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Creative, Digital & Design Business Briefing
A digest of useful information for UK businesses seeking funding and support, updated monthly
December 2015
@KTN_Creative
Brought to you by the following organisations:
Contents
• Public funding calls• Horizon 2020• Other public funding• KTN events• Other events• Public investment• Private financing • Other financing mechanisms• Launching a new business?• Non-financial support for your business • Training & skills
Public funding calls
Key feature: Innovate UK is investing £175K to encourage innovation around ‘future retail’, across the themes of food waste reduction, virtual fitting, seamless shopping and enhancing in-store and market experiences.
Scale: Up to £35K for each of the selected 5 businesses
Register now for contest briefing event: London – 21 Jan 2016
Closes: 23 February 2016, 12:00
More info on: innovateuk.org
Future Retail
Public funding calls
Key feature: Innovate UK, RCUK & MoST for the People’s Republic of China are to invest up to £16 million in collaborative research & development projects that propose new commercial solutions to challenges impacting the socio-economic growth & development of China in relation to energy, healthcare, urbanisation and agri-food.
Scale: Up to £16 million
Closes: 27 January, 2016
More info: innovateuk.org
China–UK research and innovation bridges competition
Public funding calls
Key feature: Innovate UK and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is jointly investing up to £0.5m to help UK companies establish new Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) in the area of cyber security. The funding is aimed at supporting collaborations between HEIs and SMEs.
Scale: up to £500K
Closes: The final deadline for proposals will be 11 May 2016 but it is strongly recommended to apply as soon as possible.
More info on: _connect
Cyber Security KTP
Public funding calls
Key feature: Innovate UK is investing up to £1.5m in technical feasibility studies to encourage new entrants to the energy sector and stimulate the adoption of disruptive technologies. In order to encourage novel and radical solutions, projects must be led by an SME whose main business lies outside the energy sector.
Register now for brokerage and briefing events:
Glasgow – 23 Feb 2016,Birmingham – 25 Feb 2016, London – 6 April 2016
Opens: 28 March 2016 Closes: 4 May 2016, 12:00
More info on: innovateuk.org
Energy Game Changer
Public funding calls Cyber Security Innovation Vouchers - Round 14Key feature: Funding for start-up, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to work with an external expert to gain the knowledge to innovate and grow. This voucher is only for cyber security advice including advice leading to certification under the Cyber Essentials Scheme.
Scale: Up to £5k funding for SMEs
Closes: 5 Jan 2016, 12:00
More info on: innovateuk.org
Public funding calls Smart 2015/16 – Round 4Key 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 costCloses: 21 January 2016More info on: innovateuk.org
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. Closes: 24 November 2020More info on: innovateuk.org
Creative England film production fundingKey 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 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
Creative Europe – MEDIA – Access to marketsKey feature: This scheme supports annual events and activities designed to facilitate access to markets for European audiovisual professionals and promote European films, TV programmes and video games. Proposed projects must fit into one of three categories:
Action 1: Access to physical markets for European audiovisual professionals Action 2: Online tools intended for audiovisual professionals Action 3: Common European promotional activities
Scale: The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at EUR 7 M Deadline: 28 January 2016
More info at creativeeuropeuk.eu
Public funding calls
Public funding calls Design-Based Consumer GoodsKey feature: This European Commission call for design-based consumer goods aims to shorten the time-to-market of innovative solutions, remove obstacles to wider application of creative solutions, create or enlarge markets for related products (or services) and finally improve the competitiveness of European SMEs in world markets.Scale: Up to EUR 4,000,000. The typical size of the EU contribution will be between EUR 800 000 and 1 million per selected project. The call expects to fund between 4-5 proposals.
Closes: 14 April 2016More info on: ec.europa.eu
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 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:
ICT 21: Support Technology Transfer to the Creative Industries - Deadline 12 April 2016
ICT 36: Boost Synergies between Artists, Creative People and Technologists - Deadline 12 April 2016
Horizon 2020 (H2020) contd. Upcoming calls:
ICT 24: Gaming and Gamification Deadline - Deadline 12 April 2016, 5pm
ICT 10: Future Internet Software Technologies - Deadline 12 April 2016, 5pm
ICT 22: Call Technologies for Learning and Skills - Deadline 12 April 2016, 5pm
ICT 19: Media Content and Convergence – Deadline 8 November 2016
ICT 4: Smart Anything Everywhere Initiative - Deadline 8 November 2016
Horizon 2020 (H2020) contd.
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
Further information on H2020 Work Programmes can also be found here.
Horizon 2020 (H2020) contd. 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.
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.
