The Catalyst Stream aims to encourage new ways of working that go beyond business-as-usual innovation practices in the water sector increasing and improving collaboration and building partnerships from within and outside the water sector. Individual entries to the Catalyst Stream can bid for funding from £150,000 to £2 million.
More information about the Catalyst Stream is available below:
Please review the below materials prior to submitting your entry:
Entries must have been submitted online via Submittable no later than 6 January 2025 at 12 noon (GMT).
The Catalyst Stream of Breakthrough 5 uses a single-stage entry process, proportionate to the risk and value of entries being submitted.
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The Catalyst Stream entry period opened on 9 September 2024 and closes on 6 January 2025 at 12 noon (GMT).
Following the closing date on 6 January 2025, entries are to be checked for eligibility and assessed.
A diverse portfolio of shortlisted entries that best meet the relevant assessment criteria will then be shared with an independent judging panel for its review.
A single, unified judging panel will review entries to the Catalyst and Transform streams. This increases visibility across the streams and ensures a streamlined approach to portfolio recommendations based on gaps in the market and various levels of innovation risk.
The judging panel will convene in early April 2025. Shortlisted entries will be invited to a live Q&A session with the judges during the judging days. Please note that entrants will not be requested to pitch to the judges during these sessions.
The judging panel will recommend to Ofwat a diverse portfolio of entries for funding that they consider best meets the relevant assessment criteria and have the potential to deliver tangible positive benefits for customers, society, and the environment. Ofwat will then make the final decision on whether to award funding. If you are successful in winning funding, you can expect to be notified by mid-April 2025. Winners will be announced publicly in mid-May 2025.
In this round, there is approximately £10 million funding available for successful entries. Individual entries to the Catalyst Stream can bid for funding between £150,000 and £2 million. Requests for more than £2 million are available through the Transform Stream.
As such, we expect to receive entries into the competition with a total financial cost of from £165,000 to approximately £2.2 million, inclusive of the 10% mandatory financial contribution.
There are four main categories of eligibility criteria to the Catalyst Stream of the Water Breakthrough Challenge, detailed below:
Lead entrant:
The lead entrant to Breakthrough 5 must be one of the licensed regional water only and water and wastewater companies or new entrant water and wastewater companies (NAVs) in England and Wales. We strongly encourage lead entrants to enter Breakthrough 5 in partnership or consortia.
For the Catalyst Stream, partners other than the lead entrant can submit the entry form on Submittable.
Funding requested:
The minimum amount of funding that can be requested from the Catalyst Stream is £150,000, and the maximum that can be requested is £2 million.
Financial requirements:
A maximum of 90% of each entry’s financial costs will be provided by funding from the Ofwat Innovation Fund. Entry partners must provide the remaining 10% of the entry’s total financial costs as a mandatory 10% financial contribution.
In Breakthrough 5, we are looking for further granularity in the financial information provided. Entrants need to specify the source of funds for their contributions in the entry form, divided between:
We do not consider that customers should bear all the risk of initiatives funded through the competition and believe this encourages strong project management. Entry partners can decide how the remaining 10% is funded, as long as it is not funded by charges to water customers in England and Wales. There is no requirement for this contribution to be shared equally between partners. Entry partners may also consider how they could bring funding from other sources.
We welcome any additional financial and/or non-financial contributions beyond the minimum 10% and have seen many entries do this in previous rounds. Non-financial contributions should be excluded from the total financial cost of the entry.
We are open to initiatives that have secured additional external public or private funding. Entrants must confirm that there is no duplicative or double funding and that they are not restricted by their current funding source when applying for additional and alternative funding through this Fund.
Terms & conditions:
All entry partners must agree to abide by the terms & conditions.
Areas for innovation
We are looking for your ideas that address the big challenges facing the water sector – aligned with Ofwat’s four strategic innovation themes. We aim to fund a wide range of entries that will showcase a diverse mix of innovative ways of working and solutions.
We have published more detailed policy statements on Ofwat’s position around Open Data and customer vulnerability since the start of the Ofwat Innovation Fund. We believe that the breadth of the broader theme allows for greater freedom in proposing improved ways of working and could deliver greater benefits.
While no longer explicitly referenced in the themes, enabling activities are still very important to drive innovation in the sector and have a key role to play in helping the Fund achieve its outcomes. We invite entries in this important area as they will support the Fund’s ambition to embed innovation practices and knowledge within water companies (and the sector) for the long term.
