Smart Nano Technology Access Programme Terms & Conditions

1) DIGITAL CATAPULT

Digital Catapult is the UK authority on advanced digital technology. Through collaboration and innovation, we accelerate industry adoption to drive growth and opportunity across the economy.
W bring together an expert and enterprising community of researchers, startups, scaleups and industry leaders to discover new ways to solve the big challenges limiting the UK’s future potential. Through our specialist programmes and experimental facilities, we make sure that innovation thrives, and the right solutions make it to the real world.
Our goal is to accelerate new possibilities in everything we do and for every business we partner with throughout the journey – breaking down barriers, de-risking innovation, opening up markets and responsibly shaping the products, services and experiences of the future.

Digital Catapult works with organisations on projects involving at least one of the technologies from its “Advanced Digital Technology Stack”: Artificial Intelligence, Immersive, Internet of Things, Distributed Ledger Technologies, 5G/Future Networks and Quantum Technologies.

2) PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

2.1 The Programme
The Smart Nano NI Technology Access Programme connects industry and businesses with unparalleled access to experts, cutting-edge equipment and facilities.
Participants can leverage the deep technical expertise of our technologists alongside access to test bed facilities to accelerate their projects, solve complex challenges, and bring their technological visions to life with a focus on photonics and future networks.
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2.2 Programme Objectives

The Programme objectives include:
The Smart Nano NI Technology Access Programme will provide fully funded mentoring and guidance from experts in photonics and future network technologies alongside access to equipment and testbed facilities across a period of 3 months commencing in January 2025.
The primary goals of this programme are to foster innovation and technological advancement across industry in Northern Ireland, helping companies to stay competitive and leverage cutting-edge technologies to develop new products or services.
With a focus on both innovation mentorship and hands-on technology support, the Technology Access Programme will provide 2 possible tracks for companies to join: Photonics or Future Network technologies such as 5G.
Mentoring from Digital Catapult’s expert technologists will be available on a flexible basis, tailored to the needs of your business. A range of in-person, on-site, remote and workshop-based activity is available for up to 10 hours with your assigned technologist.
Furthermore, participants can avail of up to 5 hours of industry mentoring and guidance with a carefully selected panel of local companies who have been successful in bringing technology solutions to market.

2.3 Programme Judges

During the application stage, the judges will be responsible for scoring the applications according to the process and criteria set out in these Competition Terms. The judges will be chosen based on (i) their experience and expertise, and (ii) ability to exercise independent judgment. The Programme Judges comprise: Internal Judges: A number of judges from Digital Catapult will help judge the applications.

2.4 The Programme Partners

The following organisations are partnering with Digital Catapult to deliver the Programme:
Programme Collaboration Partners:

(1) SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY (IRELAND) a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and registered as a foreign company in Northern Ireland with registered number NF003090 whose registered branch address is 1 Disc Drive, Londonderry, Springtown Industrial Estate, Northern Ireland, BT48 0BF (“SEAGATE”).
(2) THE QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST a charitable body registered in Northern Ireland under registration number 01788 incorporated under the Irish Universities Act 1908 and having its main administrative offices at Administration Building, Queen’s University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT7 1NN (“QUEENS”);
(3) ANALYTICS ENGINES LIMITED a company incorporated in Northern Ireland with registered number NI070848 and whose registered office is at 1 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 5DJ (“ANALYTICS”).
(4) CIRDAN IMAGING LIMITED a company incorporated in Northern Ireland with registered number NI603247 and whose registered office is at The Green, Tullynacross Road, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, BT27 5SR (“CIRDAN”).
(5) YELO LIMITED a company incorporated in Northern Ireland with registered number NI016345 and whose registered office is at20 Meadowbank Road, Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, BT38 8YF (“YELO”).
(6) THE UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER a charitable body registered in Northern Ireland under registration number RC000726 incorporated under Royal Charter and having its main administrative offices at Cromore Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland BT52 1SA (“ULSTER”); and
(7) CAUSEWAY SENSORS LIMITED a company incorporated in Northern Ireland with registered number NI618921 and whose registered office is at Qubis Limited, 63 University Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT7 1NF (“CAUSEWAY”).

2.5 Applicants & Participants

You are considered an “Applicant” if you apply to this competition.
You are considered a “Participant” if you are successful with your application and complete all pre-Project activities (e.g. signing the Programme Agreement).

