Digital Business Briefing March 2015

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Digital Business Briefing A digest of useful information for UK digital businesses seeking funding and support, updated monthly March 2015 @KTN_Creative

Transcript of Digital Business Briefing March 2015

Digital Business Briefing

A digest of useful information for UK digital businesses

seeking funding and support, updated monthly

March 2015

@KTN_Creative

Brought to you by the following

organisations:

Contents

• Live public funding calls

• Other public funding

• Private financing

• Other financing mechanisms

• Non-financial support for your business

• Relevant events

• Other information

• Useful reports

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: 22nd April 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Innovation Vouchers

Public funding calls

Key feature: IC tomorrow is offering 5 businesses up to £35,000 each to

encourage innovation around financial technologies across the themes of

education, cyber security, transactions, personal finance management,

compliance and regulation.

Scale:

• 5 x £35k

Closes: 14th April 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Financial Technologies

Public funding calls

Key feature: Innovate UK and the FutureRailway programme are to invest

up to £6 million to support business innovation in digital technologies that

improve the customer experience in UK and international rail markets.

Scale:

• Up to £6 million

Opens: 9th March 2015 Closes: 22nd April 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Enhancing customer experience in rail travel

Public funding calls

Key feature: Investment of up to £4 million to support new ways of

enhancing user experience in retail.

News Story

Scale:

• Up to £4 million

Opens: 16th March 2015 Closes: 29th April 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Enhancing User Experience in Retail

Public funding calls

Key feature: Investment of up to £2 million to support feasibility studies

looking at innovative ways to improve the user experience in the digital

economy.

Scale:

• Up to £2 million

Opens: 16th March 2015 Closes: 29th April 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Enhancing User Experience Using Personal Data

Public funding calls

Wearable Technologies Innovation Contest

Key feature: The IC tomorrow Wearable Technologies Innovation contest

is aimed at encouraging innovation in wearable technology across the

themes of hospitality, accessibility, entertainment, design, sport and

wellbeing, health and safety.

Scale:

• 6 x projects up to £35K each

• 100% funded as a procurement

Closes 10th March 2015

More info on: innovate UK

Public funding calls

Childcare Provision for Parents

Key feature: Department of Education is seeking the development of

a new, engaging and innovative online solution which provides

accurate information about childcare provision for parents.

Scale:

• Up to £200k

• Will fund 100% as a procurement

Closes: registration closes Wednesday 25th March 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Public funding calls

Innovation in Retail Speed Networking

Key feature: The event will offer chosen companies a series of one-

to-one sessions with major retail brands including Argos, Snow &

Rock and Liberty of London. The speed networking format has been

designed to help connect start-ups and SMEs with larger commercial

partners to fuel understanding and enable partnerships.

Scale:

• Opportunity to present to big brands

• 15 places available

Closes: registration closes Monday 16th March 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Public funding calls

Protecting data in industry

Key feature:collaborative research and development (R&D) projects

that tackle the growing risks of disruption to internet-enabled

businesses and their digital supply chains.

Scale:

• Normally up to £750k

• Will fund up to 60%

Opens: 23rd March 2015 Closes: 29th April 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Public funding calls

Next Generation Predictive Policing

Key feature: Identify and develop innovative solutions that maximise

the effectiveness of resources and enhance the service provided to

the communities of Southern Wales.

Scale:

• £250k – procurement contract

• Will fund 100%

Closes: 6th March 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Public funding calls

Better interactions between people and machines –

Feasibility studies

Key feature: The aim is to encourage new and improved ways for

machines, their computing systems and people to interact.

Scale:

• Up to £500k

• Will fund up to 70%

Closes: registration closes Wednesday 25th March 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Public funding calls

Solving urban challenges with data – Feasibility study

Key feature: Investment for feasibility studies projects for innovative,

commercial solutions to increase the resilience, quality of life or economic

performance of urban areas by integrating environmental, social and/or

economic data with data from other sources.

Scale:

• Up to £2.5m

• Will fund up to 70%

Closes: registration closes Wednesday 11th March 2015; deadline for

applications Wednesday 18th March 2015.

More info on: innovateuk.org

Public funding calls

Key feature:

Scale:

• For businesses who want to work with an academic organisation

• Will fund up to 70% of project costs

Closes: 15th April 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Better interactions between people and machines

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships designed to help

develop new ways for people to interact with machines

Public funding calls

Key feature:

Scale:

• Up to £200k project size

• Will fund up to 75% of project costs

Closes: on 18th March 2015

More info on: innovate UK

Biomedical Catalyst – Feasibility Grants

Funding to develop and test solutions to healthcare

challenges – diagnostics, devices and data

Public funding calls

Key feature:

Scale:

• Up to £300k project size

• Will fund up to 50% of project costs

Closes: on 8th April 2015

More info on: innovate UK

India-UK Collaborative Industrial R&D Programme

Research partnerships and increase bilateral R&D

collaboration with the aim of generating new intellectual

property and developing technology prototypes/processes.

