The UK is continually striving to help promote and fund new opportunities in its creative technology sector with programmes like the recent UK-Canada Immersive Exchange. Today, a new initiative has been announced by Digital Catapult and the University of Bristol called MyWorld, where businesses can apply for project grants taken from a £2 million GBP funding pot.
MyWorld is looking for companies from across the West of England who are pioneering new digital formats and technologies, whether that’s in creative production, arts, or the higher education sector. Applications open later this month from 25th April to 1st June 2022. With funding amounts ranging from £100k – £200k, MyWorld does stipulate that: “Supported projects must focus on screen-based and immersive technologies within the creative sector industries.”
It’s not just funding that MyWorld will supply successful applicants. They’ll also gain access to advanced training programmes and talent development from the University of Bath, University of the West of England, and Bath Spa University.
“The West of England excels in the creative technology sector, so I’m intrigued and excited to see what will emerge from this first public call for funding,” said David Bull, MyWorld Director and Professor of Signal Processing at the University of Bristol in a statement. “MyWorld is based on a foundation of world-class research and development, combined with industry strength, in this field across Bristol, Bath, and beyond. It is fantastic to be able to open MyWorld funding up to the organisations and academics that have been building this reputation for years, and to welcome new collaborators to the region. I have every confidence it will catalyse a raft of new innovations and opportunities to supercharge future growth across our region.”
“From virtual reality to motion capture, technologies can unlock so many exciting new experiences for audiences in the creative space. The West of England is fast emerging as a front runner in this area, boasting some of the leading CreaTech minds in the country,” adds Katie Hudson, Senior Innovation Partner at Digital Catapult for MyWorld. “Whether you’re an industry leader or academia, MyWorld is on the hunt for some of the brightest tech and creative innovators in the region.”
Supported by £30m from the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Strength in Places Fund, MyWorld is supported by partners including the BBC, Aardman Animations, BT, Google, and Microsoft. To officially kick things off, MyWorld will run a free event at Bristol’s M Shed Museum on Tuesday, 26th April, where it’ll showcase past industry-academic R&D partnerships and examples of the region’s creative technology.
For continued updates on the UK’s creative technology sector, keep reading gmw3.
