The document outlines various funding competitions, support programs, and upcoming events aimed at boosting innovative digital health, agri-tech, and immersive content solutions in the UK. Key initiatives include opportunities for UK businesses to apply for substantial funding from Innovate UK and partnerships in different sectors, alongside events like the Digital Manufacturing Week and the Gov-Tech Conference. It also highlights resources for private investment and networking to facilitate collaboration and funding opportunities in the creative and technology fields.

1. Creative, Digital and Design
Business Briefing
October 2018

2. Contents
• Funding competitions
• Support programmes
• Upcoming events
• Investment
• Networks
• Register for updates

3. Funding – Last call
Digital health technology catalyst round 3: Feasibility studies
Innovate UK as part of UK Research and Innovation
Opens: 3rd September 2018
Closes: 31st October 2018
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1 million to speed up development of
commercial digital health solutions . The Digital Health Technology Catalyst (DHTC) is
part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
READ MORE AND APPLY

4. Funding- Last call
Digital health technology catalyst round 3: Collaborative R&D
Innovate UK as part of UK Research and Innovation
Opens: 3rd September 2018
Closes: 31st October 2018
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £8 million to speed up development of
commercial digital health solutions. The Digital Health Technology Catalyst (DHTC) is part
of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
READ MORE AND APPLY

5. Funding – Last call
Agri-tech Catalyst round 7: agriculture and food systems innovation
Department for International Development (DFID)
Opened: 28th August 2018
Closes: 21st November 2018
UK businesses and research organisations can apply for a share of up to £3 million from DFID for
projects on agri-tech and food chain innovations with partners in eligible African countries. The aim of
this competition is to increase the pace of development and scale of uptake of agricultural and food
systems innovation by farmers and food systems actors (such as manufacturers, processors, retailers,
distributors or wholesalers) in Africa.
READ MORE AND APPLY

6. Funding
Open grant funding competition: round 3
Innovate UK as part of UK Research and Innovation
Opened: 24 September 2018
Closes: 14 November 2018
Opportunity to apply for a share of up to £20 million to deliver game changing or disruptive
innovations with significant potential for impact on the UK economy.
Applications can come from any area of technology, science or engineering, including arts,
design, media or creative industries, and be applied to any part of the economy. All proposals
must be business focused, rather than pure research.
READ MORE AND APPLY

7. Funding
Innovation loans: September 2018 open competition
Innovate UK as part of UK Research and Innovation
Opened: 17 September 2018
Closes: 21 November 2018
Innovate UK is to offer 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 proposal can come from any technology (including arts, design, media or creative
industries) and any part of the economy.
READ MORE AND APPLY

8. Funding
Defence and Security Accelerator: open call for innovation
Defence and Security Accelerator
Opened: 19 March 2018
Closes: 1 March 2019
The open call is looking for innovative ideas to improve the defence and security of the UK. These
could be a concept, technology, product or service. The aim is to find novel opportunities to be
exploited across the defence and security sectors.
READ MORE AND APPLY

9. Funding - New
Production innovation for immersive content
Innovate UK as part of UK Research and Innovation
Opened: 1st October 2018
Closes:28 November 2018
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £8 million for research and development projects
to create faster, more efficient immersive content. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy
Challenge Fund.
READ MORE AND APPLY

10. Support programmes
Digital Manufacturing Week - Innovation Alley
When: 14th & 15th November 2018
Where: Liverpool
Have you got a new innovative solution for the manufacturing sector?
KTN and Innovate UK family have joined up with The Manufacturer to support this year’s Digital
Manufacturing Week Smart Factory Expo. We are looking for start-ups and established players who
would like to showcase their innovative solutions to manufacturers; which could include advanced
technology, materials, process and systems. Register now to express your interest in exhibiting.
READ MORE

11. Support programmes
Sephora Accelerate 2018
Apply by: 31st October 2018
Sephora Accelerate is dedicated to building a community of innovative female founders in beauty. The
months-long program begins with a one-week bootcamp where founders acquire the necessary skills to
create a successful business. Together, you learn from beauty mentors and seasoned entrepreneurs and
prepare for a final Demo Day in the fall.
A beauty business could create a cosmetic product or a new beauty accessory. But a beauty business
could also be about a new technology that takes an innovative approach to solving a beauty-related
challenge or a new service model that will improve the customer experience. For sustainability related
beauty businesses an example might be sustainable packaging or compostable cellophane discovery.
READ MORE

12. Support programmes
Barclays Accelerator
The Barclays Accelerator Powered by Techstars is a three month intensive startup accelerator. This
program, operated by Techstars in partnership with Barclays, is focused on financial technology
innovation and disruptive solutions. Ten companies will be selected and mentors will be engaged from
the Techstars network and from Barclays. With over 300 years experience running one of the largest
financial institutions in the world, the financial product knowledge of Barclays is unquestionable. If you
are thinking about disrupting the world of finance, this is the program for you. You'll experience the
proven methodology of Techstars and deep knowledge and experience of Barclays.
READ MORE

13. Support programmes
ucreate – London Startup Studio 2018
We act as your technical and product co-founders rather than an outsourced team. We work cohesively
with you on product design and development while assisting your marketing, legal and fundraising
efforts. A relationship with us de-risks your venture and increases the probability of you exceeding your
business goals. So whether you are an industry professional, serial entrepreneur or thriving business, we
are ready to help and we are here for the long term.
READ MORE

14. Upcoming events
ARTFUL SPARK: PLAYFUL INTERFACES
25th October, RichMix, Shoreditch, doors 18:00
Tired of touchscreens? Ditch your smartphone and join Artful Spark for something far more playful: 3D light rigs, connected toys,
curious controllers, kinetic sculptures and candid discussion from the creative pioneers turning our physical world into a playground.
Daniel Hirschmann - 2016 Playable City winner and founder of Tech Will Save Us
Tim Burrell-Saward - innovation lead behind Beasts of Balance and other connected installations
Robin Baumgarten - experimental hardware developer and creator of the world-famous Line Wobbler
Phoenix Perry - artist, activist and cultural engineer behind Bot Party, a game exploring intimacy through sound
Join us on a journey through a collection of world-class installations and responsive objects!
READ MORE AND BOOK TICKETS

15. Upcoming events
Gov-tech Conference: Connecting Innovation
9 October, London
Broadcast Tech Fest 2018
10th October – 22nd November, London
Immersive Tech Summit 2018
16th October, Leeds
Innovation Loans Open Competition: Briefing
and Workshop
19th October, London
Digital Business Meet Up
1st November, London
TechHub Demo Night
6th November, London
Cyber 101 Business Skills bootcamps
7th November, London
Digital Manufacturing Week
14th & 15th November, Liverpool
Startup Business Workshop
26th November, Oxford
Women in Innovation: Building Success
6th February 2019, London
Robotics and AI Pitchfest 2019
30th January 2019, London

16. 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

17. 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/

18. 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

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