Partner Article

R&D funding for small digital companies

Small and micro companies are being encouraged to bid for a share of £1.8m government funding to carry out R&D feasibility projects that address the converged nature of the digital landscape.

The programme is being delivered by the Technology Strategy Board, and will come in three parts over the course of 2012.

Proposals for feasibility projects are being sought for convergence in hyper-local media models, content origination tools, and analytical feedback and metrics tools.

The first challenge encourages innovative, hyper-local cross-media platforms and enabling technologies that will drive new service offerings, reach out into communities and provide conduits for public services.

Challenge number 2 focuses on true cross-platform origination of content and business models for cross-media formats and consumption.

Projects that investigate the potential of cross-platform analytical metrics and feedback tools to help content producers understand the consumption of their products in a converged digital landscape.

The first challenge opens on April 23, with a registration deadline of may 16. Funding will be spread equally over the three component challenges within the programme.

It will be complemented by a parallel competition and research programme funded by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).

Those successful in the first challenge will have the opportunity to meet with, and potentially collaborate with NESTA-funded projects that focus on the content and service aspects of hyper-local media.

Projects must be led by small or micro businesses, working individually or in collaboration, and should last no more than 12 months, with total project costs must not exceed £75,000 and up to 75% grant funding.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .