these datasets together.
A functional 3D map must not only visualise the city layout but specifically layer the various smart city nodes (such as CCTV, streetlights and utility sensors), with a particular interest in sensors using wireless connection protocols. The data ingestion pipeline must also be able to handle global data.
Example use case
Monica assesses the risk of smart city attack vectors. Traditionally, this requires searching massive databases or physically visiting a site. Using smart city digital twin software, she can provide an increasingly efficient risk mitigation service. This software not only offers the visualisation of a city, but includes up to date information from local government and private industry when new smart city nodes are installed.
When Monica receives a report of a vulnerability in a specific wireless protocol, she uses the digital twinning software to query which devices are affected and view their exact locations. This helps her find out the locations of devices and triage engineering works by the criticality of need. An example of this could be identifying a vulnerability that affects both streetlights and a water treatment centre.
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This challenge focuses on augmenting commercial systems by adding a layer of smart city nodes onto 3D visualisations. The outcome should be a demonstrator after a 12-week project, to a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 – technology basic validation in a relevant environment. The software should be delivered to the sponsors further testing.
Essential requirements
- Provide software that can visualise a city in a 3D view.
- Display the smart city nodes and their interaction with communication points and other sensors.
- Where the data is available, include precise locations of nodes, sensor types, manufacturer, and associated datasheets / internet links.
- Develop a data ingestion pipeline to render new cities or update information.
- Include an admin mode – allowing users to add data and modify software independently.
Desirable requirements
- Consider interactive user interfaces, for example, but not limited to Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR).
- Consider future requirements of a solution on a mobile device.
- Estimations of future development and maintenance costs.
- Ability to add additional data / information layers, such as bus stops, rail stations, EV charging locations.
- Ability to filter data by node type (e.g. CCTV) and communication protocol (e.g. cellular).
- Visualisation from the point of view of the user (e.g. pedestrian or cyclist)
Constraints
- Demonstrators may use cloud computing, but future versions must work on-premises.
- Utilise open-source data for the initial phase of work.
Not required: Physical surveys or primary collection of new smart city data.
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Phase 1 competition opens: Monday 20 July 2026
Clarifying questions deadline: Monday 3 August 2026
Clarifying questions published: Thursday 6 August 2026
Phase 1 competition closes: Thursday 13 August 2026
Applicants notified: Monday 24 August 2026
Phase 2 competition opens: Tuesday 25 August 2026
Phase 2 competition closes: Thursday 10 September 2026
Applicant notified: Tuesday 22 September 2026
Pitch day in Milton Keynes: Wednesday 7 October 2026
Commercial onboarding begins: Friday 16 October 2026 (the successful solution provider will be expected to have availability for a one-hour onboarding call via MS Teams on this date to begin the onboarding/contractual process)
Target project kick-off: November 2026