Digital Circle

Yesterday the e-Synergy fund was launched at Stormont. Immersed in the great and the good, Sammy Wilson, MLA, addressed the crowd to launch the fund and was joined by the founders of e-Synergy and the Chief Executive of InvestNI.

The e-Synergy fund is actually two funds.

The £3 million Invest Growth Proof of Concept Fund is a pre-commercial grant enabling individuals, start-ups, micro-enterprises and SMEs to establish, develop and test the commercial potential of a concept resulting from in-house research and ideas. The fund offers two levels of grant - Mini-Grants up to £10 000 and Standard Grants up to £40 000.

Mini Grants focus on market demand/readiness, assessing your competitive strengths and weaknesses and examining your intellectual property. Standard Grants provide for activities like prototyping, patent investigations and licensing, building a management team and early customer interactions.

The Invest Growth Fund is a £5 million venture-capital fund set up to invest in startup and early-stage businesses based in Northern Ireland. To access this funding, the prospective investee can approach e-Synergy with a two-page Executive Summary presenting a business proposition that demonstrates a product or service with one or more unique aspects, early sales or demonstrable customer traction and an experienced if not complete management team.

This fund is designed to be the first institutional funder after friends, family and founders; with the majority of transactions requiring at least 30% of the funding from private sources.

To find out about both funds, go to http://www.nispofunds.com

In late May, Dark Water Studios, a games development company in the North West released a promotional video of their new game, Dogfighter.

“DogFighter is a fast paced, arcade aerial combat game with arena style gameplay values. Players will engage in single and multiplayer game modes using beefed up biplanes sporting a vast array of weaponry including the omni-directional Tesla Coil, the deadly Viper Cannon and the devastating Hunter Missile.

Game modes feature the classics, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, as well as others with a distinct DogFighter flavour including Race and Nemesis. These new game modes have been designed with team play in mind and offer multiple rewards – many based of the successful completion of team rather than individual objectives.”

We’re now keenly awaiting the release of this fun free-flight combat game!

Dark Water Studios are now members of the Digital Circle and we’re very pleased that their recent business has been so fruitful. They’re also represented on the new-and-unfinished Digital Circle community site on the NING platform and are actively hiring developers, designers and artists. Dark Water Studios are based in Derry, contact details available on their web site.

TRC media’s pioneering digital media initiative, Cross Creative, is now open for applications. Cross Creative is a 9 month programme for top creatives in digital media looking to expand their knowledge, networks, collaborative creative horizons via top flight masterclasses combined with a trip to Silicon Valley. The programme also helps to instil a more ambitious, entrepreneurial approach to the possibilities and partnerships in future media.

Download guidelines and application form from www.trcmedia.org

09 Guidelines and Application Form GO.doc

Some spaces on this programme will be sponsored by NIScreen.

Discuss this at the DigitalCircle NING site.

I’m putting out another call for members to the Digital Circle Internationalisation group.  We have three volunteers on board and it would be great to have a few more, particularly if

·         you have experience in doing business outside Northern Ireland

·         you have a passion to do business outside Northern Ireland.

The next meeting will have no agenda beyond asking the questions:

·         What do we (and an industry) want to achieve?

and

·         What (as an industry) do we have to offer?

I would have an overall aim of identifying potential trade missions and industry events which Invest Northern Ireland will be sympathetic in supporting.

I’d like to do something in early July.

Please let me know if you would like to participate and what time of the day suits you best

·         8.00 am ish

·         noonish

·         6.00 pm ish

Thanks

Contact me at davy.sims@digitalcircle.org

This was held in InvestNI on the 19th June. The event was hosted by Andy McMillan and facilitated by Matt Johnston.

Attendees

Actions:

• Canvas DEL, DE, CCEA to attend next meeting
• Obtain information from the Design Council on “Designers into Schools” programme
• Investigate extending Momentum’s highly successful “BringITon” programme to Digital Content

Title: Digital Circle presents: e-Synergy Funding Event
Location: The Presidents Club, Midtown Centre, 25 Talbot Street, Belfast
Description: Agenda:

Claire Hodson of eSynergy will speak about the new InvestNI funds managed by eSynergy:

# NI Invest Growth Fund
• a £5m venture capital investment fund
• up to £250k investment, averaging £100k

# NI Invest Proof of Concept Fund
• a £3m grant awarding fund
• for small projects including prototyping and market research
• open to pre incorporated businesses
• typically in the range £10k - £40k.

8am - Coffee and refreshments
8:20 Claire Hodson, eSynergy
9:00 Alan Watts, Halo
9:30 Q&A
10am finish

Start Time: 08:00
Date: 2009-06-23 (Tuesday)
End Time: 10:00

Title: Digital Mission Regional Tour
Location: The Presidents Club, Midtown Centre, 25 Talbot Street, Belfast
Link out: Click here
Description: A series of regional workshops are happening around the UK to talk about the Digital Mission series to the USA taking place in Autumn 2009 and Spring 2010.
Start Time: 17:00
Date: 2009-06-17
End Time: 19:00

The events are a perfect opportunity to find out more about the Digital Missions, their objectives and talk to those who’ve had the opportunity to attend a previous mission.

After the Digital Mission seminar, there will be a Q & A session for any further questions not covered and to round the evening off, some informal networking with drinks.

