A record number of applications have been received for this year's ICT Youth Challenge, the regional competition that invites teams of young people to submit their ideas for information technology and communications of the future. Across the Highlands and Islands, from Stromness to Campbeltown and Buckie to Strontian, successful entrants will now progress to the next stage, the First Pitch.

Next week, 30 successful teams will use video conferencing facilities at various UHI Millennium Institute locations to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges in Inverness. The panel represents businesses from all over Scotland and during the virtual conference they will look for revolutionary new technologies and potential entrepreneurs. The 15 best teams will then go forward to the next stage, the Forum, where they will interact with industry specialists. Thereafter, six teams will advance to the Hothouse final, an intensive week of teamwork and expert advice focusing on what is needed to turn their ideas into reality and produce working prototypes.

UHI Millennium Institute is very keen to support the ICT Youth Challenge, as it encourages the next generation of students to develop their ideas and learn from experts. Martin Wright, UHI director of marketing and communications, said: "We contribute to the Challenge by helping the judges and the teams communicate easily without having to travel vast distances. UHI holds over 2000 video conferences each year, which is more than all the UK universities put together.

"Technologies such as video conferencing are becoming increasingly important to businesses in rural areas such as the Highlands and Islands.  That makes it particularly appropriate that the ICT stars of the future are using video conferencing for this challenge."

Attending the judging at next week's First Pitch event will be Robin Mannings from long term Youth Challenge sponsors BT Scotland and John Edwards from Microsoft Scotland, who have signed up as sponsors this year.

Caitlyn Hughes, partnerships director for BT Scotland said "We are pleased to be supporting the Youth Challenge for the fourth year in a row and are looking forward to seeing the video pitches later this month which will undoubtedly contain some very interesting ideas. The strong flow of ICT business ideas from young people in the Highlands and Islands region is proof of the area's dynamism and is a positive indicator for the local economy in the future. The Youth Challenge helps young people gain the necessary skills to develop good ideas into real businesses."

Raymond O'Hare, Microsoft regional director - Scotland added " Microsoft is delighted to be involved in the ICT Youth Challenge this year, as the competition directly addresses the key areas of Innovation, skills and also impact on the Regional economy of the Highlands and Islands" . 

Link to ICT Youth Challenge streaming videoclips on HIE website.

(Note: a text-only transcript of this video's voice-over is also available for people using text-to-voice assistive technology.)