Tom Loosemore's presentation to OpenTech 2009

1. 4 Innovation for
the public
Tom Loosemore
tom@4ip.org.uk

2. What is 4iP?
4iP is an innovation fund to stimulate public
service digital media across the UK.
In English, that means supporting great ideas for websites, games
and mobile services which help people improve their lives.

3. 4iP funding
• 4iP is a three year pilot, with Channel 4 investing £20m
• Structural Partners – RDAs committing £5m or more in Scotland,
Yorkshire & West Midlands.
•Strand Partners – Committing over £1m in ‘themed areas’ Arts Council of
England (Digital Arts) NESTA (Innovation)

4. 4iP’s areas of interest
•Digital democracy: new ways to let everyone keep an eye on money
and power
•Hidden gems: helping people discover stuff which could change their
lives
•Amplifying voices: new ways to empower those communities media
couldn’t previously reach.
•Wise crowds: connecting people who need to know stuff with people
who know it already
•Tools to make trouble: developing disruptive media tools, then putting
them in the hands of people that need them most.

5. How do we decide?
• Will it deliver 4’s public purposes?
• Will it stir things up in 4-like fashion?
• Will it meet a user need? Will it scratch an important itch?
• Is it 100% native to digital networks, with its centre of gravity in
participation or collaboration?
• Can it thrive without ongoing financial support from 4iP?
• Can it thrive without cross promotion from linear TV?
• Will it scale well if it attracts a large user base?

6. 4iP principles
Is about this.. But not this…
networks broadcast
participation / collaboration viewing
people audiences
open closed
evolving pre-packaged
less is more more is more
catalysing ongoing support
conversation couch potato

7. Mapumental
mapumental.channel4.com

8. AUDIOBOO.fm
Key themes: rethinking journalism, tools to make trouble
C a p t u r in g & s h a r in g
a u d io o n t h e m o v e
• AudioBoo is an iPhone application, website and API
• AUdioBoo allows users to record and share audio from their
mobile phones
• AudioBoo captures the location of the recording making the
recording browsable by location
• The API will allow other sites and services to call recordings by
location or subject
Region: LONDON
Funding partners: NONE
Business model: Software as a
service, premium application W h y 4 iP ?
• Being free to the user, AudioBoo champions alternative voices and
fresh perspectives.
• With a powerful API the service could be used by any number of
websites to stir things up in a 4 like fashion.
• The spoken word is a powerful thing, easily lost. We very rarely
record it, store it or ‘re-use’ it in any way. Online digital web services
like AudioBoo can address this.

9. HelpMeInvestigate.com
Key themes: amplifying voices , tools to create trouble, journalism,
C o lle c t , M o b ilis e &
Udeconstructing and demystifying investigative journalism
• n c o v e r
• an interactive newspaper which is wholly investigative
• providing the tools and platform for ordinary people to organise,
manage and pursue an investigation - developing knowledge
about the structures around them as they go.
Region: West Midlands
Funding partners: C4 & Screen WM
W h y 4 iP ?
• Sourcing the wisdom of the crowd
• Holding those in power accountable
• Providing tools to make trouble

10. NewsPaperClub.co.uk
Key themes: tools for trouble, amplifying voices, new forms of journalism
• We want to create a tool that will help people make their own
newspapers.
• This tool will help them tag online content, collect and curate
the stuff they want and turn it into a really good looking printed
thing
• The desire, still present, even in this digital age, to see your
words in print.
• there are huge accessibility advantages to newspapers; you
Region: LONDON don’t need a computer, you don’t need web access, you don’t
Funding partners: NONE need to remember a URL. I can give you a newspaper and
you can keep it forever. Or put it in the cat basket.
W h y 4 iP ?
• Clearly this champions alternative voices and fresh perspectives by giving
them their own news.
• Of course it will nurture new writing, journalism and photojournalism talent
too.
• Combines the collaborative lifting power of digital with the accessibility of a
non-threatening tangible product.
• Allows online content could to find newer audiences among the 30% of
people in the UK who don’t yet have access to the web

