
Boot camps are SME- and start-up facing training programmes supporting innovators in learning how to work with the government, raise investment, funding for their business and co-design solutions with citizens.
As part of GovTech Connect, in 2023 two boot camps were delivered, one focused on Northern Europe and one on Southern Europe, while in the next year two boot camps will be hosted, one for the Western and one for Eastern Regions.
The methodology
The GovTech Boot Camps, aimed at innovating public sector services, follow a detailed methodology. Initially, extensive desk research and stakeholder mapping were conducted to identify relevant startups and policy trends, leading to the formation of challenge statements. Market scanning then identified startups aligned with these challenges, focusing on areas like transparent governance and accessible services. The policy landscape was analyzed to ensure challenges aligned with current trends and EU priorities. Feedback from GovTech experts and workshops refined these challenges, ensuring they weremeaningful and address real-world public sector problems.
The methodology of the first two GovTech boot camps included conducting a survey among startups. This survey aimed to identify challenges and obstacles startups face when collaborating with government entities. It was distributed through various channels and provided guidelines aligned with the boot camp themes. The responses from the survey helped shape the boot camp objectives, ensuring they are attuned to the real needs and challenges of startups in relevant sectors. This step was crucial for tailoring the program to effectively support and foster innovation in public sector services.
This approach ensured a focus on developing user-centered, innovative solutions. GovTech Connect will propose these boot camps' methodology to be implemented by the GovTech4all Incubator.
The outcome: Boot camp 1 and 2
For the first Boot camp, start-ups working on the green transition in Northern Europe were invited to apply to participate in the boot camp via the GovTech Connect boot camp website. The most promising start-ups were then invited to become part of the cohort. In total, 9 startups from four different countries working on challenges in open sustainability data, energy-efficient buildings, sea protection and food, joined the first EU GovTech Connect boot camp.

The second Boot Camp was focused on Southern Europe, and it had a specific focus on “Digitising Public Services for Enhanced Civic Engagement, Accessibility, and Transparency”. Throughout the programme, 16 startups working on the following challenge areas were involved: Inclusive and Accessible Services, Transparent and Open Government, Community Engagement and Collaboration.

The Boot camps camps included a series of masterclasses, workshops, and networking opportunities, all designed to provide startups with the tools and knowledge necessary to innovate in the public sector. More than 40 experts participated to the roundtables, from the consortium partners as well as external experts sharing their experiences and giving advice in the areas of public procurement, investment and public sector innovation.

The integration of a well-defined preparatory phase with practical, collaborative sessions in the boot camps has proven effective. This approach not only fosters innovation in public services but also builds a sustainable ecosystem of startups and public sector organizations, working together for the greater good.
The Boot camps were held online, over the span of 5 weeks, with a learning journey carefully designed. In particular, boot camp 2 was structured in the following way:
- Week 1 served as the kick-off of the programme and start-ups began the citizen engagement and Design Thinking training.
- Week 2 saw start-ups exploring how to develop a Business-to-Government model and a pricing strategy for selling into the public sector, and effectively approaching procurement processes. Additionally, companies kicked off their citizen engagement activities, defining their activities in the context of the focus group with citizens and starting their focus groups.
- Week 3 was important for start-ups to learn more about how to pitch their business to GovTech investors, and to make sense of the results from the citizen engagement activities assigned the previous week.
- Week 4 had the goal to ensure that start-ups are prepared to deliver a compelling pitch at the final pitch event. One to one meetings between the cohort and the boot camp experts were held, receiving guidance on how to improve their pitch.
- Week 5 wrapped-up the programme by making sense of the user engagement results and ensuring that start-ups are prepared to navigate all relevant information for the final pitch event.

The Pitch Day

The Pitch Day was the culmination event of both 2023 Boot Camps. The event provided the cohorts of Boot Camp 1 and 2 with an opportunity to share a concise and persuasive presentation showcasing their business idea, product, or service to potential investors, partners, or buyers. The goal was to convince the audience of the idea's value and potential and receive feedback on how to improve it. This was an opportunity for start-ups to engage with key decision makers and GovTech stakeholders from the region.
The Pitch Day for the 2023 Boot Camps took place on the 20th of October, in a hybrid format online and at the UPM Madrid in collaboration with the AI4Gov event. This collaboration allowed us to build synergies across programs and tap into their public sector experienced audience. It lasted around half a day (4 hours). We registered a total of 140 attendees, which were provided with a detailed overview of each solution, and the companies’ goals for the short term.
The event included a jury panel of six experts from across Southern and Northern Europe, who decided that ASIMOB and SkenarioLabs were the best companies across both cohorts.