We have identified a number of innovation enablers that will be particularly critical to growing and sustaining the water sector’s capacity to innovate. The Fund will consider supporting initiatives that demonstrate and further strengthen these enablers, including but not limited to:
Benefits to customers
One of the priorities for Ofwat’s Innovation Fund is enabling the water sector to better meet the evolving needs of its customers. This is focused on household customers because the Fund is financed by household water and wastewater customers in England and Wales.
Benefits to non-household customers are also encouraged. All entries that propose primarily to benefit non-household customers must also demonstrate how the proposal can benefit household customers. Entries should clearly explain how the proposed innovation will make a difference for customers – for example, by lowering costs, giving them insights to help them plan their water use, or improving their experience of their local water environments.
Entry delivery timelines
We are open to a wide range of project delivery timelines, from delivery periods of less than a year to multi-year periods which continue beyond 2025. There is no requirement for project delivery to be completed within the current asset management plan (AMP) period.
Approach to risk
We are seeking truly innovative entries and encourage water companies to adopt an open risk appetite within their Fund entries, supported by strong risk management with a clear plan to share data and learning, regardless of the outcome. We recognise that some projects may not deliver the expected direct benefits, but by taking risks and sharing learning across the water sector, customers will stand to benefit.
Entrants should be able to recognise and respond appropriately to issues and opportunities as they arise. This may include:
Monitoring and risk management
Entrants will be asked to provide information on their approach to risk in their entry. Entrants will be responsible for:
Ofwat and its delivery partners will monitor the progress of successful entries, including seeking updates at delivery milestones. The monitoring and involvement of Ofwat and its delivery partners will be proportionate to the size and risk of initiatives. In all cases, winning entrants will be responsible for reviewing progress and deciding the best course of action for their entry to deliver its intended impact.
In exceptional circumstances, Ofwat and its delivery partners may intervene if we have concerns that a project is moving materially away from delivering on its intended impact or if there are any concerns about misuse of funds.
Entry value and delivery costs
Entrants to the Catalyst Stream can bid for between £150,000 and £2 million.
We expect entries to demonstrate cost efficiency and good use of customer money, with a clear case for any costs included in the budget.
Reasonable costs are eligible to be funded, including dedicated staff time and fair associated overheads.
The budget, set out in the entry form, should include inflation allowances and applicable taxes, which are not recoverable, reflecting the actual costs of the initiative. Where taxes are fully recoverable, such as VAT, costs should be shown net of the recoverable amount. Taxes that are not recoverable should be included, for example, customs duties payable on goods imported into the UK.
Partnerships and collaboration
We particularly encourage entries that involve partnerships and collaboration between water companies, including NAVs, as well as with organisations in the water sector supply chain and beyond.
Collaboration agreement template
Where relevant, entries that are successful will need to develop collaboration agreements with partners. The Fund strongly encourages entrants to develop collaboration agreements in advance of the project start to avoid delays if the entry is successful. You are welcome to use the template collaboration agreement available on our website.
Note: The example collaboration agreement linked above is a cross-water company effort between the legal and innovation teams of water companies including Anglian Water, Thames Water, United Utilities, Severn Trent, Affinity Water, Welsh Water, Northumbrian Water and Southern Water. This agreement is flexible and therefore it is a basis for early discussion between water companies and other project partners. It may be adapted over time. The Ofwat Innovation Fund and any of the above organisations cannot provide any legal support or advice, nor be legally liable, in the event of any issues relating to a project’s collaboration agreement.
All eligible entries will be assessed by assessors against each of the following three assessment criteria categories, weighted equally. More details of these can be found in the Catalyst Stream Entrant Handbook (PDF, 1MB):
1. Positive impact for water customers, society, and the environment
Under this assessment category, we are looking to understand the benefits entries seek to deliver for customers, society, and the environment. Strong entries to Breakthrough 4 will address a well-evidenced, important need or opportunity in the water sector in England and Wales for water customers, society and/or the environment that aligns with one or more of Ofwat’s four strategic innovation themes.
2. Innovation enablers and innovative solutions
Under this assessment category, we want to understand what novel about the proposed approach and solution is and how it could deliver a positive sector-wide innovation legacy.
Strong entries will demonstrate how the proposed entry goes beyond the entrant’s business-as-usual approach to innovation and how it may draw inspiration and/or talent from other sectors. This is both in terms of what the entrant proposes to deliver (innovative solutions) and how they propose to deliver it (innovation enablers).
Innovation enablers are the innovative approaches the entry is proposing, which may include how entrants are working internally and externally with collaborators within and outside of the water sector for the benefit of water customers in England and Wales. Entries could include testing new ideas, adapting ideas or practices that have established themselves in other sectors, or adopting proven approaches that haven’t been tried at scale.
