KTN business briefing dec 2019

www.ktn-uk.org @KTNUK
Digital & Creative Business Briefing
December 2019

Content
• Feature: AI for Services Insurtech Matchmaking event
• Funding competitions
• Support programmes
• Upcoming events
• Investors Directory
• Networks
• Articles
• Register for updates

Feature: Insurtech Matchmaking event
AI for Services, in partnership with Early Metrics, is hosting an exclusive Insurtech Matchmaking event on Thursday
30th January in London. This session will offer innovative AI & Data start-ups the opportunity to meet leading
organisations and commercial partners in the insurance sector to help them solve their R&D challenges. Confirmed
participants include Axa XL, Brit, Bupa, Dai-chi Life, Direct Line Group and Hiscox.
The event will take place from 17:30 – 20:30 on Thursday 30th January in London. Up to 20 of the most innovative
companies who apply to attend will be invited to meet with established insurance firms for an evening of facilitated
networking.
If you are a startup or SME interested in attending, please complete the application form by Thursday 9 January.
Before submitting your application, please read the background information on bit.ly/InsurtechMatchmaking

Funding
Innovate UK : Smart Grants: Oct 2019 - Jan 2020
Deadline: 8th January 2020 12:00pm
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

Funding
Innovate UK : Commercialising quantum technology: technology projects round 1,
full stage
Deadline: 5th February 2020 12:00pm
UK businesses can express an interest in applying for a share of up to £30 million to collaborate on quantum
technology development projects. This funding is from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
The aim is to remove technological barriers to speed up the commercialisation of quantum technologies in the UK and
increase private sector investment in the research, development and manufacture of the resulting hardware, software
and services.
You must identify a technological barrier and propose an innovative project that addresses it to the benefit of UK
quantum companies.
READ MORE

Funding
Innovate UK : UK-Israel open collaborative R&D competition
Deadline: 19 February 2020 12:00pm
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £1.5 million to develop innovative technologies targeting global markets in
partnership with Israeli companies.
This will support collaborative, business led research and development (R&D) projects which should result in a new
product, industrial process or service. Projects must be innovative, involve a technological risk and target large global
markets.
READ MORE

Funding
ISCF Digital Security by Design Research Projects
Deadline: 7th January
EPSRC, on behalf of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), would like to commit up to £8 million (at 80% FEC) to support
academic research projects from across the broader research landscape that address specific objectives within the scope of the
Digital Security by Design challenge. The aim is to support innovative research projects that will help to move the technology
beyond the state of the art, moving Capability Hardware concepts and use forward, without duplicating or conflicting with the
existing CHERI research.
Applications for full proposals are sought from project teams based at Research Organisations in the UK who are eligible to
receive EPSRC funding.
READ MORE

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

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 endeavours 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

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

Support Programmes
The ScaleUp Accelerator
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

Support Programmes
Financial Conduct Authority Regulatory Sandbox
Now open for applications to cohort 6 until 31 December 2019.
The regulatory sandbox allows businesses to test innovative propositions in the market with real consumers. The sandbox is open to authorised firms,
unauthorised firms that require authorisation and technology businesses that are looking to deliver innovation in the UK financial services market. All
applications will be assessed against our eligibility criteria which are set out below.
A particular interest in receiving applications from firms with propositions that:
• make finance work for everyone – by addressing issues around access, exclusion and vulnerability
• support the UK in the move to a greener economy – by responding to the challenges posed by climate change
• use technology to overcome regulatory challenges – by helping regulated firms comply with their obligations
And from firms using:
• federated learning and travelling algorithms
• complex scenario modelling and simulation
READ MORE

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

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

Support programmes
VocTech Funding rounds
Voctech Seed 2019 provides up to £50K in funding for up to 12 months. Projects are at an early stage, solving clearly
identifiable vocational learning problems.
Stage 1 - open 15 January - 8th February (5pm)
Stage 2 - open 11th March - 5th April (5pm)Expected decision 31st May
VocTech Impact 2019 provides £150-300K in funding, for projects 18-24 months in length. Projects have proven ideas and
are able to show wide social impact. Ufi funding enables large scale piloting and demonstration.
Stage 1 open 5th June - 28th June (5pm)
Stage 2 open 1st August - 13th September (5pm) Expected decision 31st October
VocTech Specialist 2019 is a new funding round which will focus on improving vocational learning in specific sectors that are
important to the economy but under-served by current provision. Stage 1 open 12th March - 5th April (5pm)
READ MORE

Support programmes
Cyber ASAP – Register your interest
CyberASAP Year 4 is planned, subject to funding approval, and is likely to be open for applications in January/February
2020 and to commence in April 2020. Academics and University Technology Transfer Officers who are interested in
applying should register here and we will inform you when more details are available.
READ MORE

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

Featured Upcoming event
AI for Services: Insurtech Matchmaking
AI for Services, in partnership with Early Metrics, is hosting an exclusive Insurtech Matchmaking event on Thursday 30th
January in London. This session will offer innovative AI & Data start-ups the opportunity to meet leading organisations and
commercial partners in the insurance sector to help them solve their R&D challenges. Confirmed participants include Axa XL,
Brit, Bupa, Dai-chi Life, Direct Line Group and Hiscox.
The event will take place from 17:30 – 20:30 on Thursday 30th January in London. Up to 20 of the most innovative companies
who apply to attend will be invited to meet with established insurance firms for an evening of facilitated networking.
If you are a startup or SME interested in attending, please complete the application form by Thursday 9 January. Before
submitting your application, please read the background information on bit.ly/InsurtechMatchmaking
READ MORE

Upcoming events
Lunchtime Webinar – Women in Innovation Financial Planning
17th December, Webcast 1200-1300
Innovate UK in the East Midlands
8th January, Nottingham
Inspiring Investment
14th January, London
5G 2020 Unleashed
29th January, London
Insurtech Matchmaking Event (by application only)
30th January 2020, London
Digital Business Meet-up: Cybersecurity
6th February, London
Keep up-to-date with KTN events here

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

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/

Networks: AI for Services
aiforservices.org
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

Networks: Geospacial Insights
https://ktn-uk.co.uk/interests/geospatial
The world is powered by data; turning data into information helps us make decisions across all sectors of the economy.
This network is all about connecting the data holders and data processors with the people that can benefit from the insight geospatial
data can provide. From the large imagery data sets provided by earth observation through to sensor data connected through the
Internet of Things, the network special interest group will convene and connect people across sectors to help them identify and
overcome their geospatial data challenges and create opportunities to drive economic growth.
Over the next two years, KTN will be running a series of workshops to raise awareness of the insights geospatial data can bring to key
sectors such as infrastructure, finance, agri-food, transport and health.

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

Featured Articles
UK5G: An examination of the state of mobile connectivity in the UK and how it affects small businesses
AI for Services: How startups and corporates can collaborate to drive innovation
Cyber ASAP: How to win investment in just a minute
European Tech Founder Portrait

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The KTN Digital & Creative Team
https://ktn-uk.co.uk/interests/digital-creative

KTN business briefing dec 2019

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KTN business briefing dec 2019