3) PROGRAMME BENEFITS

Participants in the Programme will receive the following benefits:

• Regular interactions with the Digital Catapult team, Technologists and industry mentors, to assess, iterate and accelerate their business processes, and expand their network of peers, investors and customers.
• Mentoring, workshops and lab equipment/ test bed access to develop and improve the understanding of smart technologies and innovation practice.
• Access up to 10 hours of support across Photonics, 5G and Innovation Practice
• Peer support from other participants on the Programme, sharing learnings and insights gained from the Programme as well as previous expertise.
• A showcase/ demonstration day during which Participants will present to an invited audience of relevant stakeholders, partners and industry representatives
• Delivery of a technology adoption roadmap specific to their use case/ proposed technology of interest
• Upon successful completion of the Project, the opportunity to join the Digital Catapult Alumni Network, which keeps them informed of opportunities and relevant updates from the Digital Catapult, and which provides additional opportunities to engage with Digital Catapult and other Alumni.

4) PROGRAMME OBLIGATIONS

Participants must be willing to commit to the following key obligations:

• Attend (either in person or remote) and utilise up to 10 hours of 1-2-1 mentoring and support from a Digital Catapult Technologist.
• Deliver a demo day presentation and report on a roadmap to implement a smart technology within their organisation.
• Participant shall complete the Digital Catapult’s EDI Survey (please note each question will have a “prefer not to say” option).
• Participant agrees to be visibly (name, logo and photograph) associated with the Programme, whilst on the Programme, and afterwards as a former participant and beneficiary. This includes marketing collateral, such as website, print and digital materials.
• For a maximum period of five years following the Project end date, Participant shall use its reasonable endeavours to answer specific questions from Digital Catapult relating to its growth and progress to assist Catapult demonstrate the impact of its activities. This shall include: (i) participation in an annual telephone conversation of one hour, and (ii) participation in a two early survey issued by Digital Catapult.
• Participants agree for photographs to be taken and media to be shared throughout the programme.
• Participant agrees to be visibly (name and logo) associated with the Programme, whilst in the Programme, and afterwards as a former participant and beneficiary. This includes marketing collateral, such as website, print and digital materials.

5) APPLICANTS

5.1 Minimum Requirements

• Applicants must be a UK based registered company, or prove they are a company that has an establishment in the UK and undertake all project activity in the UK.
• Applicants must be eligible to receive £1,540.44 (equivalent to €1,834.92) in State Assistance.
• Applicants must have the demonstrable need or desire to develop solutions enabled, supported or augmented by at least one of the technologies from Industrial Photonics or Future Networks (5G, or NB-IoT).

5.2 What we’re looking for

Established startups or SMEs that can clearly identify a need for upskilling in Industrial Photonics or 5G/Future Network Technologies, and/or how said technologies can contribute to solving a challenge or challenges that they are willing to identify within their organisation.

6) KEY DATES

• Call opens: 21st October 2024
• Briefing webinar: 12th November 2024
• Call closes: 2nd December 2024
• Review and score applications: by 6th December 2024
• Complete follow up interview/ call: by 13th December 2024
• Decisions communicated: 16th December 2024
• Start date: 6th January 2025
• End date: 31st March 2025

7) THE APPLICATION

7.1 What information should my application contain?

Applicants must answer all required questions in the full online application form.

7.2 Who will see my Application?
The following people will see your application:
Catapult Representatives: Relevant Catapult representatives will see your application in order to assess the application, and otherwise in the administration of your application and, if successful, participation in the Programme. The Programme Judges will see your full application, except for your company name and personal information fields at the application review stage. If invited to interview, the name of the interviewee and the company name will be disclosed to the Judges.

7.3 Key contact

Applicant will appoint a main contact for the Programme (“Key Contact”). This person will be Digital Catapult’s main point of contact for the competition and, if successful, Applicant’s Programme activities, including: workshop and event commitments, team members’ availability, ongoing activities, and assessment of progress during and after the Programme.
Digital Catapult will use this personal information for the purpose of carrying out due diligence on Applicants prior to the point of selection onto the Programme and to notify successful and unsuccessful Applicants over their submissions. The personal data we collect may be shared with and processed by (i) Programme Judges for the purpose of assessing the Applications; and (ii) Programme Partners and third-party service providers for the provision of benefits to the Participants in the Programme, as set out in these Competition Terms.

7.4 Submitting your application

You must submit your application via the Skipso form (“Submission Method”).
All applications must be submitted via the Submission Method by the Application Deadline.
Once your completed application has been received, Digital Catapult will send you a confirmation receipt by email. If you do not get a receipt within twenty-four (24) hours of the next working day, please email us at [email protected] with the subject ”Smart Nano Application Submission”.

