As the internationally recognised governing body for cycle sport in Scotland, Scottish Cycling is the gateway to cycle sport for people in Scotland, with the aim of developing the sport at every level. 

Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) is a project based within Scottish Cycling which is delivering the world’s first national strategy for mountain biking. The project has an overarching strategic remit to increase participation, grow tourism and develop the sport of mountain biking.

Challenge

DMBinS wanted to develop a new and innovative interactive DVD of Scottish mountain biking trails to use as a prototype product to both attract external sponsorship, and develop a full-length consumer DVD. 

Sporting Chance Initiative referred DMBinS to Interface – the knowledge connection for business – to find out what external support was available to help develop the idea. 

Solution

Interface facilitated a partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) which led to DMBinS working with a team of academics and graduates to develop a business plan and prototype DVD to engage current and aspirational mountain bikers.  The project was awarded a £5,000 Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher.

By working with the eMotionLab at GCU – a world leader in the development and evaluation of emotionally engaging technology – DMBinS was able to utilise the lab‘s processes to ensure user engagement, and develop user-evaluation facilities which would explore the emotional engagement of products. 

The idea of the interactive DVD was developed with the output being made into an App so that it could be distributed digitally. 

Benefits

DMBinS is working with partners in both the public and private sector to to complete the development of the App. The App, based on the original project, features trails across Scotland and was available in the App Store in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which mountain biking is a key event.

“We are grateful to Interface for connecting us with Glasgow Caledonian University.  It resulted in an excellent collaboration, and we now have a prototype which we can use to help attract further investment  and ultimately add value to the Scottish economy by increasing the number of visitors to Scotland to enjoy our fantastic mountain biking,” said Graeme McLean, Project Manager of DMBinS.

Please note that Interface administers the Innovation Voucher Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council. All funding applications are reviewed on a case by case basis by the Scottish Funding Council, guidelines can be found here.​