Public funding calls -

Creative Production

Horizon 2020 ICT-19-2015

Key feature: R&D funding of new or emerging technologies (e.g. 3D and

augmented reality technologies) for digital content creation to support the

creative and media industries and for unlocking complex information and

media and interacting with them.

Scale: €561,000,000

Opens:15th October 2014 Closes: 14th April 2015

Further info: Horizon 2020 website, UK list of National Contact Points for

Horizon 2020 and the Enterprise Europe Networks

Public funding calls –

Learning Technology

Horizon 2020 ICT-20-2015

Key feature: This challenge encourages public procurement of innovative solutions to address the needs of the digital learning ecosystem in making better use of educational cloud solutions, mobile technology, learning analytics and big data, and to facilitate the use, re-use and creation of learning material and new ways to educate and learn online.

Scale: €561,000,000

Opens:15th October 2014 Closes: 14th April 2015

Further info: Horizon 2020 website, UK list of National Contact Points for Horizon 2020 and the Enterprise Europe Networks

Public funding calls –

Internet of Things

Horizon 2020 ICT-30-2015

Key feature: The evolution of the Internet of Things embedded in

Smart Environments and Platforms forming a web of "everythings"

has been identified as one of the next big concepts to support societal

changes and economic growth at an annual rate estimated at 20%.

Scale: €561,000,000

Opens:15th October 2014 Closes: 14th April 2015

Further info: Horizon 2020 website, UK list of National Contact Points

for Horizon 2020 and the Enterprise Europe Networks

Live 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: 26th March 2015

More info on: innovateuk.org

Other public funding

Key features: Online guide to over 4,000 grants, contracts and other

forms of finance:

• Fully searchable based on finance type, scale and your

geographical location

• Constantly updated – especially good for businesses seeking

charitable or grant funding

More info on: Funding Central and Finance Finder

Funding Central and Finance Finder websites

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

Private financing

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

Edge Investments, London - specialist investment house focused on the

creative industries sector, in particular media and entertainment, which has

raised more than £145m since launch

Growth Accelerator, Cornwall – provided by some of the UK’s leading

growth specialists; works with businesses from a diverse range of sectors;

key eligibility criteria include fewer than 250 employees and annual turnover

under £40m

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 financingIngenious Media, London – a UK media investment and advisory group with

operating divisions of Investments, Ventures, Asset Management and

Corporate Finance; since 1998 they have raised and invested over £9bn in

the media and entertainment, clean energy and real estate sectors

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

Silicon Valley Bank, global bank dedicated to the innovation sector with

focus on technology businesses; have supported clients such as Shazam,

The Foundry and Cambridge Broadband Networks

The Business Finance Guide, expertise from over a million members in

businesses, finance providers and advisory firms and organisations

Other financing mechanisms

Crowdfunder.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 Plymouth University

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

Seedcamp is a London based accelerator that provides startups with seed

money, mentorship, office space, support over a year long programme.

Crowdfunding Accelerator

Master crowdfunding with Impact Hub Westminster’s free Raise Impact

Crowdfunding Accelerator Programme this Spring. Receive expert support

to help you understand how to prepare for and refine your crowdfunding

offer, how to execute your campaign, and what life after crowdfunding looks

like. Learn essential skills including PR and marketing; campaign creation

and logistics; pitching and deal structuring. Spaces are limited. Apply now

to join!

#raiseimpact http://bit.ly/raise-impact

Launching a new digital 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 just 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.

Are you an existing digital business

seeking non-financial advice or support?

• Nesta runs a creative business mentor network for digital

businesses looking to grow

• The UKTI offers advice to help with exporting

• Tech City UK can help advise on inward investment

• The British Business Angels Association can help put you

in touch with relevant business angel investors

• The Digital Catapult can help you showcase your business

Are you an existing digital 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

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

Useful reports/ market research

• Tech Nation report – a comprehensive analysis of the clusters

powering the UK’s digital economy

• Digital Social Innovation –Nesta’s new report on digital social

innovation across Europe. Loads of examples.

• Innovate UK’s Digital Economy strategy – explaining key priority

areas for spending £120m over the next 4 years

• Digital trends 2015 report – via E-Consultancy

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:

Key events in March

• How to Deliver a Winning Pitch Deck – 10th March

• £7M Using Enhancing User Experience in Retail and using

Personal Data –

London: 17th March,

Manchester: 19th March,

Edinburgh: 20th March

• £4M Protecting Data in Industry -

Belfast: 25th March,

Cardiff: 30th March,

London: 31st March,

Edinburgh: 1st April

• Innovation in Retail Speed Networking – 31st March

• For all events in and around London, check out Tech City News

Something else we've missed?

Please let us know: [email protected]

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