7.5 Digital Catapult’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion Survey

In addition to your application, you will be required to complete Digital Catapult’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion Survey (‘Survey’). Whilst the completion of this Survey is mandatory, please note that your responses to this Survey will be kept separately from your application and will have no effect whatsoever on your application to the Programme.
Digital Catapult (as the Data Controller) will collect and process your personal data, including the following special category data to help Digital Catapult improve its services in respect of equality, diversity and inclusion:

• Racial and/or ethnic origin
• Sexual orientation
• Health (including disability)
• Religious and/or philosophical beliefs

The data collected and processed may be shared with relevant third parties and/or published but only in an aggregated form, which means you will not be personally identifiable.
Your personal data will be kept for 15 months from the time you respond to the Survey. Should you apply to another of Digital Catapult’s opportunities within the 15-month period, we will provide you with the option to allow us to re-use the data we already hold, to resubmit the Survey or to delete your Survey data. If you choose to complete the Survey again, we will keep your updated data for 15 months from the time you resubmit the Survey.
Please note you are responsible for the accuracy of the data you share with Digital Catapult, and you agree to inform us if your data needs to be updated.
For more information on Digital Catapult’s collection, use and protection of your personal data and your rights in regard to your personal data, please see Digital Catapult’s privacy policy (https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/legal/privacy-policy/).or contact us at [email protected]. If you have specific queries on our use of your Survey data (including a request to delete your Survey data), please contact us at [email protected].

8. SELECTION

8.1 Qualification

The Catapult will undertake an initial assessment of the Applicants against the Programme Requirements.

8.2 Selection process

All qualifying applications will be reviewed and scored by the Programme Judges panel to create a shortlist. Shortlisted Applicants may be invited to interviews to enable ranking of Shortlisted Applicants based on the Applications and interviews, with the highest ranked Applicants between the two stages being accepted onto the Programme.

8.3 Application Scoring criteria and weighting

The scoring criteria will be assessed based on statements in the areas below. Each criterion will be scored on a range from 0 to 5. 0 being an “Unacceptable or No submission” score for each criterion and 5 being an “Excellent” score for each criterion. This scoring will be applied to all applications and will be equally weighted.

There are 4 criteria upon which applicants will be assessed:
1.Problem and Solution (25%)
The Applicant should demonstrate that their company is addressing a clear problem, as well as applying advanced technologies to tackle the challenges in their selected focus areas.
2. Growth potential (25%)
The Applicant should be capable of identifying the key demand and growth areas for their solution and its demographics.
3. Business strategy (25%)
The Applicant should be able to articulate its revenue model and who its customers are.
4. Ability to Execute (25%)
The Applicant and its employees should have the necessary experience and skill to consistently develop, deliver and commercialise their solution.
Furthermore, Participants will be selected on a portfolio basis to ensure the Programme is able to deliver consistent support and activities that provide value to all Participants.

8.4 Due diligence

We will carry out due diligence on applicants prior to the point of selection onto the Programme. Applicants must be willing to submit further information or documentation upon request to qualify as ‘successful’.

8.5 Successful applicants

Successful applicants will be notified and provided with a standard agreement for review and execution (“Programme Agreement”).
The Programme Agreement is a standard agreement and not negotiable. We do try and ensure these contracts are fair and reasonable.
In order to be accepted onto the Programme, successful applicants must sign the Programme Agreement.

9 COMPETITON TERMS – SPECIFIC

9.1 Benefits

All the benefits provided under the Programme by third-party organisations (“Suppliers”) are subject to the Supplier’s terms and conditions stated in the Programme T&Cs.
Any optional benefits provided by third party organisations whose terms and conditions are not contained in the Programme T&Cs will be agreed between the Participant and the Supplier directly.
Digital Catapult reserves the right to amend the list of benefits at its sole discretion.

9.2 State Assistance

Participants shall receive the grant as Minimal Financial Assistance (“MFA”), or to the extent applicable under the Northern Ireland Protocol, the de minimis aid regulations (COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1407/2013), collectively referred to herein as “State Assistance.
The total State Assistance received or due to be received by an individual Participant (including any associated companies e.g. subsidiaries), originating from a United Kingdom source, must not exceed £315,000, or €300,000 for Northern Ireland Companies (or any other company subject to the Northern Ireland Protocol as amended by the Windsor Framework), each in aggregate across the Participant’s current fiscal year (as at the Agreement Date) and the previous two fiscal years.
This Programme has been assessed as providing £1,540.44 for Participants. Approximately equivalent to €1,834.92
Before signing the Programme Agreement, Applicants will therefore be asked to sign a declaration confirming that you are eligible to receive the State Assistance.

