Changing human behaviours to combat climate changeCopy Link

Background

ENGIE UK is the custodian of the ENGIE UKRI Clean Growth Innovation Fund (CGIF), which seeks to accelerate low carbon innovation within the UK. Innovations which aim to instigate and facilitate behavioural change are of particular interest to ENGIE.  Changing individual and organisational behaviour remains a hugely important area in the transition to zero carbon and one which aligns very closely with ENGIE UK’s customer centric and service-based approach. ENGIE is committed to using its global platform to propagate the solutions it finds to this challenge.

KTN’s Innovation Exchange programme is working alongside ENGIE to assist them in reaching out to companies that provide innovative solutions in this area. Applicants should have a specific project in mind that they wish to be supported by the CGIF.  Successful applications will be given the opportunity to apply for the CGIF where, if successful, they will receive funding in the form of Innovate UK grant alongside match funding in the form of equity, from ENGIE.  Only companies that are successful under this KTN iX challenge will be eligible for funding under Round 4 of the Clean growth Innovation Fund.

Rationale:

It is widely accepted that technology alone will not solve the climate emergency and human behaviour will have to change, both at an individual and organisational level. There is considerable debate about why different behaviour change interventions work or fail, but it is widely accepted that a mixture of tools and types of interventions is required.

Historically, behavioural change has been very effective, evidenced by the NHS Health & Wellbeing campaigns and the continual decline of single use plastics. That said, emission reductions are less tangible and significant behavioural change is still required in this area. Although there is a general acceptance that behaviours must change, there is a shortage of solutions to support this. There is a collective responsibility for humans to behave in more environmentally sustainable ways and ENGIE is looking for innovative solutions to help realise this, as part of its wider strategy to support its customers on their journey to zero carbon.

ENGIE does not wish to limit solutions to particular aspects of behavioural change, and as such, any solution that can change behaviour in a way that supports the transition to zero carbon is of interest. That said, the following could be seen as example areas: 

• Gamification or nudging solutions
• Accounting and offsetting platforms
• Communication and training solutions
• Education or incentivisation solutions
• Cross cutting approaches in other sectors including, but not limited to, Health, Transport and Education.

N.B - The solution does not have to be digital

ENGIE will not consider the following solutions:

• Solutions which do not have a specific project associated with them (see solution requirements)
• Consultancy or co-creation proposals

Rewards and benefits

• Successful applicants will be encouraged to apply for funding through the ENGIE UKRI Clean Growth Innovation Fund.
• Benefits may also include:
• Support from the Catapult networks and the KTN
• Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
• Technical support
• Invitation to attend or present at KTN or Catapult events
• A potential business collaboration
• Investor introductions (if investment is required).

Solution Requirements

Functional requirements   

ENGIE is actively looking for solutions that will;

• Produce tangible effects in the way individuals or organisations use energy and transport
• Resonate with audiences that are disengaged from the climate change debate such as consumers/citizens, businesses, Households, The elderly, School children,  Low income groups, Employees.
• Go beyond a user interface and focus on the wider eco-system associated with behavioural change

Project Requirements

Applicants must propose a specific project that leads to the development of a solution to the challenge stated:

• The project should be differentiated from business as usual and be considered Innovative
• The project cost should fall between £200,000 and £500,000
• All funds requested should be budgeted to the project.

There should be a clear roadmap to commercialisation. This should include a business model, which incorporates factors such as but not limited to:

• Minimum viable product
• Unique selling point 
• Value proposition
• Pricing structure
• Cost structure
• Partner requirements.

The project must be currently at TRL 3-5 and meet the UK Government definition of Industrial Research or Feasibility Study as defined in General Guidance.

There should be a quantitative measure of success.

The project should lead to a commercially protectable solution. Either through the tacit knowledge within the organisation or through codified Intellectual Property (IP), like a patent or design right.

Deployment Timescale

• Launch of the Competition: 28/10/2019
• Deadline for applications: 29/11/19
• Selection and notification of finalists: w/c 4/12/19
• F2F meeting/pitch opportunity for finalists: 11/12/19 (we suggest you hold this date)
• Selection of winners: by 13/12/19
• Target period for submitting CGIF Applications: Q1 2020
• Applicants should be ready to start projects by Q1 2020.
• Solutions should be fully deployable within 18 months.

Eligibility and assessment criteria

Entrants to this competition must be:

• UK based micro, small or medium-sized business (SME)
• Able to carry out your project work in the UK
• Intending to exploit the results through a UK-based company

Applications will be assessed on:

• Relevance to the topic
• Innovative nature of the subject
• Coherence of the proposed business model
• Feasibility/ economic viability
• Development potential
• Maturity of project/solution
• Ability to launch project quickly/Ease of implementation
• Price/quality ratio
• Suitability for the UK and European Market

IP and Potential Commercial Route

• Existing background IP associated with a potential solution will remain with Solution Provider(s). Where any new IP generation is envisaged, it will be subject to the mutual IP agreement of the Solution Provider(s) and Innovation Challenger.
• Any commercial deployment of transferred solution or newly developed solution, through licensing, joint venture, partnership or direct investment, will be subject to the commercial agreement between the Solution Provider(s) and Innovation Challenger.
• Where necessary, a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) may be signed to uphold confidentiality in the engagement between the Solution Provider(s) and Innovation Challenger.
• Innovate UK and KTN do not take any share of IP ownership or enter into commercial venture through the iX programme.