creative, digital and design business briefing - may 2016
TRANSCRIPT
Creative, Digital & Design Business Briefing
A digest of useful information for UK businesses seeking funding and support, updated monthly
May / June 2016
@KTN_Creative
Brought to you by the following organisations:
Contents
• Public funding calls• Horizon 2020• Other public funding• KTN & other events• Public investment / private financing• Launching a new business?• Non-financial support for your business • Training & skills
Public funding calls
Key feature: Innovate UK is investing up to £4.5m in collaborative industrial research projects that stimulate innovation in additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing. The aim of this competition is to help companies overcome barriers to business growth in additive manufacturing. It will also encourage them to explore and develop their wider digital manufacturing capability.
Register now for briefing events: 7 June Webcast, 7 June London, 14 June IFB2016 - Liverpool
Competition Closes: applicants must register before noon on 20 July 2016 and apply before noon on 27 July 2016.More info at gov.uk
Connected digital additive manufacturing
Public funding calls
Key feature: Innovate UK is to invest up to £15m in innovation projects in manufacturing and/or materials. These projects will focus on identified technical or commercial challenges. Projects will be funded that aim to lead to increased UK SME productivity, competitiveness and growth.
Innovate UK encourages applications featuring: the novel application of a digital technology or approach to manufacturing or materials development (such as automation, modelling and simulation, data analysis); design for manufacture, use and end-of-life.
Register now for briefing events: 23 May London, 23 May Live Webcast, 26 May West Midlands, 27 May Manchester.
Competion deadlines: applicants must register before noon 6 July 2016 and apply before noon on 13 July 2016.
More info at gov.uk
Materials and manufacturing
Public funding calls Knowledge Transfer PartnershipsKey feature: A scheme to help businesses innovate and grow by linking them with a university and a graduate to work on a specific project. Each KTP is a three-way partnership between a business, an academic institution and a graduate. The academic institution employs the recently-qualified graduate who works at the company. The graduate, known as the ‘associate', brings new skills and knowledge to the business.
A KTP is part-funded by a grant. You will need to contribute to the cost of the supervisor and the salary of the associate. 2016 deadlines are: 6 July, 7 September & 2 NovemberMore info on: innovateuk.org
Creative England Production FundThe Creative England Production Fund is targeted at feature films with budgets of up to £2 million from up-and-coming talent or from established directors looking to experiment with innovative approaches. The fund is particularly interested in projects from regionally-based filmmakers or those which have a strong regional voice.
The fund is looking to support around three to five features per annum over the next four years, with production awards of up to £200,000 per project.
More info at creativeengland.co.uk
Public funding calls
Creative Scotland Film FundThe 'Slate Development Funding' strand invites applications from producers who are based in Scotland or, alternatively, producers who are involved within the field of Scottish-based writing and/or directing. The purpose of this funding scheme is to provide assistance for Scottish filmmakers who wish to develop a slate of films. These films could fall within the genres of: live-action and animated feature films, feature documentaries, animated and live action drama television series.
Scale: £50,000 - £150,000
Applications close: 23 May 2016, before 5pm
More info at creativescotland.com
Public funding calls
Public funding calls
Human Dimensions of Cyber Security
Key feature: This EPSRC call is looking to support academic researchers, businesses and government users to develop around six collaborative, international and problem-driven projects which address the human dimensions of cyber security.
Scale: up to £5m
Closes: 8 June 2016
More info at: epsrc.ac.uk
Public funding calls
Nesta Impact Investment FundKey feature: An equity investment fund investing in social ventures with innovative products or services that are addressing some of the UK’s most pressing challenges. Investments are made in areas that tackle:
• the health and wellbeing of an ageing population• the educational attainment and employability of children and
young people• the social and environmental sustainability of communities.Scale: between £150k - £1mCloses: on-goingMore info on: Nesta Investments
Public funding calls Interactive Healthcare Programme – Yorkshire and HumberFunded by Creative England's Regional Growth Fund and managed by Creative England in partnership with the Yorkshire & Humber Academic Health Science Network (AHSN), this Interactive Healthcare Fund is for small creative and digital businesses (SMEs) who wish to bring innovative digital health and wellbeing products and services to market in the NHS and wider health and social care marketplace..