9.3 Accessibility

We aim to make all of our programmes accessible. We welcome feedback as to how we may be able to improve the accessibility of our programmes in the future. If you have any feedback with regards to accessibility, please send your feedback by email to: [email protected]. Your feedback may be used by us in our programmes and activities.

9.4 Applicants

Digital Catapult reserves the right to accept any application which does not fulfil the minimum requirements.

9.5 Key Dates

Digital Catapult reserves the right to change the Key Dates at its sole discretion. No extension to deadlines will usually be granted, with very limited exceptions where the Applicant requests an extension due to reasonable extenuating circumstances, beyond the Applicant’s control and unforeseen to them, subject to the Applicant providing evidence that proves the extenuating circumstance; and the Applicant informing Digital Catapult as soon as reasonably practicable following the extenuating circumstance becoming apparent. Digital Catapult reserves the right to consider the factors and decide whether such circumstances are extenuating and whether granting an extension is fair to other applicants. No extension granted will usually be for greater than two working days.

9.6 Applications

All information and documents requested must be submitted. Failure to submit all requested information and documents may result in the application being rejected. Catapult will not use outside information in respect of your application unless otherwise indicated, other than to undertake due diligence. Digital Catapult reserves the right to not work with people or an organisation which it believes could impact its reputation.

9.7 Previous Applications

Not used.

9.8 Personal Data

Digital Catapult is the Controller for the personal information submitted in the Application for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR.
In submitting the Application, the Applicant confirms that it has made the Key Contact and any other person whose personal data has been submitted, aware of, and has the lawful grounds to enable each Controller (including its processors) to, process the personal information of the Key Contact (and any other person named in the Application and open call process) as set out in these Competition Terms and in accordance with the respective privacy policies: Digital Catapult (https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/legal/privacy-policy/).

9.9 Programme Agreement

Digital Catapult reserves the right to make amendments to the Programme Agreement it issues up until the point of execution by both parties.

9.10 Participant Programmes

Digital Catapult reserves the right to offer Participants access to its Participant Programmes, such as its Platinum Awards.

10. COMPETITION TERMS – GENERAL

10.1 Data Retention

Digital Catapult will store your application and the scoring it has received for the entire duration of the Programme, or up to two (2) years, whichever the greater. If you are a successful Applicant, we shall also store your Application for a period of up to seven (7) years following the end of the Programme. For administration purposes, contracts may be stored for up to seven (7) years, contracts providing State Assistance for up to eleven (11) years, and deeds for up to thirteen (13) years from the end of the Programme.

10.2 Confidentiality

The information provided in your Application will be kept confidential and only used and disclosed as reasonably necessary for the purpose of assessing Applications, and, if admitted onto the Programme, for working with you in the Programme. This may include with our Programme Partners as indicated above.
For practical reasons, NDAs will not be signed by Digital Catapult or the Programme Partners as part of this Programme Competition. The activities we provide can only be achieved through trust of the tech community. It is therefore not in our interest to release your sensitive information. Confidentiality provisions are included in the Programme Agreement.
The scoring of your Application will be treated as sensitive information.
As your Application will be transmitted over the Internet, ultimately Digital Catapult cannot guarantee its security.

10.3 Intellectual Property

We respect the intellectual property of others, and we ask our Applicants to do the same.
In submitting the Application, you promise that you have and continue to have all necessary rights, licenses, permissions and consent to provide the content in your application to us, and for Catapult to use the Application as we have set out.
We will not remove from Applications any proprietary labels or copyright assertions.

10.4 Disclaimers, Exclusions & Limitations

We accept no liability for any consequences, whether direct or indirect, that may arise from your participation in the Programme Competition, your reliance on any statements we may have made about your application, the Programme, or its suspension or withdrawal.
In any case, to the extent permitted under law, Digital Catapult’s liability shall be limited to one thousand (£1,000) pounds.

10.5 Entire Agreement

These Competition Terms constitute the entire agreement between Digital Catapult and the Applicant and extinguish all previous and contemporaneous agreements, promises, assurances, and understandings between them, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter of these Competition Terms

10.6 Jurisdiction

These Competition Terms are governed by English law.
Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Competition Terms, including any question regarding their existence, validity or termination, shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration under the London Court of International Arbitration Rules, which Rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this clause.

• The number of arbitrators shall be one.
• The seat, or legal place, of arbitration shall be London.
• The language to be used in the arbitral proceedings shall be English.
• The physical location of the arbitration shall be London, where Digital Catapult is defending proceedings, and either London or Belfast where the Participant is defending proceedings, as elected by the Participant.