£225K Digital Innovation Contest - Cross-Sector Exploration

£225k in funding to work with the UK’s leading creative brands



IC tomorrow is running the £225k 'Digital Innovation Contest – Cross-sector Exploration' to encourage digital innovation across three themes  - retail, events and analytics.

Winners will receive up to £25k each (excluding VAT) in funding and have the opportunity to trial their solution with the relevant contest challenge partner, including Argos, Procter & Gamble, Holition, SYCO, Live Nation, Penguin Random House, the British Film Institute, LIFT (supported by Saatchi & Saatchi), and The Barbican.  We are looking for great ideas that address one of the nine contest challenges.

Who should sign up: The contest is open to EU-based start-ups and SMEs; it is not necessary to have an existing app or service to apply, or to be currently active in any of the challenge sectors.

Briefing Event: Wednesday 29 January,  Rich Mix, London, E1 6LA
This event is a great opportunity for anyone who is thinking about entering the contest to ensure their application fits the judging criteria. We will also be running a live webinar for anyone who is unable to attend in person.
Register at: http://www.bit.ly/crosssector
 

Closing date for applications: 12noon, Wednesday 26 February 2013.

If you are a digital company and would like to learn more or apply, please visit  http://www.bit.ly/crosssector
Want to know more?
Go toIC Tomorrow _Connect
Contact the IC tomorrow team:
Helpline: 0300 321 4358 (Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm)
Email: ictomorrow@innovateuk.org

Event- Digital Innov-8 28th January

Are you interested in learning more about how digital technologies will drive economic development, create businesses and shape Smart Cities of the future?   Join Coventry University and the Local Economic Partnership (LEP) network for their exciting and informative conference “Digital Innov-8” on 28th January 2014 at Coventry University Technology Park.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Mike Short, Vice President of Telefonica Europe and Dr. Nick Appleyard, Head of Digital for the Technology Strategy Board as well as interactive sessions to experience the latest in digital technologies for your self. 

Throughout the day you will hear about the influences digital technology has on growing businesses, how the internet is constantly changing the way we do things and why harnessing technology will create smart and connected cities. You will see how Coventry University’s spin-out company Serious Games International are using visualisation, simulation and serious games technology to support the UK business to set themselves apart from their competitors.  You will also have the opportunity to take part in demonstrations of the latest digital technologies including an immersive racing car simulator, multi-touch tables, SMART TVs and photography equipment at the ERDF funded Touch Digital TechLab.

The event starts at 9am and will conclude with a networking lunch at 1.30pm.

To see full agenda and book a free place please go to http://digitalinnov-8coventryuni.eventbrite.co.uk


Louise Fidler
Programmes Manager

Touch Digital
Coventry University Enterprises Ltd, The TechnoCentre, Puma Way, Coventry, CV1 2TT
Tel: 07974 984979
Email: lfidler@cad.coventry.ac.uk
Web: www.coventry.ac.uk

Touch Digital is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund

Another fantastic opportunity!

We've had this fantastic email in our inbox this morning. It sounds almost too good to be true!

Are you a UK creative innovator? Need a grant to meet up with your opposite numbers in the Far East? Check out the opportunity being offered below...

UK-China 'Design in Innovation' Forum and Business Partnering Workshop 

This initiative is being organised by BIS/ FCO Science and Innovation Network (SIN), Innovate China UK (ICUK) and the Technology Strategy Board/ Creative Industries KTN and will visit the cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou between 14-18th October, 2013.

The mission will connect UK creative innovators and designers with their counterparts and technology-based companies in China across target sectors including creative economy, sustainability, additive manufacturing, future cities and digital healthcare.

Travel and accommodation grants will be offered to 10 successful applicants. Further information including a downloadable application form can be found on the website here. Completed application forms should be returned to richard@creativeindustriesktn.org by Monday, August 5th.

3D Print event - do.CAKE 25th June

You are invited to attend the next FREE do.CAKE morning 10am on Tuesday 25th June 2013, at do.collaboration's Chowen and Garfield Weston Foundation Prototyping Hall. This month's exciting theme is 3D printing and there will be presentations from Black Country Atelier and 3D Creation Lab.

To find out more and register, visit http://docake.eventbrite.co.uk/

image credit Keith Kissel

Venue:

do.collaboration Hub
Chowen and Garfield Weston Foundation Prototyping Hall, 

Ground Floor, ERI Building
University of Birmingham, Pritchatts Road, Edgbaston
United Kingdom, B15 2TT

Digital Media start-up? Could you use this opportunity?

UK start ups with a winning idea in ICT could win an opportunity to pitch to 200 potential investors at Global Corporate Venturing's London symposium in London on 21-22 May 2013.

Although the emphasis is on ICT, we're sure that there are many Digital Media Businesses who fit the bill. Check out the full article here

Pioneers Into Practice- opportunity for Digital Media Businesses

Yet another fantastic opportunity for businesses in the Digital Media Sector, sent to us by Susannah Goh at Birmingham Science City.

If you are would like to explore possibilities and collaborative partnerships, contact Susannah Goh at Birmingham Science City s.goh@aston.ac.uk

Susannah's email:
Our partners, Katharine Fuller and Alexa Torlo-Hartwell, of BCU have informed me of a fantastic opportunity for creative digital businesses that would be interested in working in the fields of sustainability, low-carbon and climate change.