Key information: £250,000 will be available via investments of up to £50,000 per application; Companies must be based in England, outside of Greater London (innovations that have potential to benefit Yorkshire & Humber communities are welcomed) – closes Friday 17 June. More info on: creativeengland.co.uk
Northern Ireland Dept. of Health, Social Services & Public Safety (DHSSPS) - Connected Health SBRI competitionsTenders for both competitions are available to view and download at etendersni.gov.uk. Before gaining access to a tender opportunity, suppliers will be required to register on the site.
1. FAST – Automated Staff Deployment of pharmacy staff in a hospital setting. The competition is seeking to source new innovative technology solutions to enable the appropriate deployment of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians within secondary care, ensuring that the requisite number of staff with the requisite skill sets would be available to help patients gain optimal outcomes from their medicines. Projects will be selected on their potential to effectively and quickly deploy acute hospital pharmacy staff to address the needs of patients in secondary care. Up to a maximum of 3 companies will be funded up to a maximum of £25,000 each and the project will last up to 6 months. Closes 13 June.
Northern Ireland Dept. of Health, Social Services & Public Safety (DHSSPS) - Connected Health SBRI competitions (contd.)
2. Home Medication Management for the Elderly to Support Domiciliary Care Services – ‘HOME’
The competition is seeking to source new innovative technology solutions that help domiciliary care service users to gain the optimal benefit from their prescribed medication. Up to 6 companies will be funded up to a maximum of £80,000 each for a Phase 1 feasibility study, lasting no more than 6 months. Closes 22 June, 15:00.
Public funding calls OrganiCity
The OrganiCity experimentation platform, tools and urban data streams are ready to host your projects. Your urban experiment can improve the challenges faced by Aarhus, London or Santander; and help test and develop the capabilities of the OrganiCity platform.
OrganiCity is now inviting proposals for experiments to run in our three lead cities. The open call offers funding of up to 60.000 € to kick start your ideas or projects – closes 29 June.
More info on: organicity.eu
Public funding calls Feature Documentary Development Call – Northern Ireland ScreenNorthern Ireland Screen seeks applications to develop feature documentaries that will deliver unique visions and voices on universal stories from Northern Ireland resident filmmakers. The maximum amount that can be requested is £7,500 based on a budget of £10,000. Northern Ireland Screen’s contribution cannot exceed 75% of the budget – deadline for applications Friday 1st July.
More info on: northernirelandscreen.co.uk
Horizon 2020 (H2020)Key feature: The H2020 programme is the major funding
opportunity for R&D initiatives across Europe running up until 2020. There is a strong emphasis on creative industries, design and digital technologies.
Upcoming calls:
Full details about the workplan for the Information and Communication Technologies Call are available here. Calls within the H2020 ICT work plan that are relevant to the creative and digital industries include:
SME Instrument Phase 1: Engaging SMEs in security research and development – Multiple cut-off deadlines 2016/17
SME Instrument Phase 2: Engaging SMEs in security research and development – Multiple cut-off deadlines 2016/17
Horizon 2020 Upcoming calls:
Cyber Security for SMEs, local public administration and Individuals – Deadline 25 August 2016
Economics of Cybersecurity – Deadline 25 August 2016
Cyber Security for SMEs, local public administration and Individuals – Deadline 25 August 2016
Engaging private consumers towards sustainable energy – Deadline 15 September 2016
ICT 19: Media Content and Convergence – Deadline 8 November 2016
ICT 4: Smart Anything Everywhere Initiative - Deadline 8 November 2016
Horizon 2020 Upcoming calls:
ICT 8: 5G PPP Convergent Technologies – Deadline 8 November 2016
ICT 11: Collective Awareness Platforms for Sustainability and Social Innovation – Deadline 25 April 2017
ICT 20: Tools for smart digital content in the creative industries - Deadline 25 April 2017
Addressing Advanced Cyber Security Threats and Threat Actors – Deadline 24 August 2017
Further information on H2020 Work Programmes can also be found here.
