The Technology Strategy Board is launching a funding competition to support collaborative R&D projects that enhance the value of digital content through improved metadata. This initiative includes three funding rounds, each with up to £5 million available, aimed at projects that link content with its metadata and address challenges in licensing and revenue generation. Eligible UK-based companies and research organizations can apply for grants covering up to 50% of project costs, with a focus on developing innovative metadata solutions to create new revenue models.

1. Technology Strategy Board
Driving Innovation
Metadata: increasing
the value of digital content
COMPETITION FOR COLLABORATIVE R&D FUNDING
SEPTEMBER 2010

2. Metadata: increasing the value of digital content
COMPETITION FOR COLLABORATIVE R&D FUNDING
Summary hold three rounds of funding for fast-track Systems that use digital fingerprinting
proposals and will invest up to £200k in techniques to link content with its
We have allocated up to £5m to invest each round, with a total of up to £600k. metadata have had some success, with
in collaborative R&D projects that will the audio recognition system Shazam
2. Mainstream projects: more than
demonstrate how businesses may being perhaps the best known example.
£100k in total project value. These will
increase revenues from the metadata The potential to extend digital
typically last between 12 and 24 months
relating to their digital content. fingerprinting to create applications that
and must be business led. There will be
would allow all types of content to receive
While the internet has enabled digital one round for mainstream projects, and
updateable metadata over the network
content industries to gain greater access we will invest up to £4.4m in total.
offers interesting new possibilities; for
to the global market, it has made it more
All UK-based companies and research example, enabling information about a
difficult to control, manage and monetise
organisations are eligible to apply. product (such as price, rights or licensing
digital assets. The ease with which content
Successful proposals will receive a grant data) to be updated dynamically.
can be copied and distributed is threatening
the economic viability of content-based for up to 50% of the total project costs. The
This more sophisticated use of metadata
businesses. These companies are competition opens on 13 September 2010.
may support the emergence of new
challenged by illegal file sharing and by revenue models. Better quality, more
the shift of advertising to online media. consistent and more readily available
Background and challenges
metadata will improve understanding of the
Digital content companies can no longer
Although there has been considerable ways – both authorised and unauthorised
rely on historic business models but
investment within the sector in developing – in which content moves around networks
need to secure other sources of income.
metadata infrastructure (eg, databases, and interacts with consumers. Metadata-
Better metadata systems – ways of storing
schema and tools), the development has based solutions may also help address
information about individual items of
been restricted to individual subsectors some of the complex licensing challenges
content – offer a possible route to
and to largely proprietary solutions. that rights holding organisations face, such
improving consumer access to content
This has led to fragmentation with many as trying to find ways of releasing value
and to helping rights holders better
different, incompatible solutions. more efficiently from orphan works (where
manage and exploit their assets.
This competition encourages solutions it is difficult to trace the copyright owner).
This competition addresses the new that increase interoperability between Such insights may help rights holders
challenge of generating revenue from different approaches. develop stronger relationships with their
digital content, by supporting projects
Rather than exploiting commercial consumers and help identify new
that demonstrate the value of metadata.
opportunities, metadata has been developed commercial opportunities. This will only
A second competition in early 2011 will
for logistical purposes (eg, in music and increase as the more advanced ‘next-
support the development of tools and
publishing distribution). Because of this, generation access’ networks emerge with
solutions to produce higher quality
metadata and use metadata to produce metadata is often seen as an operational greater intelligence built-in that can read,
digital content more efficiently. overhead and a business cost, rather than understand and interpret the metadata.
something of strategic importance that
In this competition we will invest in can be used to drive value. We highlighted
business-led collaborative R&D projects Scope
metadata as a strategic priority in our report
to develop prototypes and demonstrators Creative Industries Technology Strategy We will invest in collaborative R&D projects
with the potential to enter the market within
2009-2012, published in July 2009. to develop prototypes, demonstrators,
1-2 years of completion.
Another challenge is to ensure that tools or solutions that use metadata to
We will fund two types of project: address the challenges identified above.
metadata remains persistently and
1. Fast-track projects: less than £100k in dynamically associated with an item of Such solutions may create, but are not
total project value. These should be content. Today’s solutions rely either on a restricted to creating, any of the following:
completed within 12 months and must be file header or on integrated techniques K commercially exploitable interoperability
led by a creative industry1 SME. We will such as watermarking, but neither of these between different existing metadata
approaches has seen significant take up in systems such as databases, ontologies
1 Creative industry sectors include TV and radio, film and video, commercial applications, suggesting that and schema (eg, by developing
computer games, music, advertising and media, performing arts,
publishing, arts, crafts, design, architecture, and fashion design. further research is needed. translational algorithms)
02 | Technology Strategy Board

