HMGCC Co-Creation Challenge: Security Watermarks for Physical Documents
6 November 2025
Summary of Challenge
A 12-week challenge has been launched by HMGCC Co-Creation, looking for ways to add bespoke watermarks to physical documents.
The ability to do this without needing large-scale manufacturing runs could prove an important tool in national security, to combat forgery.
Organisations are being invited to apply for this funded challenge to develop new processes and manufacturing concepts, enabling small-scale, agile production runs of security watermarked documents. The goal is to create a flexible and responsive system that can quickly adapt to new security requirements.
Context of Challenge
Watermarks in physical paper documents have been an important security feature for centuries to signify authenticity and discourage counterfeiting. Watermarked documents are ubiquitous, appearing in banknotes, passports, driving licences, certificates, and other official documents handled daily by the public.
However, there are special cases where official paper documents are issued and an agile capability to produce watermarks is essential.
Applicants are also encouraged to identify commercial exploitation opportunities.
The gap
Creation of watermarks involve two primary processes:
- Watermarking during paper manufacturing: Techniques like cylinder mould watermarking, UV-activated threads, and planchettes can be employed. While these methods offer enhanced security, they are complex and require large-scale manufacturing processes.
- Post-processing of prepared paper: A dandy or impression roll is used to emboss a 2D pattern. Although this method is simpler and more common, it is also more vulnerable to replication by counterfeiters.
HMGCC Co-Creation is launching this challenge to gain the best of both processes. By leveraging advanced manufacturing and using innovative methods for producing paper watermarks, it is believed that high precision, consistent and robust security features could be achieved, but in small production runs that are agile so easily changeable.
Dates
- Competition opens: Monday 6 October 2025
- Clarifying questions deadline: Tuesday 21 October 2025
- Clarifying questions published: Tuesday 28 October 2025
- Competition closes: Thursday 6 November 2025 at 5pm
- Applicant notifies: Friday 14 November 2025
- Pitch day in Milton Keynes: Thursday 20 November 2025
- Pitch day outcome: Monday 24 November 2025
- Commercial onboarding begins: Thursday 27 November 2025
- Target project kick-off: Monday 5 January 2026
Eligibility
This challenge is open to sole innovators, industry, academic and research organisations of all types and sizes. There is no requirement for security clearances.
Solution providers or direct collaboration from countries listed by the UK government under trade sanctions and/or arms embargoes, are not eligible for HMGCC Co-Creation challenges.
How to apply
Please submit your application on the HMGCC website. Any queries please email cocreation@hmgcc.gov.uk and Co-Creation@dstl.gov.uk.
All information you provide to us as part of your proposal will be handled in confidence.
Applications must be no more than six pages or six slides in length. HMGCC Co-Creation reserve the right to stop reading after six pages if this limit is breached. The page/slide limit excludes title pages, references, personnel CVs and organisational profiles.
There is no prescribed application however, please ensure your application includes the following:
- Applicant details: Contact name, organisation details and registration number
- Scope: Describe how the project aligns to the challenge scope
- Innovation: Describe the innovation and technology intended to be delivered in the project, along with new IP that will be generated or existing IP that can be used
- Deliverables: Describe the project outcomes and their impacts
Full Challenge Docs
