Five companies in Monmouthshire are being considered for a digital project aimed at addressing loneliness in rural communities, with two companies to be selected for grants of up to £1m.
The competition, launched in the summer, received interest from 100 companies. More than 50 applications were submitted with ideas to tackle and alleviate loneliness and isolation.
The five successful companies: Box Clever Digital; GPC Systems; Enable International; Behavioural Insights Team and ZipAbout, all have a shared interest in using digital methods to connect communities to the things they need, and the technologies to be developed include apps, websites, online channels and text services.
The Monmouthshire County Council's Monmouthshire Wellbeing Plan indicates many areas experience various forms of deprivation and isolation. The GovTech Challenge aims to address this inequality.
Council leader Peter Fox said: "I’m very pleased to welcome the five successful companies to Monmouth today and extend my thanks to those officers who worked so hard to secure the GovTech Challenge to benefit our communities. Monmouthshire is a large rural county and its beauty and presumed affluence masks a range of debilitating issues that affect many people of all ages.
"All businesses selected will develop their ideas and test them with the community, the third sector and other organisations over the next three months. This spring two companies will be selected to receive further GovTech funding of up to £1m to develop their products ready to be launched."
Councillor Sara Jones, cabinet member for social justice, said: "Rural transport and digital deprivation are issues that we need to tackle and our Social Justice Strategy will help provide the focus to prioritise these issues.
"I am excited to see how the GovTech Challenge progresses to help our communities and there will be opportunities for other local authorities to apply some of our solutions. We need to make a difference to those who often get left behind and I look forward to the rest of the journey."