Creative, Digital & Design Business Briefing July 2015

Creative, Digital & Design Business Briefing

A digest of useful information for UK businesses seeking funding and support, updated monthly

July 2015

@KTN_Creative

Brought to you by the following organisations:

Contents

• Upcoming events• KTN events• Public funding calls• Other public funding• Public investment• Private financing • Other financing mechanisms• Launching a new business?• Non-financial support for your business • Training & skills• Useful reports

Upcoming Events

New Designers – London, 2-3 July

Four Days to Launch Event – Swansea, 7 July

Digital Business Drop-In – London, 9 July

Funding for Innovation for Creative Enterprises – Manchester, 9 July

Virtual and Augmented Reality Innovation Contest Briefing – London, 13 July

The Culture Capital Exchange Annual Conference – London, 14 July

Virtual and Augmented Reality Innovation Contest Briefing – Manchester, 15 July

The Future of Fashion Tech – London, 21 July

Upcoming Events contd.

IoT £10M Cities Demonstrator - London Briefing – 21 July

IoT £10M Cities Demonstrator - Edinburgh Briefing – 23 July

IoT £10M Cities Demonstrator - Belfast Briefing – 24 July

IoT £10M Cities Demonstrator - Cardiff Briefing – 28 July

IoT £10M Cities Demonstrator - Birmingham Briefing – 29 July

Game Developers Conference Europe 2015 – Cologne, 3-4 August

ICT 2015 Innovate, Connect, Transform (H2020) – Lisbon 20-22 October

Innovate 2015 – London 9-10 November (early bird tickets now on sale)

KTN Events

12.30-15:00, Thursday 9 July – Digital Catapult Centre, 101 Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 2RA

Key feature: An informal information sharing session designed to support digital companies and learn more about Innovate UK and the Digital Catapult. This session will include representatives from across Innovate UK’s programmes highlighting 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.More info on: Digital Catapult

Digital Business Drop-In

KTN at New Designers 2015Business Design Centre, Upper St, Islington, London N1

Industry Workshops, 2 July: a series of interactive workshops for industry, funders and university tutors to come together and learn more about the opportunities for design in innovation across a wide range of business sectors. Register your place at an individual workshop here.

Thursday Late – Industry Meets New Designers, 2 July: a collaboration with New Designers to showcase the UK’s amazing young design talent to leading industrialists, entrepreneurs and investors. Further information and ticket details available here.KTN Talks at New Designers, 3 July – Further details and ticket details available here.

Public funding calls

Key feature: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is to invest up to £10 million* in a single collaborative R&D project to demonstrate the capability of the Internet of Things (IoT) in a city region.

Scale: Up to £10 million

Briefing: This competition will be briefed in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and Birmingham. Closes: 30 September 2015 More info on: Bit.ly/iotcities

Internet of Things

Public funding calls

Key feature: This Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) themed competition seeks research proposals to develop a prototype solution to provide an unstructured and open-source data analytics platform for defence. Scale: £250,000 of funding is available for this Phase 1 competition, with a further £2 million potentially available for Phase 2.

Briefing: This competition will be briefed at a CDE Innovation Network webinar on the 16 July.

Closes: 13 August 2015 More info on: innovateuk.org

Open source big data insight

Public funding calls

Key feature: This Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) themed competition seeks to address the challenge of providing information about the layout and situation inside a building using novel techniques, remotely.Scale: £650,000 of funding is available for this Phase 1 competition.

Briefing: This competition will be briefed at a CDE Innovation Network event on 9 July 2015 in London and at a webinar on the 16 July.Closes: 10 September 2015 More info on: innovateuk.org

What’s inside that building?

Public funding calls

Key feature: This CDE themed competition seeks research proposals for innovative approaches to improve the way humans interact with data to allow them to understand what’s going on in cyberspace.Scale: £500,000 of funding is available for Phase 1 of this competition.

Briefing: This competition will be briefed at a CDE Innovation Network event on 9 July 2015 in London and at a webinar on the 16 July. Closes: 10 September 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Understand and interact with cyberspace

Public funding calls

Key feature: Investment to stimulate the development of innovative new products, services and systems that disrupt the institutional long-term care model. This SBRI competition is open to large enterprises, SMEs, micro businesses, entrepreneurs, third sector, public and private sector.

Scale:

• Up to £4m

Closes: 26 August 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

The long-term care revolution national challenge

Public funding calls

Key feature: Innovate UK is to invest up to £10 million in collaborative research and development and feasibility studies to accelerate the commercialisation of highly innovative technologies for civil aerospace.

Scale: Up to £10m

Briefing: There will be a webinar briefing event for potential applicants on 15 July 2015.

Closes: 9 September 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Game-changing technologies for aerospace

Public funding calls

Key feature: Investment of up to £1m in innovative research and development projects centred on the emerging cluster of digital media businesses in Edinburgh.Scale:

• Funding of up to 70% of eligible costs for industrial research projects, with estimated project sizes ranging between £100,000 and £120,000.

Closes: 26 August 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Edinburgh digital media Launchpad

Public funding calls

Key feature: aim is to build a commercial ecosystem to exploit the commercial opportunities of “omics” (e.g. genomics, proteomics etc.), systems biology and complex biological data streams

Scale: A mix of feasibility and collaborative R&D ranging from £150k to £400k

Closes: 1 July 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Finding Value in Complex Biological Data

Public funding calls

Key feature: Investment of up to £3 million in feasibility studies to stimulate innovation across four enabling technology areas that underpin future UK growth: advanced materials; biosciences; electronics, sensors and photonics; and information and communication technology (ICT).

Closes: 2 September 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Technology inspired innovation

Public funding calls

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. All calls will be published in October 2015.

Info days: ICT 2015 – Lisbon, 20-22 OctoberThe key EC Info Day of 2015 for all calls under ICT (under which many are relevant to creative, digital and design businesses).  A great way to meet potential partners, programme officers and to find out more about calls. Registration is free but fills up fast.

KTN will be running a number of events in London and Europe in 2015-16 to help UK businesses learn more about relevant calls and to help find partners to build consortia. More info on the KTN Creative, Digital & Design portal.

H2020

Public funding calls

Eurostars 2015

Key feature: The Eurostars programme is targeted at innovative SMEs wanting to take part in collaborative research with partners across Europe and associated countries. Only Research Performing SMEs are eligible for funding in the UK.

Scale: Grant, per UK partner, is up to a maximum of 360,000 Euros [on maximum eligible costs of €600,000] per UK participant in a project - 60% grant rate.

Closes: 17 July 2015

More info on: the H2020 portal

Public funding calls

Key feature: Innovation voucher scheme funding for start-up, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to work with an external expert to gain the knowledge to innovate and grow.

Scale:

• Up to £5k voucher for SMEs

Closes: 22 July 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Innovation Vouchers

Public funding calls

"Smart" grants for start-ups and small businesses

Key feature: A grant scheme which offers funding to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in R&D projects in the strategically important areas of science, engineering and technology.

Scale:• Proof of market - up to £25k - 60% of project cost• Proof of concept - up to £100k - 60% of project cost• Prototype development - up to £250k - up to 45% of

project cost

Closes: 16 July 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Creative England film production funding

Key feature: Creative England now offers two strands of film production funding for both feature and high-end TV drama.

• Lottery-based Production Fund: this is targeted at feature films with budgets of up to £2m and looking to experiment with innovative approaches; the fund has doubled from £500K to £1m for 2014/2015.

• West Midlands Production Fund: invests in the production of feature films and high-end TV drama from companies based in the West Midlands as well as from producers looking to establish a base to film in the region. Circa £4m funding available for 2015, with a maximum investment of £1m per project.

More info at creativeengland.co.uk

Public funding calls

Public Investment

Nesta Impact Investment Fund

Key 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 - £1m

Closes: on-going

More info on: Nesta Investments

Other public funding• Creative Europe  - here you can find relevant information

concerning funding opportunities within the Creative Europe programme.

• Arts Council of Wales – offer a selection of arts grants for creative professionals and organisations.

• Wellcome Trust Arts Awards – offer two levels of funding to encourage collaboration between arts and science.

• Screen Yorkshire – Yorkshire Content Fund – production finance available; can invest £1m+ in individual film or TV dramas that will be in production by December 2015.

• ODI Summer Showcase - £7,000 to support your open data project, 5 UK open data projects generating real-world impact with open data, to help develop and share their stories worldwide.

Other public funding• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Private financing

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 financing

Notion 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, expertise from over a million members in businesses, finance providers and advisory firms and organisations

Private financing

• Better 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 UK Business Angels Association is the national trade association representing angel and early-stage investment in the UK.

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; the first site to use peer-to-peer lending for business funding in the UK; as of February 2014 Funding Circle has facilitated £223 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

Launching a new business?• The Open Data Institute runs a start-up programme that

helps start-ups build business models around open data

• 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.

• Transmit Start Ups provide financial support and mentoring to creative and digital entrepreneurs that would not normally be available via traditional banking relationships.

Launching a new business?• School for Creative Start-ups - delivers programmes that

teach people how to start and run better businesses.

• AIM Start Up Loans - Government supported start-up loans for the Creative Industries.

• Seedcamp is a London based accelerator that provides startups with seed money, mentorship, office space, support over a year long programme.

• The British Business Angels Association can help put you in touch with relevant business angel investors

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?

• Subsidised costs to work with a specialist to build and deliver business growth – GrowthAccelerator

• Use the IP Health check to identify commercial IP in your business

• AngelList – helps source angel investors

• 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

Personal Data and Trust Network

A digital business network 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 the Digital Catapult website

Training and skills

• Training in Open Data from the Open Data Institute

• Digital Project Management – via @IABUK

• Digital Acceleration – via @hyperisland_uk

• Digital training – via @Econsultancy – e-marketing courses

Develop your skills with these world-class courses:

Useful reports/ market research• The Open Data Institute’s - Roadmap for the UK

• World Economic Forum - Technology 2015 report

• Nesta – Creativity vs Robots

• UK Gov - cyber-security and the insurance sector

• ICO’s - guide to good data protection practice

• AoP’s - Digital Landscape 2015 report

• Apple’s platform for digital healthcare - article via Techcrunch

Useful reports/ market research

• Ernst & Young - Landscape of UK Fin-tech report

• TubeMogul – A UK Advertiser’s Guide to Programmatic TV

• KTN - Design and Data Visualisation

• Digital High Street Advisory Board – Digital High Street 2020

• ICAEW – Corporate Financier June 2015

Something else we've missed?

Please let us know: cdd@ktn-uk.org

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