An Assessor's Viewpoint on

Barney Craggs

TSB Funding Applications

Why Listen to Me?● ~18 years in data driven industry

● >14 yrs innovation consultancy

● experience in large multi-nationals

● and itty bitty startups

● raised private equity

● tried and failed to raise public funds...

TSB Assessor Experience● across all of ICT since 2010

● 24 plus competition rounds

● hundreds of applications

● panel moderator > 5 times

Quick Overview● heads-up points

● pre-flight checklist

● golden rules

● application walkthrough (again)

● recap / q&a

Heads-Up● NO secret recipes for getting it right

● assessors are human, we're

subjectively objective

● it is a competition, where you are

pitted against each other

● the application is a business plan

Pre-Flight Checklist● re-read the competition brief

● read ALL of the guidance notes

● make sure your project fits FIRST● check your business plan thinking

then and only then...

Ten Golden Rules (1-5) ● answer all questions to the guidance

● don't assume common knowledge

● grammar, spelling & punctuation

matter

● you are space limited, so check it

● appendices; supporting & to size

Ten Golden Rules (6-10) ● avoid the cliches

● if evidence is king,

● the queen is awareness

● get it proof read

● right documents BY the deadline

Application Walkthrough

Abstract● brief summary of application

● set the scene

● what, why, how

● keep language at high level

● please don't just cut & paste from Q1

Gateway● state exactly how your project fits

competition scope

● if it meets more than one aspect then state it

● don't get carried away, simplicity counts

● again please don't just cut & paste from Q1

Gateway Example"We are looking at the feasibility of building a cloud based analysis platform for white-labelling to the agricultural sector based upon real-time weather data collected & distributed by/to farmers using a mobile application. This directly addresses the challenge scope of the competition in being an enabling platform for hyper-local crowd sourced data analysis. Additionally it meets the scope in being a mobile location aware input / output device."

Q1 - Business OpportunityDO● clearly & simply articulate the

business opportunity

● what problems must be overcome?

● define a customer need

● show how project meets that need

Q1 con't

DON'T● explain everything about project

● waffle

● assume everyone knows the industry

Q2 The MarketDO● define market shape, size & changes

● segment & explain

● quantify & justify targets

● say how will you get to market

● give a suggested RoI for project

Q2 con't

DON'T● forget to align market with project

● quote meaningless, inappropriate or

nothing but figures

● be scared of being ambitious

Q3 - ExploitablesDO● clearly state exploitable outputs

● describe how you will exploit them

● highlight research & dissemination

● discuss potential impact on YOUR

business

Q3 con't

DON'T● confuse impact with internal benefit

● forget to project upto 5yrs out

● assume that there is nothing to

disseminate

Q4 - BenefitsDO● cover all 3 required areas,

● from both internal & external angle

● describe how you will address benefit

● highlight & explain negative impacts

not forgetting to include in Q7 Risks

Q4 con't

DON'T● assume an implicit benefit (esp

Environmental) - explain them

● hide/forget negative impacts

● give vague claims

Appendix A● 5 pages to SUPPORT section 1

● don't over run or repeat yourself

● support customer needs & market

● benefit justification / evidence useful

Q5 - Technical Approach● no hard & fast rules here

● avoid screeds of technical data

● summarise project plan, milestones,

work-packages & allocations

● briefly justify choice of PM approach

● UTILISE appendix B

Q6 - Innovation● describe evidence you have used to

assure yourself of novelty (web,

patents, academic)

● state your expectation of freedom to

operate (or any restrictions)

● remember you have to prove novelty

Q6 con't

FOR EACH CLAIM OF INNOVATION● briefly & clearly describe innovation

● clearly align to scope

● succinctly define innovation type

(technical or commercial) & level

(incremental or step)

Q7 - Risk● risk analysis is critical

● mitigate, don't omit high risk

● think laterally esp. on commercial risk

● include negative impacts from Q4

● utilise full risk register in appendix B

● include likelihood & impact analysis

Appendix B● 5 pages to support section 2

● suggested use being;

○ project gantt plan (1pg)

○ work package descriptions (2pgs)

○ risk register (1pg)

○ any innovation support (1pg)

Q8 - Applicant Capability● summary of applicant(s) background

& how it is relevant to project

● use Appendix C for more detail

● justify partnerships & sub-contracts

● be cautious of ex-UK labour

Q9 Financials● remember we are looking at VFM

● assessors ONLY see summary

● fully complete financial tables

● ensure figures tie up with response

● give brief breakdown of costs by

work packages and allocations

Q9 con't

● justify extreme costs (esp capitals or

sub-contracts)

● common queries include;

○ capital cost apportionment

○ marketing / sales activities &

○ patent / legal costs

Q10 Additionality● easiest points in application

● guidance is very explicit, so follow it

● do not waffle

... PLUS either;Why are you not self fundingORHow does public support let you undertake

Q10 con't

FIRSTLY your response

MUST clearly state how support will

increase your R&D spend in UK

You need to demonstrate this project is NOT something

you would normally be doing in course of your business

Q10 con't

SECONDLY answer either, or both;● "Why you are not wholly self

funding."● "How TSB support allows the project

to progress differently." Answer both for belts & braces but don't waffle.

Recap● Read brief, scope and guidance

● Follow it!● Keep it readible

● Proof read

● Submit on time

Any questions?