The PICT ICT Youth Challenge 2004, a major information communications competition for young innovators across the Highlands and Islands reaches the third stage of a four stage process today (23rd March).

Now in its second year, the competition, aimed at teams of three to five people up to the age of 20, is run by PICT Innovation Ltd, a partnership company established by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).  PICT aims to foster bright information and communications technology (ICT) based ideas that have the potential to become business ventures.

In December last year the judging panel began the difficult task of narrowing down well over 100 entries to decide which teams progressed to the second phase of the contest.  In that phase the teams were given a three-minute opportunity to 'pitch' their business propositions to the judges.

Today the 17 successful teams from stage two get together for the 'PICT Forum'.  They will spend the whole day working up their ideas with coaching and assistance from a range of industry experts including Donald Carmichael, broadband partnership manager with BT and Robin Mannings, university research programme manager, also with BT. 

BT Scotland general manager Brendan Dick said: "ICT is a key growth area for BT and we're at the forefront of sparking new ideas and turning them into commercial reality. Scotland is a small nation competing on a worldwide stage so it's vital that we encourage and develop the innovative youngsters who will help shape our future.

"We see the ICT youth challenge as an excellent opportunity to nurture youthful creativity and resourcefulness and it's great to be involved in such an exciting project."

Ian Oakley, a Media Lab Europe researcher will also be present to lend his expertise to the teams.  Ian, originally from the Western Isles, will be returning to the Highlands as a blue-sky researcher to inspire other young people in the Highlands and Islands to follow in his creative footsteps.

At the end of June, the final five teams will take part in the 'Hothouse' final - a week long residential workshop during which they will be helped to develop their idea to an advanced stage in an environment designed to mirror real-life business situations.

The winning team will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to see innovative research and development in action at the world-renowned Media Lab Europe in Dublin.

PICT Youth Challenge co-ordinator Kelly Macleod is delighted by the quality of the entries this year.

She said: "It really demonstrates a growing level of cutting edge thinking among young people in the Highlands and Islands.  The experts involved in selecting the best entry have a very difficult task ahead of them.

"The level of enthusiasm is very impressive, it is great to see young people really getting involved in this type of challenge and coming up with such innovative ideas."

The PICT ICT Youth Challenge 2004 is being supported by BT Scotland, in conjunction with BT's research and technology business Btexact Technologies, Channel 4 IDEASFACTORY, Careers Scotland, Media Lab Europe, Business Lab, MFA, Omnitech, e design, Bridge Broadband Services and HIE.