Time running out for digital fellowships
Aug 28 2008 By Christopher Knox, The Journal
Three new start-up businesses have emerged from Middlesbrough’s DigitalCity as the closing date nears for budding digital entrepreneurs to access £4,000 of funding to develop their ideas. Christopher Knox reports.
IN recent years, Teesside University – and the town – have established an enviable reputation in the field of computer games, digital media, animation and creative industries.
The DigitalCity initiative looks set to maintain this reputation and recently showcased a number of aspiring entrepreneurs currently involved in its fellowship programme.
The Show and Tell event gave the fellows the chance to present their digital business ideas to an audience of around 30 people involved with DigitalCity, including business leaders, representatives from the University of Teesside and mentors and tutors.
The three young entrepreneurs included 22-year old Ken Fryer, originally from Sunderland, with his firm Text Flirt, a dating tool that enables users to introduce themselves to new people.
Fresh Fish, run by five DigitalCity fellows from around the Tees Valley, has developed a digital learning tool which allows schools to teach dance and movement, while Aether and Hemera design and produce multi-sensory furniture.
The DigitalCity fellowship programme gives North East entrepreneurs in growing sectors, such as animation, games, multimedia, music and film the opportunity to explore their ideas backed by a bursary, world-class facilities and mentors at the Institute of Digital Innovation (IDI), based at the University of Teesside.
Scott Watson, enterprise co-ordinator for the IDI, said: “It’s really important that the DigitalCity fellows gain experience in pitching to industry professionals and the Show and Tell events allow them to practise selling their ideas.
“The event also gives those involved with DigitalCity the opportunity to see how the programme is progressing and the wide range of business ideas that the scheme produces.
“Some of the fellows have even received expressions of interest from business and community leaders thanks to the Show and Tell events, which illustrates further how successful the DigitalCity scheme is.”
The IDI has just secured another three years worth of funding from regional development agency One NorthEast and is about to open up its next round of fellowships.
Recent graduates, postgraduates or industry professionals with a relevant, original project idea have until tomorrow to apply for a place on the programme, which provides grants of up to £4,000 to help develop business ideas.
The programme has produced a number of success stories, including Teesside graduates Morgan Powell and Neil Kidney, of Seed Animation, who worked closely with Curtis Jobling, production designer of children’s TV hit Bob the Builder, to launch their business.
The pair have since moved to London and have worked on a number of high- profile animation projects, including a music video for band The Automatic and an ad campaign for Feel Good Drinks.
Mr Watson said: “We have been afforded a new round of funding based on how successful the programme has been. The support these young business people receive is second to none.
“Although it is up to the individual as to whether they decide to move down south, we believe we are building up a strong centre for digital excellence in the North East, which will help to retain talent in the future.”
The IDI offers three types of fellowship – Junior, Innovation and Creative. Each fellowship includes a grant of between £500 and £4,000 and specialist industry mentoring to the fellow or team of fellows.
The fellow is expected to carry out research, product or commercial development to a stage where it is to industry standard, commercially viable or able to attract further funding.
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Three show and tell businesses
1 – Ken Fryer, Text Flirt
Originally from Sunderland, 22-year old Ken has developed technology that allows pub and club-goers the chance to flirt without any embarrassment or awkward silences.
Revellers are handed a unique number which they must wear at all times while in the building.
Admirers are then invited to text those numbers in order to participate in the virtual flirting, with the numbers only working within the immediate surroundings and controlled via a computer.
Ken has already conducted a number of trials in the North East and has the backing of a major drinks company.
2 - Kim Vonkotthen, Fresh Fish
German born Kim became a DigitalCity fellow in order to develop a business centred around creative dance.
She has since joined up with a team of digital media experts at Teesside University to design a tool that allows schools to teach dance through virtual characters that are projected on to walls.
The computer-based programme, which is being trialed by dance groups in the region, is a more cost-effective way of teaching dance and can be linked up with other dance schools via the web.
3 – Gloria Ronchi and Claudio Benghi, Aether and Hemera
The Italian-born couple have launched a new furniture and art installation business which uses light to give them a unique appearance.
The pair worked alongside the Institute of Digital Innovation to develop technology that interacts with the public and their surround- ings and reacts to the colours that it comes into contact with.
They have already been commissioned to create two art installations for a health centre in Cornwall and hope to develop a range of furnishings for hotels and bars.
After meeting in Italy, the pair moved to the North East last year in order to get their business off the ground, which is named after Greek gods.
Mr Benghi said: “We want to create a unique experience for people. The idea is to allow more than one person to sit down on our furniture and blend the colour that they are wearing.
“We consider ourselves artists but we believe there a number of commercial markets we can enter.”
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Super-cluster bid to boost digi enterprise
DIGITALCITY is a bold economic regeneration project developed by a partnership involving One NorthEast, the University of Teesside, Tees Valley Partnership and Middlesbrough Council.
It aims to create a super-cluster of digital technology and digital media enterprises that will play a key role in the overall economic regeneration of the Tees Valley.
While the council provides support to digital firms wishing to set up in Middlesbrough town centre as part of its Boho Zone, the university provides help to companies based in the wider Tees Valley area. The two bodies formed DigitalCity in 2003 to pool their resources and have since helped hundreds of business to start up and secure much-needed funding.
The university opened two new buildings last year as part of a £21m development, marking a major step on the Tees Valley’s journey to become one of the UK’s premier locations for digital media and technology.
The Institute of Digital Innovation and the Centre for Creative Technologies have bolstered the university’s reputation in the digital field.
