£575,000 Augment the City Challenge Fund

The £575,000 Augment the City Challenge competition will bring together innovators from the creative industries sector with leading tourism organisations to explore how immersive technology will enhance future visitor attractions across the Belfast region.

The competition will enable local businesses to develop ideas, proof of concepts and prototypes using immersive technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality, to enhance future visitor attractions across the Belfast region.

These attractions include a new tourism landmark - Belfast Stories - which will open in Belfast city centre in 2029. Celebrating Belfast's people and places, this new attraction will enable visitors and local people to connect with the city and one another through a variety of media and a mix of immersive experiences, including stories, screen, and social spaces.

As part of Augment the City Challenge, Belfast City Council is looking for creative technology innovators to develop concepts and proposals which will use innovative immersive and digital technologies to gather, curate and present stories about Belfast and its people.

Funding phases

The competition will be delivered across three phases with various amounts of funding available:

• Phase 1: Up to ten companies will be offered up to £10,000 each to develop proof-of-concepts.
• Phase 2: Up to five companies will be offered up to £35,000 to further develop their proposals.
• Phase 3: Up to three companies will be offered £100,000 each to develop prototypes.

In addition to funding for innovation in immersive technologies, successful applicants will also benefit from access to a venue, with state-of-the-art advanced wireless digital connectivity, to develop, trial and showcase their innovative ideas and prototypes.

User testing and feedback from visitors will help participants to improve and enhance their products. Working with organisations creating visitor attractions will also bring a greater understanding of the future needs of those creating new visitor attractions in the city and elsewhere.