11. SchoolofEverything.com
Key themes: tools to create trouble, discoverability
R e o r g a n is in g
e A platform a informal learning that connects those with
• d u c for t io n
something to teach with those wanting to learn
• 4iP is returning, alongside an enviable line-up of angel
investors and the Young Foundation, to fund a second
seed capital round
• This funding will see the business build revenue
streams and product functionality
Region: London
Funding partners: 4iP, Young
Foundation and assorted W h y 4 iP ?
business angels • Huge potential to disrupt traditional means of accessing
learning, using the transparency of the internet to empower
choice
• The platform is underpinned by a management team, board
of directors and business plan geared to growth and

12. You Booze You Lose
Key themes: mobile games, health & wealth
W h a t ’ s le f t o f y o u r
liv e r ?
• An iPhone/iTouch game that lets you see what’s
happening now as you drink yourself to death
• Keep track of your alcohol consumption, how much it’s
costing your wallet, waistline and liver
• See how much pure alcohol you consumed this week,
month, year… and see what’ll happen to you later in life
Region: Scotland
if you keep it up
Funding partners: C4, Scottish
• Produced by Digital Goldfish Ltd, Dundee
Screen, Scottish Enterprise
W h y 4 iP ?
• Fun and engaging way to change people’s lives
• Puts the hardware to work for real, not for gimmicks
http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiobeeldruis/2352913120/

13. TalkAboutLocal.org
Key themes: amplifying voices, rethinking journalism
T e a c h in g p e o p le t h e
p o w e r o f s o c ia l
m Aetrainingia that teaches people how to develop a powerful
• d course
online voice for their neighbourhood.
• It’s legacy will be hundreds of independent community sites
across the country, owned, maintained and updated by local
volunteers.It’s an enduring network of online training materials
for publishing online
Region: NATIONAL
Funding partners: YORKSHIRE
UK ONLINE CENTRES W h y 4 iP ?
Business model: Sponsorship • To stimulate local voices: The emphasis of the sites created will be on locality
based websites
• To enhance a sense of place: Local media binds houses together into
communities. Local websites help develop, enhance and maintain a local sense
of place and identity.
• To improve accountability: Giving voices to local activists through local media
holds those with money and power to account.

14. Yoosk.com
Key themes: amplifying voices , tools to create trouble, journalism
T h e le a d in g o n lin e p la t f o r m f o r t h e p u b lic t o
q u e s t io n a n d r a t e t h o s e w it h p o w e r a n d
in f lu e n c e .
• Working within accountability and e-
democracy sector
• Provides a solution for all public figures
and bodies to engage, and be seen to
engage, with the public they serve.
Region: West Midlands
• Offers individuals the opportunity to ask
Funding partners: C4
direct questions they’d never have the
Business model: Software as a
service to government chance to in person
W h y 4 iP ?
• Digital democracy
• Amplifying voices

15. PatientOpinion.com
Key themes: amplifying voices , discoverability, health & wealth
T r ip A d v is o r f o r
h o s p it a l a n d h e a lt h
c a r e s e r v ic e s
• Amplifying patient feedback on local hospitals and
services
• Wisdom of the crowd, helping to improve health
services
Region: Yorkshire
Funding partners: C4
Business model: Selling patient W h y 4 iP ?
feedback to PCT’s
• It can thrive without ongoing financial support from 4iP or TV
:
promotion
• Champions alternative voices and fresh perspectives
• To inspire change in people's lives
http://flickr.com/photos/robyn-gallagher/1703065142/ • (nicely) making some trouble to help improve

16. 4iP & UnLtd.org.uk
Key themes: amplifying voices
R e a c h in g n e w id e a s
a n d t a le n t a t a
‘• Ag r afunded programme t s ’ at least 60 l
jointly s s r o o to support le v e
individuals developing digital media projects in their
communities
• Spanning two years and four themes; the first of which
will be new forms of journalism and civic engagement
Region: England • Combining the digital media expertise of 4iP with
Funding partners: 4iP and UnLtd’s extensive local network to fund ideas that might
UnLtd – The Foundation for
otherwise never see the light of day
Social Entrepreneurs
Business model: Partnership
with public other fund W h y 4 iP ?
: • Providing the first break for new digital media talent; giving
them an opportunity to make their voices heard whilst
improving their communities

17. www.4ip.org.uk
tom@4ip.org.uk