ePass: how CivTech and Zudu built Scotland’s new licensing platform

Consider this: in Scotland, there are upwards of 160 licenses you might need to apply for. Everything from the humble TV license to handling radioactive waste, via licenses for riding centres, residential care homes, boat hire, metal dealers, bookies, sports grounds, window cleaners, art therapists, firearms and so many more. And with fragmented, outdated processes, it’s a total nightmare!

Now consider a small independent shop: the proprietor is likely to need to apply for food, tobacco, vaping, fireworks and alcohol licenses, and maybe half a dozen more.

Or a farm: depending on the actual establishment, there might be need for more than a dozen licenses covering everything from pig holdings to venison dealing, wool marketing to animal boarding by way of protected species, shotguns, market stalls and tree felling.

Then there are bars and restaurants: food, alcohol and late hour licenses are only the start. They may also need permission for tables and chairs in the road, pavement displays, entertainments and gaming machines.

And it’s not just about filling in the application form. In many cases there’s learning to do. Training to complete. And the worst thing? The entire system is fragmented, inconsistent and outdated, delivered by a huge number of license issuing organisations and multiple training providers…

Those shopkeepers, farmers and restauranteurs are drowning in  paperwork, before they even get going. And they’re not alone. Licenses impact just about every aspect of life and business, and we’re all affected.

But now there’s a better way. Enter CivTech, Zudu and ePass.

To bring Scotland’s fragmented, outdated and often paper-based licensing and registration processes into a single digital platform, the Scottish Government turned to CivTech. The Challenge launched simply asked how we could help people and businesses across Scotland get access to training, guidance, support and approval for the licences they need. Edinburgh-based company Zudu pitched an idea, and ePass was born.

Within months, ePass developed into a powerful, scalable, AI-enhanced digital licensing platform that streamlines processes for both license applicants and issuers, speeding up registrations, streamlining enforcement, and preventing fraud. It’s nothing short of a revolution in licensing..

The rate of development was fast: ePass launched the Tobacco and Vaping Register in just six months — one of the fastest rollouts in CivTech history — and is now rapidly implementing across many other licences. ePass can handle any type of licence, for any government or regulator, anywhere in the world. It’s a total revolution.

And although it’s early days, the return on investment is confidently set to be extremely high. That’s the power of True Innovation.

Lessons learnt

• Taking time: CivTech’s multistage selection process gave the Challenge Sponsor both the time to evolve their understanding of what might be achievable, and the time to become comfortable with the whole idea of innovation.

• Listening is hugely important: one of the most successful GovTech entrepreneurs has said that if you spend 80% of your time listening to clients [or potential clients!], and 20% working on the tech, you’re more than likely doing the right thing. ePass spent a lot of time getting to know the Challenge Sponsor’s needs and ambitions, their systems and requirements. And then they built a brilliant solution using the right technology to power the product. And critically, they’ve never stopped listening.

• The public sector can move fast: despite taking time, the project also moved fast. A lot of people like to claim that the public sector can’t move fast and can’t innovate. It’s simply not true.