Belfast's Analytics Engines selected for £20m GovTech digital transformation challenge

Belfast-based data analytics tech firm Analytics Engines is one of just five participants selected for a UK-wide £20m GovTech challenge programme.

The tech sector is changing the way in which services are developed and delivered to people across the UK, and digital transformation is enhancing private sector industries and government services alike. The GovTech team at the Government Digital Service recently challenged tech firms across the UK to submit proposals for using "intelligent data to transform local council service delivery."

Only five companies were shortlisted on the scheme out of over 60 tech firms pitching their ideas for digitally transforming local council services, and one of those firms was Belfast-based data analytics tech specialists Analytics Engines. The company now progresses to Phase 1 of the programme, and will have access to part of the scheme's £20m funding pool to develop and deliver their project.

The challenge which aims to solve two key issues that currently take local councils across the UK a lot of time and resources to handle: "Enabling residents to collect and report accurate data about public assets, such as potholes and street lighting, to the local council," and "Using local council vehicles to collect and report data as they travel around the borough."

Analytics Engines' approach will be to focus on capturing, analysing and utilising data to more efficiently and effectively inform decisions and improve service delivery. The solution it's developing (dubbed "DATO") will provide real-time access to data to allow councils to make quicker decisions, and will employ machine learning.

The firm has now partnered with Connected Places Catapult to deliver the solution, who will leverage their network of local authorities and lend expertise in market research and User Experience design. Analytics Engines will focus on its area of expertise in systems integration, advanced analytics, and rapid application development.

Tom Leaver, Project Manager at Connected Places Catapult said: “We’re excited to be partnering with Analytics Engines to understand the challenges faced by the two councils. Our aim is to help them deliver a solution that builds demand-side confidence by adding to the cohort of intelligent customers able to engage the market with confidence and capable of investing in innovation.”

Analytics Engines Head of Data Analytics Solutions, Conor Dumigan (pictured) said that being part of a GovTech challenge and collaborating with Connected Places Catapult “represents a huge opportunity to really showcase our capability and truly transform how public sector organisations operate”.

“However, this cannot be a technology-led process - collaboration is fundamental to success. Partnering with the councils on this journey will ensure that the solution delivers value, is innovative, user-friendly and, most importantly, is fit for purpose,” he said.

Source: Written based on press release