£575,000 Augment the City Challenge Fund
A new £575,000 funding competition is now open
Led by Belfast City Council, the new Augment the City Challenge competition will bring together innovators from the local creative industries sector and leading tourism organisations to explore the future role of immersive technologies in visitor experiences.
With funding from the Belfast Region City Deal, 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 - opening 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 mix of media and 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 using innovative immersive and digital technologies to gather, curate and present stories about Belfast and its people.
An online information session will take place on 18 April 2024 to give potential applicants more information about the competition.
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 will help participants improve and enhance their products. Working with organisations creating visitor attractions will also clarify the future needs of those creating new visitor attractions in the city and elsewhere.
How to apply
To apply to the fund, view the full challenge brief and submit your application by 3pm, Friday 10 May 2024.
For more information on Augment the City Challenge, visit www.smartbelfast.city or email smartbelfast@belfastcity.gov.uk.
First published 19 March 2024.