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Creative Business
Development Briefing
March 2015
What is this briefing?
• A digest of useful information for UK creative industries
businesses seeking funding,financing and business
development support, updated every month
• Brought to you by the following organisations:
Contents
• Public funding calls
• Other public funding
• Private financing
• Other financing mechanisms
• Support resources
• February events
• Other information
• *Create UK
Public funding calls
Building whole-life performance
Key feature: Investment for collaborative R&D projects that can lead to
improve the whole-life performance of buildings. Proposals should involve
research into new knowledge for developing products, processes or services
intended for deployment during any stage of a building’s lifecycle.
Scale:
• Up to £4m
Programme: collaborative R&D between business and academia
Timeline: This is a two-stage competition that opened for applicants on 23
February 2015. The deadline for registration is at noon on 1 April 2015 and the
deadline for expressions of interest is at noon on 8 April 2015.
Further competition info at innovateuk.org
Public funding calls
Childcare provision for parents
Key feature: DfE is seeking the development of a new, engaging and
innovative solution which provides accurate information about childcare
provision for parents. DfE, supported by Innovate UK is using Phase 2 of
the SBRI process to support the prototype development of selected
proposed solutions.
Scale:
• Up to £200K
Programme: Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) – relevant for SMEs
Timeline: competition opens 2 Feb 2015; registration closes 25 March
2015; competition closes 25 March 2015.
More info at innovateuk.org including details of how to register for a briefing
Event, March 13th
Public funding calls
Circular economy: business models
Key feature: Investment in feasibility studies into the business case for
retaining value in durable goods through reuse, remanufacture or
leasing/maintenance.
Scale:
• Up to £800K
Programme: Feasibility Studies – must be collaborative and business-led,
open to companies of any size
Timeline: registration closes Wednesday 11 March 2015; deadline for
applications Wednesday 18 March 2015.
More info at 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
Programme: Feasibility Studies – must be collaborative and business led,
open to companies of any size Timeline: registration closes Wednesday 11 March 2015; deadline for
applications Wednesday 18 March 2015.
More info at innovateuk.org
Public funding calls
Better interactions between people and machines –
Knowledge Transfer PartnershipsKey feature: Investment in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) in the
area of user experience (UX) to encourage new, enhanced forms of
interaction between computing systems and the people who use them. This
KTP competition also runs in parallel with a competition for feasibility
studies (see following slide).
Scale: up to £1m available
Programme: KTPs – opportunity for businesses of any size to work with
academic institutions.
Timeline: competition opened 7 November 2014, and the deadline for
applications is noon on the 15 April 2015.
More info at innovateuk.org.
Public funding calls
Better interactions between people and machines –
Feasibility Studies
Key feature: Investment in feasibility studies in the area of user experience
(UX). The aim is to encourage new and improved ways for machines, their
computing systems and people to interact.
Scale: up to £500K available. Small businesses could receive up to 70%
of their eligible project costs and medium-sized businesses up to 60%.
Projects are expected to have total costs of up to £50K.
Programme: Feasibility Studies – must be collaborative and business-led,
open to companies of any size
Timeline: competition opens 16 February 2015, registration closes 25
March and the deadline for applications is 1 April 2015. More info available
at innovateuk.org.
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: this contest will offer 6 businesses up to £35K each
Programme: IC tomorrow - connecting start-ups and SMEs with leading
commercial partners and investors.
Closes: application deadline is 12 noon on Tuesday 10 March
More info available at innovateuk.org
Public funding calls
Enhancing user experience using personal data
Key feature: Investment to support new ways of enhancing user experience
in the digital economy.
Scale: up to £2m
Programme: Feasibility Studies – must be collaborative and business-led,
open to companies of any size.
Timeline: competition opens 16 March, registration closes 29 April,
competition closes 06 May. Briefing events to be held in London 17 March,
Manchester 19 March & Edinburgh 20 March.
More info available at innovateuk.org
Public funding calls
Enhancing user experience in retail
Key feature: Investment to support new ways of enhancing user experience
in retail.
Scale: up to £4m
Programme: Collaborative research and development
Timeline: Competition opens 16 March, registration closes 29 April,
competition closes 06 May. Briefing events to be held in London 17 March,
Manchester 19 March & Edinburgh 20 March.
More info available at innovateuk.org
Public funding calls
Enhancing customer experience in rail travel
Key feature: Innovate UK & the FutureRailway programme are investing to
support business innovation in digital technologies that improve the
customer experience in the UK and international rail markets.
Scale: up to £6m
Programme: Collaborative research and development
Timeline: competition opens 09 March, registration closes 15 April,
competition closes 22 April.
More info available at innovateuk.org
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: 26th March 2015
More info on: innovateuk.org
BFI Film Fund
Each year the BFI Film Fund invests over £26m of Lottery funds to support film development, production and distribution activity in the UK.
• Applications are welcomed for film projects in all genres, and BFI are committed to promoting diversity in the filmmakers they support.
• The fund also supports: a) independent UK distributors to help ensure that the best British and specialised films connect with a wide range of audiences across a range of platforms b) sales companies that are launching new UK films at key international film festivals and markets.
Applications can be made to the Film Fund at any time, and you should expect to receive an initial response within six to eight weeks. Full application guidelines available here.
Public funding calls
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 funding calls
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 the finance they need to successfully develop and grow into
sustainable businesses.
Creative businesses can receive up to 12 hours free expert business
advice, with advisors that can help with investment readiness,
strengthening business skills and identifying new revenue streams. Access
to loan finance from £2,500 upwards is available from their various Lending
Partners, with low interest rate options and affordable repayment
schedules.
