KTN Digital and Creative Business Briefing October 2019 with information on events, funding and support initiatives for innovative UK based digital businesses.

1. Digital
& Creative Business Briefing
October 2019

2. Content
• Funding competitions
• Support programmes
• Upcoming events
• Investors Directory
• Networks
• Register for updates

3. Funding
Innovate UK Smart Grants: July - October 2019
Deadline: 16th October
Smart is the new name for Innovate UK’s ‘Open grant funding’ programme. Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will
invest up to £25 million in the best game-changing, innovative or disruptive ideas with a view to commercialisation.
This competition provides funding for innovative research and development (R&D) from feasibility (including market research),
through to technology or prototype testing and development stages up to (but not including) commercialisation.
All proposals must be business focused, rather than pure research. Applications can come from any area of technology (including
arts, design, media or creative industries), science or engineering and be applied to any part of the economy.
READ MORE

4. Funding
Enabling Data Access in Accountancy, Insurance and Legal Services: Innovation Lab
Deadline: noon, 20th November
UKRI/ Innovate UK has just launched a new funding competition as part of the Industrial Strategy Next Generation Services
Challenge: Up to £3.5 million will be awarded to projects developing data access methods to enable the application of
artificial intelligence (AI) and data technologies in the accountancy, insurance and legal services sector.
With a note: For those organisations that were not selected to the Innovation Lab but are looking to join a consortia as a
partner, please join the AI for Services Network : http://aiforservices.org .
An online briefing event will take place on 21st October.
READ MORE

5. Funding
Innovation loans: September 2019 open competition
Deadline: 27th November
Innovate UK is offering up to £10 million in loans to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Loans are for highly
innovative late stage projects with the best game changing and/or disruptive ideas or concepts. There should be a clear
route to commercialisation and economic impact.
Your project should aim to develop new products, processes or services which are significantly ahead of anything similar in
the field. You can also propose an innovative use of existing products, processes or services.
Your proposal can use any technology from any part of the economy. Your project must focus on commercialisation,
growth or scale up.
READ MORE

6. Funding
Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants
Project Grants is a new open access funding programme for arts and museum projects, and for arts projects in and with
libraries. They are an opportunity for artists, cultural practitioners and organisations to work in new ways to help people
across England to engage with their work.
We support projects in music, theatre, dance, visual arts, literature and combined arts. Across these disciplines, we are
also keen to see how you could use creative media to produce and deliver your work.
Funding from Project Grants comes from the National Lottery and grants typically range from £1,000 to £100,000
READ MORE

7. Funding
Epic MegaGrants
Epic Games has committed $100 million to support game developers, enterprise professionals, media and entertainment
creators, students, educators, and tool developers doing amazing things with Unreal Engine or enhancing open-source
capabilities for the 3D graphics community. Show us your projects and you could earn a financial grant to help fuel your
success!
Grants range from $5,000 to $500,000, and cover a variety of endeavors from enterprise or media and entertainment
projects, game development, educational or student uses, and software tool development. No matter what size grant you
receive, you will continue to own your IP and will be free to publish however you wish.
READ MORE

8. Funding
Future Leaders Fellowship scheme
Future Leaders Fellowships allow early career researchers and innovators from eligible UK businesses to develop their
leadership potential through challenging innovation or research projects:
• Funding of up to £1.2 million over a four year period, but with considerable flexibility available. Funding will be provided in
line with prevailing state aid guidelines.
• The ability to attract in individual, or develop an existing employee, who will help create innovative solutions for their
business. This could include bringing the most talented international innovators to work in their business in the UK.
• A new Reduced Hours Fellowship, in which fellows are able to spend up to 40 percent of their time focused on other
activities within the business in order to enhance their career.
• The option to collaborate with other organisations (business, academic, public and third sector
READ MORE

