Open Call Extension!

This call is now extended until Friday 3^rd June 2022 at 5pm. 

Are you someone developing innovative/technological solutions in Mental Health for people living with anxiety?  

Would you value being part of an established community that can help to test and support your idea, whilst being in with a chance of winning up to £2000 plus direct access to valuable ongoing support from the Scottish Government’s national lead in Digital Mental Health? 

As the population in North-West Europe is ageing, the prevalence of people experiencing difficulties managing mental health is also growing. The management of anxiety is crucial for many mental health conditions. IT4Anxiety aims to work with mental health professionals, carers, and people with lived experience of mental health services to co-create and implement innovative solutions meeting the users’ needs.  

NHS Western Isles, in partnership with Ulster University and the IT4Anxiety EU Interreg NWE project, are inviting start-ups that are developing innovative technological solutions targeting symptoms of anxiety to apply to this call. 

What is the prize? 

Up to three winning solutions will be chosen, with prizes ranging from £500-£2000 to help with any aspect of start-up management or development. In addition, you will be given the opportunity to apply to join the IT4Anxiety consortium (terms and conditions of which can be read here), a project that provides expertise in various areas to help start-ups develop their business. 

Winning solutions will also receive ongoing support and advice from the IT4anxiety partners, NHS Western Isles Research and Innovation team, Ulster University, and also an offer of support from Chris Wright, the National Advisor for Digital Mental Health to the Scottish Government. 

What are the benefits of participation? 

All participants will benefit from: 

• A range of online workshops provided by The Lens which will help you develop your solution into an investment ready idea. From Business Storytelling to Value Propositions, Business Modelling to Pitching, Developers at the Lens will be on hand to provide dedicated support and training so that you can showcase your idea to the judging panel with confidence. 
• The opportunity to meet and network with key organisations and stakeholders in the Digital and health sector. 

How to get involved 

The Lens will be hosting a set of support workshops on the lead up to the Hackathon to help you develop your presentation. These will take place via Zoom and are designed to answer any questions you may have about the Hackathon process. If you’d like to find out more before making a formal application, please register for free here:  

To participate, please submit your name, contact details and an outline of your idea via the following link: IT4Anxiety Hackathon 2022: Applications Now Open Tickets, Elgin, Scotland | Eventbrite 

The form will ask you to provide details about your start-up and solution, such as why you think your idea is innovative and how your solution fulfils the needs of people living with anxiety. You should also share your motivation for wanting to join the IT4Anxiety project and highlight why we should choose your start-up and solution as the winning candidates.  

The Hackathon will take place at the Alexander Graham Bell Centre for Digital Health in Elgin from the 22-23^rd June. We welcome and encourage applications from across the UK and in Northern Ireland and are committed to providing digital access for participants unable to attend the event in person.  

IT4Anxiety – Managing anxiety via innovative technologies for better mental health | Interreg NWE (nweurope.eu) 

For more information about this call please contact: Marion MacInnes. mmacinnes@nhs.scot 

Terms and conditions for the prizes: The winning start-up must be based in the UK or Northern Ireland. Their solution must answer the above-mentioned need and be in its final stages of development or near-complete development, i.e., allowing the scientific testing of the solution within the timeframe of the project on the target population, i.e., by June 2022. The winners will be chosen by a multidisciplinary committee based on the relevance, originality, and feasibility of the solution, but also how well the solution is aligned with the aims and objectives of the IT4Anxiety project.