Contracts for Innovation: Ending Violence Against Women & Girls

Any organisation that can demonstrate a credible and practical route to market can submit an
application. This can include businesses, pre-startup companies, universities and other non-commercial organisations, and registered charities applying via their trading company. The application must include a plan to commercialise the results.

Successful suppliers are expected to use innovative methods to increase and improve the physical and psychological safety of women and girls from violence, abuse and harm at home, work, school, or in other social settings. For example:

• Improving how design elements including lighting, layout, and surveillance contribute to, and do not detract from, the safety of women and girls in public spaces and institutional environments, such as schools, workplaces, and public transport;
• Identifying gaps in current preventative measures and incident reporting systems in public and private spaces and improving systems to ensure timely and effective responses to potential threats;
• Equipping people to effectively identify and respond to potential violence or harassment situations including fear in the home, work, school, or other social settings; and
• Addressing the challenge of providing personal safety technologies, such as wearable devices or mobile applications, that support women and girls in identifying and avoiding potentially unsafe situations without increasing their risk or dependency on such technologies.

Solutions are to be inclusive, protect and empower all demographics, including the most vulnerable groups, and consider those less technologically adept and those in less monitored environments.

We know that violence, abuse and harm can happen online, and that technology, including digital platforms, can be used to influence and affect (both positively and negatively) societal attitudes, behaviours and social norms relating to violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland. This challenge is seeking to:

• Identify ways in which digital platforms can be used to improve the detection and reporting of violence against women and girls, including opportunities to integrate and analyse data from diverse sources to uncover patterns and predictors of violence against women and girls or develop solutions that enhance the awareness, effectiveness, and security of innovative reporting mechanisms; and
• Identify how digital platforms can be used effectively to counter misinformation and prevent violence against women and girls, for example the development of tools that involve the broader community, including men and boys, in preventing violence and shifting cultural norms, or by improving the accessibility and personalisation of information regarding legal rights, support networks and resources, or providing accessible and understandable educational content.

Solutions are to be inclusive, protect and empower all demographics, including the most vulnerable groups, and consider those less technologically adept.

The application process for Phase 1 launches Wednesday 9th October and will remain open until Monday 4th November, after which successful applicants will be selected and notified. It is anticipated that Phase 1 will run through to 31st March 2025 with a potential call for Phase 2 later in 2025.

Phase 1: Up to 3 applicants selected to develop proofs of concept. A total funding package of £225K has been secured via the Department for Economy (DfE) for this phase. It is expected that each supplier will receive funding of up to £75k for phase 1.

Phase 2: Two or three suppliers from Phase 1 will be selected to further develop their concepts (subject to funding).

Phase 1 is intended to show the technical feasibility and commercial viability of the proposed concept; Phase 2 is intended to develop and evaluate prototypes or demonstrators from the more promising technologies identified in Phase 1.

A briefing event covering both challenges will be held on Tuesday 22nd October from 9.30-11.00am(BST). Click here to register for a place.

If you would like to discuss your application or to find subcontractors, please contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s Digital team, our Design team, or  our Security & Defence team.