3. Capacity, capability, and commitment to deliver
Under this assessment category, we are looking for a clear narrative, demonstrating strong evidence that the proposed entry is feasible and that appropriate resources and governance will be in place for its delivery.
We have worked to ensure the entry process is as efficient and practical as possible, allowing for easy access for all water companies, particularly smaller ones.
Winning entries will be selected following the assessment process outlined below:
A. Entry Period
The Catalyst Stream opens for entries on 9 September 2024 at 12 noon (BST) and closes on 6 January 2025 at 12 noon (GMT).
Changes to the entry form
Based on feedback from the previous round, we have updated the entry form to improve entrant experience. The main changes to the entry form are detailed below.
Updates to entry questions and criteria
Entry form guidance has been updated and the flow of the questions has been strengthened based on feedback from previous rounds, to enable smoother completion of the form.
In the entry form criteria, the criteria under 1.4 have been modified so risks are now assessed solely in criteria 3.5. Criteria 1.4 now focuses on benefits that can be achieved even if the project fails. The word count for criteria 1 and 2 has been increased across both the Catalyst stream and Stage 2 of the Transform stream.
A calculator has been added to the form in Submittable to help entrants with entry cost calculations.
Finally, a question has been added to the entry form to cover whether there will be any charges to water customers to deliver the entry.
Water cycle tags
Water Cycle Tags refer to specific parts of the water cycle. You can see more information about them in this diagram:
We set out the questions that should be answered, along with guidance on completing the entry process in the entrant handbook.
All entries must be submitted by 6 January 2025 at 12 noon (GMT) using the Catalyst online entry form available via Submittable. Any entry partner can submit this form, but it must include the details of the lead entrant. The lead entrant will be asked to verify the entry is theirs and confirm they have accepted the terms and conditions during the eligibility screen.
The entry form is available as a Word document to help you develop and collaborate on your answers before completing the online form. If entrants wish to work on more than one draft on the online entry platform during the entry period, please contact [email protected] for assistance.
Before submitting your entry, please ensure that:
B. Eligibility Screening
Entrants must meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Who can be involved section above.
When entries close, an eligibility screen will be conducted to ensure entries meet all the eligibility criteria.
C. Assessment
All eligible entries will be assessed by assessors against each of the following three assessment criteria categories:
Assessors will be matched to entries relevant to their area of expertise.
Scoring will be between 1 and 5 (5 being the highest). These scores are then weighted. The assessed entry questions, assessment criteria and weighting are set out in the entrant handbook.
A moderation meeting will be held to discuss and recommend shortlisted entries to put forward to judges. This moderation meeting will ensure that all assessors’ opinions have been captured and that a consistent view on the merits of each entry is provided.
Whilst scoring will form part of this process, in making its decision on whether to put forward an entry to judges, Ofwat will also consider the opinions of the assessors and will seek to ensure a diverse portfolio of entries in terms of entry themes, types, entrants and geographic location.
Pitch recordings
All entrants to the Catalyst stream are required to book a slot to record a 3-minute pitch video. The purpose of the pitch recording is to provide a video explainer to help assessors and judges quickly understand your entry.
Pitches should outline:
Please note that the booking window is from 18 November to 20 December 2024. Slots are available from 19 November to 20 December 2024. Please book a slot via Calendly.
To promote equity, diversity and inclusion and reduce any potential bias in the entry process, we will continue to exclude speaker videos in pitch recordings for Breakthrough 5. Entrants are asked to present slides or other visuals whilst talking.
Drinking Water Inspectorate involvement
Entries that align with the Water Cycle tags Water Abstraction & Storage, Water Treatment, or Water Network (as selected by entrants in the entry form) may be referred to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) for additional review. Entries that do not select these categories but still relate to drinking water may be flagged by assessors for DWI review. DWI’s views may in turn be provided to judges and Ofwat to aid their decision-making. All funding decisions will be made in accordance with the published assessment criteria.
Further information on the Water Cycle can be found under ‘More information and support for your entry’ in the Catalyst entrant handbook.
D. Judging
An independent panel of judges will review the shortlisted entries put forward through the assessment. The judging panel will review the entries individually, scoring the entries using the same criteria as the assessors. The judging panel will then convene to discuss entries and recommend to Ofwat which entries they agree best meet the assessment criteria and offer a diverse portfolio for funding.