Horizon 2020 A list of all upcoming Knowledge Transfer Network events offering information and support in connection with H2020 funding programmes is available here.
KTN Guide to Horizon 2020 and Other European Funding for the Creative Industries
This is a short guide to help you submit a proposal for the Horizon 2020 funding programme (H2020), as well as describing other European Commission funding sources. It provides a brief overview of how to apply, things to think about, where to get support and useful links.
You can also keep up to date with the latest info via our Creative, Digital and Design portal and by joining our dedicated LinkedIn group.
H2020 SME Innovation AssociateKey feature: The H2020 SME Innovation Associate is a new pilot action under the EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme 'Horizon 2020’ that will support 90 European SMEs and Start-ups to recruit post-doctoral research associates from other countries to explore an innovation business idea. The following costs are eligible under this programme: salary of the researcher for a period of one year; relocation cost for the researcher up to a maximum total of €5000; travel and subsistence costs related to the training.
Deadline to apply: 30 June 2016
More info at ec.europa.eu
Creative Europe
MEDIA: Networks of Cinemas – Deadline 8 June 2016
MEDIA: Online Distribution – Deadline 21 June 2016
MEDIA: Distribution – Automatic Support 2015 – Deadline 2 August 2016
MEDIA: Distribution – Support to Sales Agents – Deadline 1 March 2017
MEDIA: Distribution – Automatic Support 2016 – Deadline 1 August 2017
Further information on Creative Europe funding available here.
Other public funding
• Wellcome Trust Arts Awards – offer two levels of funding to encourage collaboration between arts and science.
• Creative Scotland Open Project Funding - This fund supports the arts, screen and creative industries, with projects that help them explore, realise and develop their creative potential.
• Funding Central and Finance Funder - Online guide to over 4,000 grants, contracts and other forms of finance: fully searchable based on finance type, scale and your geographical location; especially good for businesses seeking charitable or grant funding.
Other public funding• Creative Skillset - Creative Skillset directs collective
investment through the Skills Investment Fund to create new and innovative training in priority skills and in-demand roles to ensure growth in the UK’s Creative Industries.
• Creative Industry Finance - Delivered by Creative United and funded by Arts Council England, this programme is designed to assist creative and cultural enterprises in securing access to loan finance from £2,500 upwards.
• Arts Council of Wales – offer a selection of arts grants for creative professionals and organisations.
Thursday, 19 May 2016 from 11:00 to 14:00 – Oxford Town Hall, Oxford City Council, St. Aldgate’s, Oxford OX1 1BX
Are you looking to grow your digital business? Join us and Innovate UK in Oxford for the May Regional Digital Business Drop-In event with hosted by the Knowledge Transfer Network. This event is for digital companies across various sectors and industries looking to access funding and support to grow. There will be presentations from Innovate UK and the KTN on the types of support and funding available the event is followed by a networking lunch.
Further info and registration details available here
KTN Events
Regional Digital Business Drop-In
18:30-21:00, Thursday 26 May 2016 – Fountain Room, The Barbican, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS
Artful Spark is a quarterly event series that celebrates the brilliant collaborations that come when different disciplines collide. After recent sell-out events focussed on wearables and immersive sound, this latest iteration will be discussing sensors.
Join thinkers, makers, coders and creators for a night of inspirational keynotes, practical demonstrations and discussion. How can Sensors transform storytelling, audience engagement and social innovation? What's the secret to boundary-defying, cross-discipline collaboration?
Further info and registration details available here
Artful Spark #03 Sensors
09:30-12:00, Thursday 2 June 2016 – Digital Catapult Centre, 101 Euston Rd, London NW1 2RA
The Knowledge Transfer Network will be organising an informal information sharing Business Drop-in session in London. The session is designed to support digital companies and learn more about Innovate UK, the Digital Catapult and other organisations and businesses that have opportunities and support for UK based businesses.
Representatives from across Innovate UK’s programmes will highlight a range of upcoming funding opportunities for digital companies, researchers and academic institutions working across a diverse range of sectors.
Please note: If you are interested in giving a 5 minute presentation, slots are given on a first come first served basis at the event.