BCU has two places for professionals to work on applied knowledge-exchange within the university for one month, followed by a further month in an overseas placement (at a partner organisation within another European country).  The knowledge exchange works both ways, so the professionals (known as ‘pioneers’) will be learning from as well as contributing to very practical and hands-on work environments.  The two months are fully funded.  More information can be found in the email below and here:
http://www.climate-kic.org/entrepreneurs/professional-education

The current round of applications closes at the end of this month, so please contact Katharine as soon as possible if you are interested.   You will need to fill in an application form, but I have been told that this is a concise process and will not take time to complete.

Katharine can be reached at: Katharine.Fuller@bcu.ac.uk


Good luck and all the best!

Digital Opportunity

The third digital opportunity from Susannah Goh at Birmingham Science City- Thanks again Susannah!


If you are would like to explore possibilities and collaborative partnerships, contact Susannah Goh at Birmingham Science City s.goh@aston.ac.uk

Digital Innovation Contest 2013

Funding of up to £25K per award can be won for digital  prototyping.

The Technology Strategy Board notes the following:

The contest is offering seven awards… each to develop innovative commercial prototypes that meet the following challenges:

•     Beyond the ebook, in partnership with HarperCollins
•     Social and recommendation, in partnership with Constable & Robinson
•     Next generation location specific advertising, in partnership with MediaCom
•     Innovation in outdoor signage for brands and advertisers, in partnership with Ogilvy and JCDecaux
•     Enhanced digital content, in partnership with FreemantleMedia UK
•     Developing the TV, in partnership with Samsung
•     Exploring mobile-influenced content, in partnership with YouTube

The submissions deadline is 24th April.

For further details go to:

https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/digital-innovation-contest-2013/overview

There will be a briefing event in London and a briefing webinar, to book either click here 

New Digital Opportunity

Susannah Goh, Demonstrator Development Manager of Birmingham Science City has sent us details of some new digital opportunities.Thanks Susannah! Follow on twitter @BhamScienceCity

If you are would like to explore possibilities and collaborative partnerships, contact Susannah Goh at Birmingham Science City s.goh@aston.ac.uk

Opportunity -Funding for ‘businesses and research institutes who have worked together to successfully deploy digital technologies in the Creative Industries’.  This includes SMEs.

The DigiBIC Award rewards businesses and research institutes who have worked together to successfully deploy digital technologies in the Creative Industries. It recognises the impact of successful technology deployment on the growth and development of individual companies.

Winners will receive a cash prize and an expenses-paid trip to pitch to an audience of investment, innovation and business incubation specialists at the EBN Annual Congress in Derry-Londonderry on 29-31 May 2013.
The deadline is 26th March.
 For more details follow this link...

Do.cake event 26th March

Book for the next University of Birmingham do.cake event here 

See below for details from the do.cake page...

Given the wide and diverse range of academics, businesses, students and Heritage organisations working collaboratively on the DHD project, we will be hosting FREE monthly “cake” (Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange) mornings to showcase current developments, discuss funding opportunities and tackle current challenges. Given the name of the event - it goes without saying that there will be cake!

Tuesday 26th March 2013

DHD Tacking Demonstration

This month's CAKE morning will be very exciting as in the Chowen Prototyping Hall; we will host our first public demonstration of our full-room tracking system.  This setup uses 16 VICON cameras - the same technology that Hollywood uses to motion capture for feature films!

We can currently track 20 users simultaneously and you are invited to take part in this demo.  On entering the hall, you will be provided with either a hat or glasses with trackable sensors.  You will log into our system using the browser on your mobile phone and associate your tracking headwear with your own account.  From then on all your movements in the room will be monitored.  We will record where you move, what you look at and how you interact with our touch screens and tables.  We will finish by showing some simple analysis of the data we've collected during CAKE.

If you have any special requirements or are looking to get something specific out of a CAKE morning, please do not hesitate to get in touch at contacts@dhd.bham.ac.uk or by phone on 0121 414 9153.

We are located in the ERI building, off Pritchatts Road in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Our nearest pay and display car park is the North Car Park on the opposite side of the road. If you put our post code into a satellite navigation system, it will direct you to the University of Birmingham Edgbaston campus. You can access printable directions and a map by going to our University web page at www.birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/hclh/contact/index.aspx.

 Cake events take place on the first Tuesday of every month. If you would like to present or show a demonstration please contact Nadia Wood, Project Manager at contacts@dhd.bham.ac.uk or 0121 414 9153.

Take part in the Creative Industries​ Strategy Survey and​ MAYBE WIN AN iPAD T​OO!​

We had the following email from Creative Industries KTN and thought we should share, it's your last chance to make your thoughts known!

"In 2009 the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) published its first Creative Industries Strategy. That document, published after extensive consultation with industry and academia, identified five major areas for action to support innovation and growth:

1. Enabling content data and metadata infrastructure development.
2. Improving interoperability and increasing convergence cross-platform.
3. Promoting knowledge sharing and multidisciplinary collaboration.
4. Working closely with business and with public sector stakeholder organisations.
5. Exploitation of other emergent opportunities

Four years on, the Creative Industries Knowledge Transfer Network (CI KTN) is working with the TSB to re-visit and refresh that strategy. Are the priorities established four years ago stil l valid? What should be the major areas for action in the next three to five year period?

One significant development since the 2009 consultation is the growth of the CI KTN membership – a network of people and businesses deeply involved in the issues which the TSB strategy should address. We’re very keen to get your input to the formulation of this revised strategy: what are your priorities for research, development and innovation in a world where new technologies and changing behaviours continue to cause radical disruption?

Please share your views by completing the Creative Industries Strategy Review Survey, which shouldn't take more than 10 minutes of your time.

For our part, we’ll make sure that you receive a summary of the survey results and all completed surveys will also be entered into a PRIZE DRAW TO WIN AN APPLE iPAD!

For more information and to take part in the survey, click here "