Up to eight Scottish companies are being offered the chance to ‘accelerate’ an Internet of Things (IoT) product or service into the market through a new initiative called IoT Explorer.

Launched at the beginning of June by CENSIS, the Scottish innovation centre for sensor and imaging systems, it will provide up to 20 days’ support from its engineering and project management teams; successful applicants will also receive access to facilities at Glasgow’s Tontine incubator, entry to CENSIS’s programme of IoT workshops, and assistance in developing an investor pitch.

Product and service ideas are being invited on a range of subjects, including smart cities, precision agriculture, energy efficiency, building monitoring, assisted living, Industry 4.0, and smart transport.

The programme follows last year’s successful IoTUK Boost competition, which saw five SMEs and entrepreneurs accelerate the development of their IoT products.

The winners included Sansible Wearables, which developed a wearable impact sensor for contact sports, and The WindOP, which sought to provide more-accurate weather data at remote locations.

Dr Mark Begbie, business development director at CENSIS, said: “While a lot of businesses have heard of the IoT, there are still many that don’t understand the huge impact it is likely to have on industry — and on society as a whole. Scotland is at the vanguard of that change, and our aim is to help as many companies as possible develop products and services to ensure that it stays there.

“This is an exciting opportunity for a small business with innovative IoT concepts, larger companies that are changing their approach to technology, or even individuals with strong ideas, to take things to the next stage and get the support they need. We’re looking forward to seeing some new and thought-provoking applications from across Scotland.”

Applications for a place on the programme close on 29 June. Further information can be found on the CENSIS Web site (www.censis.org.uk/2017/02/14/iot-explorer).