Before the recent news of the Obama Administration investment in smart cities, the UK government launched their own national programme called IoTUK. This three year programme is part of the UK Government 40 million pound investment in the Internet of Things (IoT).
This programme aims to increase IoT adoption throughout the public and private sector. Its efforts will help present the UK as a global leader in IoT innovation.
In collaboration with Digital Catapult and Future Cities Catapult, IoTUK looks to increase the adoption of innovative IoT technologies. Digital Catapult is responsible for support UK businesses in unlocking data through more efficient and secure methods. Future Cities hosts hubs for innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, designers, and others to come together and create innovative urban solutions.
This programme aims to enable IoT entrepreneurship and facilitate collaborations between organisations throughout various fields. Healthcare, education, and construction are leading industries in IoT development.
In the next few months, IoTUK will host various workshops and events across the country. In the immediate future, it will welcome participation through their IoTUK Case Study Open Call, Showcase Open Call, and IoTUK Boost Open Call.
The launch of this programme was influenced by techUK, which worked closely with government to include IoT funding in the March 2015 budget announcement.
In welcoming the IoTUK initiative, techUK Associate Director, Rob McNamara, stated, "The Government's £40 million investment in IoT will play a crucial role in helping the UK seize the opportunities it presents. The role of IoTUK in coordinating and managing the initiatives that will emerge out of the government's investment will be highly valuable – so too will be their commitment to promoting UK capabilities in this space. techUK – the voice of the UK tech industry – looks forward to working closely with IoTUK as its gears into action.''
The IoTUK programme is ambitious, yet it complements the increased attention paid to the growing Internet of Things sphere.