Further info and registration details available here.
KTN Events
Digital Business Drop-In
8–10 July 2016 at the Future Cities Catapult, 1 Sekforde St, London EC1R 0BE
KTN teams up with Innovate UK, the Future Cities Catapult and AECHackathon (Architecture/Engineering/Construction) with a call out to data owners, urban living challenge custodians and future city opportunity visualisers to come and team-up with programmers, developers and designers.
Following the successful outcomes from the 2015 AEC Hackathon, this year even more BIM (Building Information Modelling), unprecedented/unique building performance and urban data sets will be placed on the table for the teams to unpack and rebuild.
There are prizes too under the following categories: Best overall project; Best project that solves a big AEC problem; Best digital cities project; Best hack from a past event.
More information including how to register at aechackathon.com
AEC Hackathon 3.3 LONDON
The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) is working with Innovate UK to develop the scope of this competition, that is being funded from the BIS £100 million intelligent mobility fund. In support of this programme KTN will be running three stakeholder workshops:
16 June – Milton Keynes
23 June – Coventry
28 June - London
CCAV welcomes input from attendees from diverse industry sectors including: OEMs, design, digital, gaming, creative industries, navigation, communications (mobile, V2V, V2I), ICT, semi-conductor design, materials, Internet of Things (IoT), image processing, sensors (cameras, Lidar etc ), computer vision and perhaps more…
KTN Events
Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (C-CAV) 2 Stakeholder Workshops
3-5 June The Trampery, 239 Old St, London, EC1V 9EY
MasterCard is scouring London for the best tech entrepreneurs to battle it out in a Hackathon to create digital products that enhance the way we travel.
MasterCard Trip Hack is a weekend long competition where you create an idea, turn it into a digital product and pitch it to senior figures from MasterCard and their partner, British Airways. The competition is open to entrepreneurs, developers, designers, marketers, bloggers… anyone with big ideas on how to revolutionise travel.
The winning idea will receive £10,000, business support from The Traveltech Lab and a slot to pitch your idea at a high profile event during London Tech Week.
More information including how to register at mastercardtriphack.com
MasterCard Trip Hack
Digital Technology in Wealth & Asset Management – London, 18-19 May
Code Creators Summit – London, 24 May
How computational science is transforming design – London, 24 May
Creative Cloud: Content Velocity Seminar – Leeds, 24 May
Future of British Manufacturing – Coventry, 25 May
Dundee Design Festival – Dundee, 25-28 May
Digital Engineering & Test Centre APC Spoke Launch – London, 16 June
Sónar+D – Barcelona, 16-18 June
IFB 2016 Creative and Digital Week – Liverpool, 26 June-1 July
Other events
Public Investment
Arts Impact Fund
Key feature: Funded by Arts Coucil England, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and Nesta, the Arts Impact Fund is a new £7million initiative set up to demonstrate the potential for social investment in arts. It offers repayable finance to arts organisations working in England that can show how they are sustainable, have great artistic ambitions and have a positive impact on society in at least one of the following areas: citizenship & community, young people & educational attainment, health & wellbeing.Scale: between £150k - £600k
Closes: on-goingMore info on: Arts Impact Fund
Public Investment Creative Skillset Film Skills Fund
Key feature: The Creative Skillset Film Skills Fund is dedicated to supporting film-specific training. You can benefit directly through funding for training - grants of money towards the costs of courses.
Craft and Technical Bursaries – up to £800 for film professionals working in eligible craft and technical departments to spend on training
International Scholarships – up to £5,000 for experienced film professionals to attend intensive and high-level developmental programmes in the UK or overseas
Management and Leadership Bursaries – up to £1,000 for film professionals to spend on training and professional development
More info on creativeskillset.org
Accelerator ProgrammesFashion Tech start ups in the UK have until 23rd of May to apply for the ASOS and Wayra accelerator programme. The eight month programme is offering £34,000 in direct investment, dedicated acceleration services, intensive mentoring and office space to a select number of innovative startups in the fashion sector.