3. Metadata: increasing the value of digital content
COMPETITION FOR COLLABORATIVE R&D FUNDING
K technologies to ensure the persistent outcome. Partners can be drawn from K route to market
association of content with its metadata large or small businesses, academia,
K time from project completion to launch
K increased understanding, analysis and research and technology organisations,
of the product, service or capability
exploitation of patterns of content use in and not-for-profit organisations, but the
projects must be led by a revenue-earning K attempt to quantify the annual global
networks (eg, peer-to-peer traffic) that
business entity. Applicants who intend to revenue potential for the solution for the
could lead to new revenue opportunities
apply for funding of £1m or more should first five years from launch.
for content owners
contact us before submitting a proposal.
K increased accessibility of content
through more effective navigation and Successful projects will receive a grant to Application process
discovery services at the consumer and cover up to 50% of total project costs, with
business interface the partners providing the balance in Full details of the application process
K novel approaches to visualisation of matched funding. For example, applicants will be included in the Guidance for
metadata (eg, in processing search for fast-track project funding can apply for Applicants. This will be available from
results) a maximum £50k grant. 13 September 2010 at www.innovateuk.org
K increased efficiencies in licensing, under Competitions. Applicants must read
The project must result in a prototype, this document before submitting a proposal.
rights clearance and remuneration for
demonstrator, tool or solution built around a
the use of digital content (eg, to enable Briefings for fast-track and mainstream
specific content-based service or application,
more rapid even real-time licensing)
with the potential to enter the market within projects will be held on 23 September
K new services or business models that 1-2 years of project completion. It should be 2010 to explain the application process
exploit the value of metadata as an and competition requirements. We
the precursor to a new commercial service
asset in its own right.
or product, or it should significantly enhance strongly advise that all applicants attend.
Other innovative proposals to develop existing products or services. Solutions that
metadata-driven solutions to derive have the potential for wider, global adoption Fast-track projects
economic value from content not across other businesses and market
mentioned above may also fall within the Applicants must complete a single
sectors will have an advantage over niche,
scope of this competition. Proposals that application form. Applicants who are
geographically discrete applications.
centre on new metadata creation and unsuccessful in the first or second round
content production are out of scope – Applicants must: of the competition may revise and
these challenges will be addressed in the K explain how their proposal will enable resubmit their proposal in the subsequent
second competition, to be held next year. digital content businesses to increase rounds until the third round has been
This competition is particularly relevant to their commercial revenues completed, when the competition will close.
any company that develops commercially K show that they understand the
exploitable content-based services – as a opportunity or problem their solution is Mainstream projects
vendor of services (advertising, social looking to address, and are aware of Applicants must submit a compulsory
media), a producer of creative product potential competing approaches expression of interest application form by
(film, music, games, TV and radio,
K explain what is innovative about their 21 October 2010. An optional expression of
publishing), an archive of content
proposed solution and what benefits it interest may be submitted by 14 October
(galleries, libraries, museums) or a data
will offer over existing approaches 2010. In this case we will review the proposal
specialist (information engineering,
large-scale simulation and modelling). K show an understanding of the and give feedback before the compulsory
standards relating to metadata and an expression of interest is submitted.
appreciation of the relevant legislative
Funding allocation The compulsory forms will be assessed
environment
and we will invite a shortlist of applicants
and project details K provide an outline of how they will exploit to submit a full application. Applicants who
the result of their project commercially, are not shortlisted will take no further part
All projects must be collaborative, with at
and describe the anticipated:
least one partner. Proposals must in the competition. Applicants who intend
demonstrate that each partner will make a K target market to apply for £1m or more of funding should
significant contribution to the project and K business model (how you intend to contact us before submitting an
will expect to derive value from the earn revenue) expression of interest.
Technology Strategy Board | 03

4. Metadata: increasing the value of digital content
COMPETITION FOR COLLABORATIVE R&D FUNDING
Key dates Publicity
Fast-track projects The Technology Strategy Board frequently
publicises the results of competitions
Competition opens 13 September 2010
and this includes engagement with the
Briefing (optional) 23 September 2010 media. All applicants will be given a
chance during the competition process to
Deadline for submission: round 1 21 October 2010
opt out of any publicity. Willing applicants
Decision to applicants 19 November 2010 will be asked to provide an agreed form of
words for use in publicity material. E-mail
Deadline for submission: round 2 16 December 2010
pressoffice@tsb.gov.uk with any queries.
Decision to applicants 21 January 2011
Deadline for submission: round 3 17 February 2011 (TBC)
The Technology Strategy Board is a
Decision to applicants 11 March 2011 (TBC) business-led executive non-departmental
public body, established by the
Mainstream projects
Government. Its role is to promote and
Competition opens 13 September 2010 support research into, and development
and exploitation of, technology and
Briefing (optional) 23 September 2010
innovation for the benefit of UK business,
Deadline for submission of optional expression of interest 14 October 2010 in order to increase economic growth and
improve quality of life.
Deadline for submission of compulsory expression of interest 21 October 2010
Decision to applicants 5 November 2010 Collaborative research and development is
Deadline for submission of full-stage applications 16 December 2010 part of the Government’s Solutions for
Business portfolio.
Decision to applicants 21 January 2011
The Technology Strategy Board
Further information Competition helpline: North Star House
0300 321 4357 North Star Avenue
For more information about this
competition, and details of how to register Swindon
and apply, visit www.innovateuk.org Email: SN2 1UE
under Competitions. competitions@tsb.gov.uk Telephone: 01793 442700
www.innovateuk.org
© Technology Strategy Board May 2010 T10/044
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