This event is free to attend but requires registration.
Date: Wednesday, 17th June 2009
Time: 5pm - 7pm (networking until 8:30pm)
Venue: The Presidents Club (http://www.the-presidents-club.com/)
Digital Missions are a series of trade missions organised by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and Chinwag. They are specifically designed for UK-headquartered digital SME’s.
The missions support overseas expansion, help companies gain a thorough understanding of the local market, attract investment and promote themselves to key players on the international digital scene.
Questions? Please contact Chinwag on +442071832923 or email: mission@chinwag.com
For more information about the Digital Missions please see: http://digital-mission.org
For more information about UK Trade & Investment, please visit: https://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/

Last night I was at a meeting of the Institute of Directors and the Chief Executives’ Forum representing the Digital Circle. They are keen to focus their attention on the creative industries. Also there were Rick Hill chair of IN Screen, Wendy Austin chair of Arts and Business, Tim McKane of PANI and Stuart Bailie of Oh Yeah where the event was held.

Our hosts were a pretty influential group of people including a couple of Permanent Secretaries of government departments. And they were listening and interested. This is what I had to tell them.

Digital Circle (DC) was formed from the Digital Content Advisory Group which worked with Invest NI on the NI Digital Content Strategy. DC’s steering group has 5 elected members a representative from Momentum (the NI ICT Federation) and employs one facilitator/organiser; Matt Johnston. There 113 members which rises each week.

The Digital Content Industry includes:

• Web Content
• Mobile Content
• E-Learning
• Games (consul games)
• Serious Gaming (educational and training)
• Film and TV (represented by NI Screen)
• Digital Animation (represented by NI Screen and DC)
• Music (represented by NIMIC)

The Strategy Document identifies these key issues relating to the Digital Content Industry and suggests specific actions:

• Leadership
• Investment
• Skills and Training
• Research and Development
• Internationalisation

Each elected member of the Steering Group has responsibility for one of the key issues.

So why should the IoD and Chief Executive’s Forum should be interested in the Digital Content industry

1. Digital Content and Software have a high growth potential but young businesses are in need of expert mentors and shrewd direction.
2. Help build the knowledge economy; keep our young entrepreneurs and creatives here.The people who stay will be key to our future industry.
3. Digital Media is a simple route to Market.
4. NI can compete globally in creativity and innovation.
5. Develop, retain and exploit IP
6. Develop and guide young visionaries
7. Let Belfast bloom; Belfast has 7 quarters named after history or culture yet Glasgow has a Digital Quarter looking to the future. Let’s have a Creative Quarter. An artist, alone in a garret can be creative, but creativity tends to happen when people come together.

Thanks to the other members of the DC Steering Group for their contribution to the list and to friends on Facebook and Twitter wo contributed, too.

EUROPRIX Multimedia Awards are open for entries: Big chance for Europe’s young digital media designers!

Remember, the early entry deadline is June 30, 2009, so participate today for free! www.europrix.org

International recognition, exposure, business opportunities, peer support networks and fantastic opportunities await those who take the chance. Find out how good you really are and have your work judged by an international jury of multimedia experts.

The 9 Categories:

• Online / Web Projects
• Offline Projects / Interactive DVD
• Mobile Applications
• Games
• Interactive Computer Graphics
• Interactive Installations
• Interactive TV
• Content Tools & Interface Design
• Digital Video & Animations
• Special Award for the project with the best business potential.

Nominees will receive a host of benefits, including:
+ An all-expenses-paid trip to the EUROPRIX Multimedia Festival in Graz, Austria in November 2009
+ Presentation of their project in the EUROPRIX yearbook
+ Unique networking and promotion opportunities throughout Europe
+ Cutting-edge software packages

Enter your project to the EUROPRIX Multimedia Awards, Europe’s premier competition for young professionals and students. The EUROPRIX honours outstanding digital media works and offers additionally a special award for the project with the best business potential.

Take the chance to submit your project for free to the EUROPRIX Awards at: www.europrix.org

Blick Business Blitz, funded by Belfast City council and DETI’s Building Sustainable Prosperity programme, is a mix of evening workshops and clinic days to inspire creative entrepreneurs and equip them to trade in an increasingly competitive market at home and abroad.

Sessions:

1. How to access funding and support and initiate business collaborations

- Friday, 5th June, 10 am-4 pm
With:

• Stephen O’Neill, InvestNI
• Brendan McGoran, Belfast City Council
• Grainne McGowan, Skillfast
• Elsie Brown, NIScreen
• and Arts & Business, Skillset, NIMIC and Digital Circle.

2. Local Success Stories, how they did it.

- Wednesday 17th June, 7.30 pm
With:

• John Elliot, Owner of Clements, coffee chain
• Joel Simon, Flickerpix
• Una Rodden, Fashion Designer
• TBC, Double Band Films

3. Marketing and Export

- Wednesday 16th September, 7.30 pm
With:

• Conor Lynch, Connector.ie
• Eoin Magennis, Intertrade Ireland
• Gareth Mitchell, tree2mydoor.com
• Alastair McIlwaine, Straandlooper

4. Innovation and Investment

- Wednesday 21st October, 7.30 pm
With:

• Gawain Morrison, Venture Capitalists, Business Angels, TBC

5. Brand Building and Professional Pitching

- Friday 30th October, 4 pm
With:

• Local business representatives to facilitate pitching

The evening sessions will begin with a short presentation from each facilitator and then an in-depth Q&A will take place, splitting into relevant groupings where necessary. The day clinic will open with a collective talk and work on an appointment basis to enable individual businesses to get the time and support they need.

For more visit Blick Studios, or email Alyson.