9. Support Programmes
Innovation Alley at Smart Factory Expo
Date: 13-14 November, Liverpool
Innovation Alley sits at the heart of Smart Factory Expo, one of The Manufacturer’s key events taking place in Liverpool on 13-14
November attracting over 6000 manufacturing visitors from all over the UK and Europe. Innovation Alley is an ideal platform for
start-ups and early-stage businesses to forge new partnerships with solution providers, customers and industry experts.
Hosted by Innovate UK in partnership with KTN, HVM Catapult, Made Smarter and STFC, we are inviting companies who are
interested in being part of Innovation Alley to Apply for a space. An Innovation Alley space is FREE and is open to start up and
early stage companies with innovative products or services targeted at manufacturers who haven’t exhibited in previous years.
READ MORE

10. Support Programmes
Immersive Healthcare: Pain and Distraction
Date: 8th October, Cardiff
From increasing recovery time in rehabilitation to training surgeons and offering new forms of psychological therapy, Immersive
technology offers a new frontier in improving health and wellbeing. One of the most successful applications of virtual reality in
healthcare has been in pain management and is demonstrating its potential as a viable alternative to opioids.
Join Immerse UK, Barclays Eagle Labs and Hatsumi for an evening of talks, demos and conversation exploring the future of pain
management and the emerging new world of digital pharmaceuticals.
Demos and funding mentoring opportunities from The Knowledge Transfer Network will be available.
READ MORE

11. Support Programmes
BAFTA Games Networking
Date: 29th October
Join Immerse UK and BAFTA Crew Games members for an exclusive cross-industry match making event.
This is a unique opportunity for UK immersive tech businesses working in enterprise sectors such as Medical, Agricultural,
Construction and creative media businesses to meet with BAFTA Games Crew members to explore to find potential collaborations
and share ideas.
BAFTA Crew Games is a network that connects practitioners with 2-5 years’ experience working in the UK games industry and
provides participants with a skills development programme designed to aid professional and creative development
This is a perfect opportunity for Immerse UK members who are looking to work with emerging UK games talent.
READ MORE

12. Support Programmes
Facebook Accelerator London at LDN_LAB
Deadline: 18th October
Applications for Facebook Accelerator London at LDN_LAB are open. LDN_LAB is a dedicated space for high-growth startups,
located in Facebook’s London office. We leverage the knowledge and experience within Facebook employees to support the most
talented and impactful technology startups across EMEA. We offer startups our product managers, data scientists, communication
experts, marketers, recruitment specialists, engineers, entrepreneurs and thought leaders.
What: 12 weeks of mentorship and training in product, growth and technology.
Who: High-impact technology startups. We welcome applications across all impact themes, and particularly encourage
applications from those expanding digital connectivity around the world.
Where: Facebook London at Rathbone Place. We offer a remote package for startups outside the UK provided they travel to
London 2-3 points during the programme.
When:18th November 2019 - 28th February 2020
READ MORE

13. Support Programmes
London Fintech Innovation Lab
Deadline: 4th October
Run by Accenture, London’s FinTech Accelerator Lab helps start-ups to build connections with relevant decision makers, gain
valuable insights to take businesses to the next level, and catapult visibility with the people who matter. A community framework
with a global reach.
A three months of mentoring, networking and advice, helping startups refine and test their value propositions. No fees and no
equity taken.
READ MORE

14. Support Programmes
The ScaleUp Accellerator
KTN supports The Accelerator Network as they launch a new high growth programme - The ScaleUp Accelerator
The ScaleUp Accelerator (TSA) is a programme designed to support the CEOs and founders of high growth companies as they
progress through the ScaleUp stage of company development and growth. This is most typically supporting companies grow from
£1m in annualised review to £10m and beyond. TSA leverages nearly a decade of expertise by The Accelerator Network team
delivering accelerator programmes and White Horse Capital’s strong connections in the VC community, with over £300m of
funding secured for accelerated startups and scaleups.
TSA is the perfect programme for CEOs and founders to address each area of their business in turn to ensure you are ready
to grow and raise Series A (VC) funding. This three month programme does this by delivering day-long sprints each week in to the
key areas of your business supported by experts and investors.
READ MORE

15. Support Programmes
Advantage Creative
Advantage Creative CIC supports the development of innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent in the creative industries.
We reinvest all profits from our investments into further activity to support creative entrepreneurs.
We blend seed investment with expert business advice to help creative businesses grow.
We work in partnership with banks, investors, and a wide range of public and private sector partners to establish finance and
enterprise initiatives for the creative industries. These include:
‒ Incubator programmes for creative entrepreneurs at the very start of their journey
‒ Accelerator programmes for creative startups to help them grow
‒ Angel investment for creative companies to seed fund their development
READ MORE

16. Support programmes
Creative England
Creative England uncovers, connects and backs the best original storytellers; driving diversity, collaboration and growth in
the creative screen industries. Our vision is for England’s creative people and businesses to be the most innovative and
successful in the world.
Creative England creates opportunities for new voices, products and services to emerge, helping to build inclusive,
sustainable creative communities. We showcase new and emerging talent. We invest in businesses, connect them to new
markets and help them to create jobs.
We mobilise public and private resources to make this possible. We partner with commercial brands, like Sky
Arts and Xbox, along with local authorities, universities and European bodies.
READ MORE

17. Support programmes
Knowledge Transfer Partnership
• The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme helps businesses in the UK to innovate and grow by linking them with
an academic or research organisation and a graduate.
• The scheme can last between 12 and 36 months, depending on what the project is and the needs of the business.
• A KTP is part-funded by a grant. You will need to contribute to the salary of the Associate who will work with your
business, plus the cost of a supervisor who will oversee the scheme.
READ MORE

18. Upcoming events
Immersive Healthcare: Pain and Distraction
8th October, Cardiff
Legaltech Venture Day
12th October, London
The Nature of Design
10th October, Birmingham
H2020 Briefing Webinar on the 2020 5G Calls
11th October, online
Modernising Energy Data Access
16th October, London and online
Broadcast Tech Innovation Awards
17th October, London
TechDay London
25th October, London
BAFTA Games Networking
29th October
Startup Summit
30th October, Edinburgh
Digital Business Meet-up: Manufacturing
7th November, London
Collaborate to innovate – an event to help your business
innovate and grow
12th November, Birmingham
CAN DO Innovation Summit
20th November, Glasgow
VentureFest North West
20th November, Manchester
Beyond 2019
20th-21st November, Edinburgh
Digital Business Meet-up: Fintech and Blockchain
12th December, London
Keep up-to-date with KTN events here

19. Investment
Private Investment Directory – Digital Refer
Digital Refer now includes more than 250 organisations that provide private investment to digital and creative
businesses in the UK including:
• Accelerator programmes
• Business incubators
• Start-up studios
• Venture Capital funds
• Angel investor networks
• Corporate Venture Capital firm
LINK

20. Networks: Immerse UK
• Augmented and Virtual Reality Independent Network
• Bringing together businesses, public sector & research
• Free to Join
• Learn more about Immersive Tech developments
• Help shape UK funding & research policy
• Showcase your ideas & identify funding opportunities
• Make business connections & form collaborative partnerships
http://www.immerseuk.org/

21. Networks: UK5G
https://uk5g.org/
• Promotion of research, collaboration and the commercial application of 5G in the UK
• Share the knowledge and lessons of 5G Testbeds & Trials projects
• Enable new partnerships between technologists, potential new entrants and major industrial adopters
• Support local (and international) investment opportunities

22. Networks: AI for Services
https://ktn-uk.co.uk/interests/ai-for-services
The AI for Services network brings together Data and Artificial Intelligence businesses and academics with professionals working in the
high value service sectors of legal, accountancy insurance and finance.
• This initiative is part of the Industrial Strategy Next Generation Services Challenge fund programme.
• If you are an expert working in the field of Artificial Intelligence and data and looking to engage with the services sector, or a
professional enthusiast wanting to stay up to date with the innovation happening in your sector, register today to join the
Network and:
• Get news, resources and insight straight to your inbox
• Receive invitations to events
• Share your success stories with the community
• Promote your events or webinars

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