For more info – incl. eligibility criteria – please see the Guidance section of
their website or email [email protected]
Public funding calls
Nesta Impact Investment
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: ongoing
More info on Nesta Investments
Public funding calls
Open Project Funding
Key feature: This fund supports the arts, screen and creative industries, with
projects that help them explore, realise and develop their creative potential, widen
access to their work, and enrich Scotland’s reputation as a distinctive creative
nation connected to the world.
Scale:
• For applications up to £15K - decisions will take up to 8 weeks from the date
application form received.
• For applications over £15K – decisions will take up to 12 weeks.
• For applications over £100K (up to a maximum of £150K) - prior approval
required from Creative Scotland before applying.
Opens: all applications accepted from 31st October 2014
More info at creativescotland.com
Public funding calls
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
Closes: 14th April 2015
Click here for a complete briefing on Horizon 2020.
Further info: Horizon 2020 website, UK list of National Contact Points for
Horizon 2020 and the Enterprise Europe Networks
Public funding calls
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
Closes: 14th April 2015
Click here for a complete briefing on Horizon 2020.
Further info: Horizon 2020 website, UK list of National Contact Points for Horizon 2020 and the Enterprise Europe Networks
Other public funding
• Arts & Humanities Research Council – the AHRC offers postgraduate
and research funding opportunities which include opportunities in
knowledge exchange and partnerships and international research.
• 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.
• 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.
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 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
• Kickstarter.com – a global crowdfunding platform based in the United
States; the company’s stated mission is to help to bring creative projects
to life; since launching in 2009, 7m people have pledged $1bn, funding
70,000 creative projects
Support resources for businesses
• AIM Start Up Loans - Government supported start-up loans for the
Creative Industries.
• Creative skillset – supports businesses within the Creative Industries to
develop skills and talent
• East London Small Business Centre - ELSBC is a not for profit
organisation dedicated to helping businesses reach their entrepreneurial
potential through one to one business support and loan funding.
• Growth Accelerator – works with businesses from a diverse range of
sectors; key eligibility criteria include fewer than 250 employees and
annual turnover under £40m.
Support resources for businesses
• NESTA’s Creative Business Mentor Network - offers ambitious creative
companies one-to-one mentoring with some of the creative sectors most
successful business leaders.
• Seedcamp - a London based accelerator that provides startups with seed
money, mentorship, office space, support over a year long programme.
• School for Creative Start-ups - delivers programmes that teach people
how to start and run better businesses.
March EventsDigital Business Drop-In – London, 05 March
Moneyballing Music: Big Data, Consumers and A&R - London, 10 March
The Sharp Project’s ‘Digital Teapot’ - Manchester, 12 March
VentureFest York - 12 March
FutureFest – London, 14-15 March
£6M Enhancing User Experience in Retail and Using Personal Data – briefing
events: London 17 March, Manchester 19 March & Edinburgh 20 March
West Midlands Production Fund Event with Creative England – London, 18
March
Save the Date - Finance your Creative Business - London, 19 March
The Digital Skills Summit: Powered by Wired Sussex - Brighton, 23 March
Advertising Week Europe – 23-27 March, London
Email your interest to
[email protected] your interest to
If you would
like to express
your interest at
attending the
Manchester or
London events
please let us
know.
Other Information
• The Warwick Commision’s Enriching Britain: Culture, Creativity and Growth
report was launched last month. Its key message is that government and the
cultural and creative industries need to take a united and coherent approach
that guarantees equal access for everyone to a rich cultural education and the
opportunity to live a creative life.
• Via scraping Kickstarter data about UK video games projects launched from
September 2011 – January 2015, recent Nesta research has set out to evaluate
the state and evolution of crowdfunding for UK video games projects. Findings
available here.
• Scotland’s Cultural Enterprise Office maintain a comprehensive list of
organisations and websites providing support to creatives working in Scotland
• An independent report finds that creative sector tax reliefs are playing a major
part in stimulating business growth and a return of more than £6bn a year for
the UK economy.
Other Information
• Creative England has joined forces with Ukie, the trade body that aims to
support, grow and promote the UK’s games and interactive entertainment
industry, to deliver a series of FREE marketing training workshops.
• Apply now for Power To The Pixel’s ‘Pixel Lab 2015’ open to producers,
commissioners, financiers, distributors, writers, directors, games & interactive
designers and artists with a strong track record in their chosen field from any
media sector. Deadline to apply - Thursday 26 March, 18.00BST.
• The Business Finance Guide – a journey from start-up to growth is a joint
publication by the ICAEW Corporate Finance Faculty and the British Business
Bank. The guide outlines sources of finance available to businesses – ranging
from start-ups to SMEs and growing mid-sized companies.
• A Short Guide For Innovate UK Competition Applicants - The Knowledge
Transfer Network (KTN) has produced this short guide to help make clear what
an assessor for Innovate UK competitions is looking for.
• Key findings from the recent DCMS Creative Industries Economic Estimates report
include: the GVA of the creative industries is now worth £76.9bn per year to the UK
economy which equates to £8.8m per hour; in 2012 the creative economy provided
2.6m jobs (1 in 12 UK jobs).
• Click here to read Creative Industries Council’s strategy, Create UK
• Go to www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk website for sector specific data and information
• Visit https://app.hiive.co.uk/talent/ to find employees or join the workforce
• Read Innovate UK’s Creative Industries Strategy 2013-2016 highlighting convergence,
data and transactions as key pillars of innovation.
Something else we've missed?
Please let us know, plus sign up for monthly updates at:
Thanks
Head of Creative Industries
Knowledge Transfer Network