• Northern Film + Media – 'The Artists Cut 2016’ call is looking to award £5K each to three exceptional artists interested in broadening their practice by developing and producing a short narrative film for Channel 4’s Random Acts platform; deadline to apply 11 Jan, 2016.
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.
9:30-12:00, Thursday 7 January 2016 – Digital Catapult Centre, 101 Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 2RA
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.
Further info and registration details available here
KTN EVENTS
Digital Business Drop-In
11:00 to 14:00, Thursday 14 January 2016 – AQL, 11-15 Hunslett Rd, Leeds LS10 1JQ
An informal information sharing session designed to support creative, digital and design companies. This session will include representatives from across Innovate UK’s programmes highlighting a range of upcoming funding opportunities.
Further info and registration details available here
Regional Digital Business Drop-In
13:30 to 18:00, Thursday 21 January 2016 – Academy of Medical Sciences, 41 Portland Place, London W1B 1QH
The IC tomorrow Future Retail Innovation Contest is offering five businesses up to £35,000 each (excluding VAT) to encourage innovation within the themes of food waste reduction, seamless shopping, enhancing in-store experiences, future street and covered markets and the future of fit.
They are looking for digital solutions to address the challenges of enhancing experiences, services, and processes across the retail landscape – such as optimising virtual fit, improving accessibility of digital services in-store, empowering customers to reduce food waste, enhancing the street market experience and streamlining the process of replenishing everyday items within the home.
Further info and registration details available here
Future Retail Innovation Contest Briefing
These events offer urban authorities and also business the opportunity to access use cases for future cities solutions, and to have a say on the future of Innovate UK’s Urban Living Programme.
Over the past 2 years, Innovate UK has invested £33m in future cities demonstrators across Glasgow, London, Bristol and Peterborough. This series of workshops, one in each demonstrator city, will draw together the key players who made these interventions fly, sharing their learning and insights with other cities to help address a common challenge of how to mobilise investment in new smart city initiatives.
8 February 2016, London2 March 2016, Peterborough 13 April 2016, Glasgow
KTN events
City Demonstrator Learning Events
Innovate UK is investing up to £1.5m in technical feasibility studies to encourage new entrants to the energy sector and stimulate the adoption of disruptive technologies.
Innovate UK are looking for innovative proposals led by businesses from outside the energy sector such as automotive, defence, aerospace, creative industries, telecommunications and space. They believe this will require expertise in areas such as: inspection, ICT, digital, sensors, virtual reality, gaming, robotics, autonomous vehicles and high value manufacturing/materials.
Register now to secure your place at an event near you:
Glasgow – 23 Feb 2016,Birmingham – 25 Feb 2016, London – 6 April 2016
Energy Game Changer – Brokerage and Briefing Events
International ecommerce workshop – Glasgow, 13 January
£60K Organicity open call pre-launch and networking – London, 14 January
Digital Catapult Centre Brighton: Business Breakfast – Brighton, 15 January
Innovate. Accelerate. Grow (for IoT, Cybersecurity start-ups) – London, 12 January
Creative England Live 2016: Catalyse – London, 16 January
Masterclass in Investment Readiness – Bristol, 25 January
Better Cybersecurity, Better Business – Birmingham, 26 January
CCI Horizon – Pathways to joint research and innovation – London 1 February
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 ProgrammesThe DotForge Health & Data Accelerator is partnering with key health platform providers to help startups and early stage companies build the relationships they need to succeed in offering health based solutions. Selected companies will be offered £15,000 - £20,000 of investment on a convertible loan note and 3 months support, mentoring and office space in the heart of Leeds. Deadline to apply 11 January 2016.
Microsoft Ventures Accelerator is now accepting applications from later stage startups for its next London Accelerator programme. Benefits successful applicants will receive over 16 weeks from March 2016 include: free London office space, 1:1 mentorship, cutting-edge curriculum, BizSpark Plus and access to the Microsoft ecosystem and investor community. Deadline 31 January 2016.
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
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 UK Business Angels Association is the national trade association representing angel and early-stage investment in the UK.
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.
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?• 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.
• 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.
Launching a new business?• 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.
• 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.
• Transmit Start Ups provide financial support and mentoring to creative and digital entrepreneurs that would not normally be available via traditional banking relationships.
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
• Subsidised costs to work with a specialist to build and deliver business growth – GrowthAccelerator
• 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.
• Over the next few months Ogilvy Labs is embarking on its Retail Semester to ‘exhibit knowledge’ into five identified ‘pillars’: In-Store, Online, Payments, Operations and Engagement.
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 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
• In January / February Creative Skillset are running a number of free online courses in digital media