MassChallenge UK connects high-impact, early stage startups with mentors, partners and investors, while providing the most high-impact support during a 4-month accelerator programme in London. Teams within the accelerator are eligible to compete for shares of £500,000 in cash to be awarded at the end of the programme. Early Bird Deadline June 16 / Regular Deadline June 29.
Accelerator ProgrammesStartupbootcamp FinTech provides funding, mentorship, London office space and access to a global network of investors and VCs, for up to 10 selected FinTech startups. Applications open 21 March & close 26 June.
Toppitch - Challenging wearable tech entrepreneurs to present a product that is stylish, functional and in-demand with the its customers, Topshop are inviting entrepreneurs and start-ups from around the world to apply for a ‘bootcamp’ programme created by Topshop and investment partner L Marks, with intensive coaching on how to bring your product to market and the chance to pitch to Topshop and Sir Philip Green.
Private financingEdge Investments is the specialist investment house focused on the creative industries sector, in particular media and entertainment. Launched last month the Edge Creative Enterprise Fund is a £40m fund raised, with UK Government support, to invest in high growth companies in the creative industries.
Balderton has a track record of helping entrepreneurs build substantial businesses – with more $250m+ exits in the past five years than any other European venture firm
Connect Ventures, London – invest in mobile, internet and digital media businesses; invest at the early stage and focus on seed investments; investment size ranges from £200K-£600k
Index Ventures, London, San Francisco & Geneva – venture capital firm making investments in information technology and life sciences companies, since 1996 they have teamed up with technology entrepreneurs in more than 30 countries
Private financingNotion Capital, London – invest in B2B Cloud & SaaS companies who have sustained 100% Year-over-Year growth; investment areas include adtech, communications and collaboration tools, ecommerce, enterprise software, fintech and security; portfolio raised over £200m in 2014
Hoxton Ventures, partners with founders seeking to invent new market categories or transform large, existing industries; their sweet spot is internet, mobile and software startup investing - up to $2m
The Business Finance Guide, devised for businesses and advisers by the ICAEW Corporate Finance Faculty together with the British Business Bank and is supported by 17 major professional, membership and representative organisations; outlines sources of finance available to businesses – ranging from start-ups to SMEs and growing mid-sized companies
The UK Business Angels Association is the national trade association representing angel and early-stage investment in the UK.
Private financingBetter Business Finance is an excellent tool for identifying the right type of finance at all stages of a business as well as identifying providers who can help. This section provides a searchable directory of information about the members of the UK Business Angels Association, what services they provide and how to contact them.
British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association provides an explanation of different types of financing and other resources for entrepreneurs.
The AngelCo Fund is a £100m investment fund with objectives to back promising UK businesses at all stages of development and in most sectors, provided they qualify as an SME.
If you are you a project promoter based in the EU, and want to reach potential investors worldwide, register your project in the European Investment Project Portal (EIPP).
Other financing mechanismsCrowdfunder.co.uk – UK’s largest crowdfunding network having launched 1000’s of projects and raised over £2m, platform launched by KEO digital and partners include Nesta and Creative England
Funding Circle – an online marketplace which allows savers to lend money directly to SMEs; as of February 2014 Funding Circle has facilitated £223m in loans to SMEs
Crowd2Fund – a crowdfunding platform designed to enable a range of funding options, from loans to equity
SyndicateRoom – equity crowdfunding platform for investing in UK startups backed by experience business angels
CrowdShed - covers rewards, lending and donation-based crowdfunding opportunities, focused on creative, academic, charity and cause-based projects.
Launching a new business?• Tech City UK offers advice and support to start-ups looking for
guidance in and around London. It has launched its Digital Business Academy. Tech City UK can also endorse visa applications to help recruit talent to Britain.
• Innovate UK - IC tomorrow connects start-ups and SMEs with leading commercial partners and investors, through funded contests, events, and strategic matchmaking opportunities.
• Enterprise Europe Network is a key instrument in the EU's strategy to boost growth and jobs. Bringing together around 600 business support organisations from more than 60 countries, EEN help small companies seize unparalleled business opportunities in the EU Single Market.
• Seedcamp is a London based accelerator that provides startups with seed money, mentorship, office space, support over a year long programme.