Breakthrough 5 will continue to offer the opportunity of a live Q&A session for the entrants to respond to judges’ questions as part of the entry process. Please note entrants will not be requested to pitch to the judges.
Following feedback from the previous round, longer time slots will be allocated for judges’ Q&A sessions for Breakthrough 5. Questions will not be provided to entry teams in advance to enable a more dynamic conversation.
Judges will ask questions relating to shortlisted entries during the judging days between 9 am and 5.30 pm (BST) on 1, 2 or 3 April 2025. Q&A slots will be allocated to shortlisted entries no later than 19 March 2024, but where possible, we will endeavour to provide as much notice as possible.
If teams are not able to attend the live Q&A, they should notify the delivery partners at [email protected] as soon as possible, for a chance to answer the judges’ questions in writing. No other opportunities for questions and answers will be provided, with the exception of clarifying conflicting entry answers.
E. Ofwat Decision
Ofwat will make the final decision on which entries should receive funding. In making its decision, Ofwat will consider the views of assessors and judges on which entries best meet the assessment criteria and offer a diverse portfolio for funding.
Ofwat intends to publish this decision and its reasons for awarding funding. Ofwat will take account of entrants’ preferences regarding the confidentiality of their entries.
F. Award
Entries should expect to be notified if they have been awarded funding by late April 2025.
Winner’s Agreement
When notified, successful entries will receive a copy of their draft winner’s agreement. This winner’s agreement will be based on the standard template available on our website. Please note that this template is only provided for information purposes and may be subject to changes. Winning teams must sign these agreements no later than 5 pm (BST) on 20 May 2025 to be paid by late June 2025.
A winners’ onboarding event will be held online on 17 June 2025, 1-3 pm (BST).
Further information and a joining link will be shared with winning entries in the weeks ahead of the event.
G. Feedback
After winners have been announced, feedback will be provided to the main contacts and lead entrants who did not win funding, outlining why their entry was unsuccessful.
Feedback will be given against each of the three assessment criteria and, where relevant, provide guidance on areas of improvement against each of them. The feedback will not include scores provided by the assessors and the judging panel. As mentioned above, scoring forms only a part of the overall assessment process.
Feedback will not be provided to winning entries.
All participants in the Catalyst stream of Breakthrough 5 will be required to adhere to the full terms and conditions of participation. Please ensure you and your partners read and understood these before submitting your entry.
If your entry is selected to win, you must sign a winner’s agreement outlining arrangements for monitoring and reporting based on your specific winning entry.
In particular, the key requirements of winners will include:
Entrant Support
Please review the frequently asked questions (FAQs) if you have any questions. If you still have questions after doing so, please email us at [email protected].
On Tuesday 10 September 2024, at 11.30 am (BST), we will host a live online session for potential entrants and partners to clarify their understanding of Breakthrough 5. The session will cover the key information for prospective entrants:
You can register for the session via the Zoom registration page. Once the live session has happened, a recording and transcript will be hosted on our Events page.
If you require any clarification on the entry process or the terms and conditions, you can book a 15-minute surgery session. The surgery sessions will be run by the Breakthrough 5 delivery partners. Entrants can book a slot on Calendly, please access the Catalyst booking page or the Transform booking page based on which stream you are entering. You will be asked a few questions during the booking process to better help us answer your queries.
Recordings of the entry writing workshops we ran in previous rounds are available to all entrants on our website. These are intended to help you develop entry-writing skills, ensure your answers are clear, and answer the questions in line with the assessment guidance.
Default platform for online events, including surgery sessions, live Q&A and pitch recording
We use Zoom meetings and Zoom webinars for all of these. Please ensure you have downloaded the desktop version of Zoom to enable full functionality. You can find advice on joining a test call here.
Reasonable adjustments and accommodations
If there are any reasonable adjustments that would support your entering, catering for any additional needs you may have, please contact [email protected].
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
We need to collect relevant data and evidence to monitor the impact of and promote equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). For the Water Breakthrough Challenge, this means that entrants are asked to:
EDI considerations are highly encouraged where appropriate in the proposal. Entries will continue to be assessed on their merit against the assessment criteria.
Feedback and Learning
If you have any feedback or concerns relating to Breakthrough 5, the Ofwat Innovation Fund or any of the winners of previous rounds, please feel free to contact us directly at [email protected] or submit your feedback or concerns anonymously here. We welcome and support feedback from entrants via email and via entrant surveys sent out after entering one of our competitions.
If you would prefer to contact Ofwat directly, you may do so by emailing [email protected]. Ofwat also has a range of materials available relating to whistleblowing and making a complaint.
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