Launching a new business?• The British Business Angels Association can help put you in
touch with relevant business angel investors.
• Aimed at creative industries businesses seeking funding and investment from both traditional and non-traditional sources, the ‘Routes to Finance’ guide is a new initiative by the ICAEW’s Corporate Finance Faculty, supported by the Creative Industries Federation and 52 organisations in the UK’s creative economy.
• As the membership body for providers of enterprise support services in London, Capital Enterprise and its members provide a wide range of support services including advice, training, mentoring, accelerator programmes, specialist technical expertise, networking, soft loan finance and incubator accommodation to both pre-start and trading entrepreneurs and small businesses in all 33 London Boroughs.
Launching a new business?• Transmit Start Ups provide financial support and mentoring
to creative and digital entrepreneurs that would not normally be available via traditional banking relationships
• AIM Start Up Loans - Government supported start-up loans for the Creative Industries.
• The Open Data Institute runs a start-up programme that helps start-ups build business models around open data
• The Path Forward features The Path - a practical and interactive methodology to assist entrepreneurs take a valid idea from concept to valuable business in 12 months.
• European Startup Resource Page - a Techstars idea to help founders of European startups save time and internal resources by supplying some useful templates, valuable resources and good examples.
Are you an existing business seeking non-financial advice or support?• Nesta’s creative business mentor network offers
ambitious businesses looking to grow one-one mentoring with some of the creative digital sector’s most successful leaders
• The UKTI offers advice to help with exporting
• Tech City UK can help advise on inward investment
• The Digital Catapult can help you showcase your business
Are you an existing business seeking advice or support?• AngelList – helps source angel investors • Capital List - is an investor-introduction service
available free of charge to London based SMEs as part of the Capital Accelerator Programme
• Interactive Scotland is a Scottish Enterprises project providing specialist expert advice to all Digital and Creative Businesses across Scotland
• Grant Thornton provide a specialist service for R&D tax relief/ credits claims
Industry specific support• The Digital Catapult is working with Innovate UK to
research, develop and deliver datasets and lessons for industry from the Building Performance Evaluation programme through the development of the Building Data Exchange. This is a platform built to provide easy access to data, and stimulate the crossover of digital technology in the built environment in order to create a proactive community that drives rapid improvements in the performance of buildings. More info here.
• Launched May 2016 the EdTech Exchange is inviting membership according to the following criteria: a Founder or Co-founder of a European-based, early stage, EdTech start-up; raised at least £100k in financing; open to an honest and frank conversation with other Founders (possibly competitors!)
Industry specific support• F.I.R.E. (Fashion, Innovation, Research, Evolution) is an online space that aims to drive a more radical and experimental culture of research and development in the fashion and textile sector. It opens a new space to connect fashion researchers and academics with industry and encourage collaboration between designer fashion businesses and academic researchers in order to catalyse partnerships for innovation, bring research closer to the industry and stimulate sustainable business growth for the UK designer fashion sector.
• Launched May 2016 the EdTech Exchange is inviting membership according to the following criteria: a Founder or Co-founder of a European-based, early stage, EdTech start-up; raised at least £100k in financing; open to an honest and frank conversation with other Founders (possibly competitors!)
Personal Data and Trust Network
The network aims to build and nurture a community that brings together industry, the public sector, funders, research organisations and innovators to support the UK in becoming the global leader in trust and responsible innovation with personal data.
For more information and to join, visit pdtn.org.
Training and skills
• Training in Open Data from the Open Data Institute
• Digital Business Academy – via Tech City
• Digital Project Management – via @IABUK
• Digital Acceleration – via @hyperisland_uk
• Digital training – via @Econsultancy – e-marketing courses
Useful reports/ market research
• Innovate UK - Additive manufacturing: mapping UK research into 3D printing
• KTN – A Guide to Horizon 2020 and Other European Funding for the Creative Industries
• KTN – Design in Innovation: using design early for greater success
• Imperial College / Citi – Releasing The Flow of Digital Money
• Nesta – Business Insights 2016
• Samsung – Smart Things Future Living