West of England's creative tech can tap into £2M opportunity fund

Businesses from across the West of England are invited to pitch innovative projects for a share of £2million funding, which will advance technologies and improve audience experience in the creative sector.

The call is the first open funding opportunity offered by MyWorld, a visionary initiative led by the University of Bristol in partnership with organisations across the creative production, arts, and higher education sector set to pioneer new digital formats and technologies.

From 25 April until 1 June, businesses of all sizes are invited to apply for project funding ranging from £100k - £200k in collaboration with academics and research organisations. Supported projects must focus on screen-based and immersive technologies within the creative sector industries.

David Bull, MyWorld Director and Professor of Signal Processing at the University of Bristol, said: “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.

“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.”

MyWorld is supported by £30m of funding from the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Strength in Places Fund, as well as industry and academic partners, connecting regional and national partners with global tech giants, including Netflix, Google, and Microsoft.

The BBC, Aardman Animations, BT, Digital Catapult, and Bristol Old Vic, along with a host of other creative companies and sector organisations, are all part of the unique cross-sector consortium. The hub is projected to generate more than 700 new jobs and boost the economy by £223m. It aims to forge dynamic collaborations between world-leading academic institutions and creative industries to develop technological innovation, creative excellence, inclusive cultures, and knowledge sharing.

In collaboration with the University of Bath, University of the West of England, and Bath Spa University, the project will provide advanced training programmes and talent development feeding into an extensive knowledge exchange network.

Katie Hudson, Senior Innovation Partner at Digital Catapult for MyWorld, said: “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.

“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.”

To mark the launch of the Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) call, MyWorld, in collaboration with Digital Catapult, will run an event at Bristol’s M Shed Museum on Tuesday, 26 April. The free event will showcase examples of the region’s creative technology and media production industries as well as past industry-academic R&D partnerships. Attendees will have an opportunity to form collaboration partnerships, learn more about the opportunities, and how to access further guidance and support.

Photo shows: Within the University of Bath’s motion capture studio at The Bottle Yard Studios, technician Dr Pooya Soltani adjusts the subject’s motion capture suit. This is covered in markers to enable cameras to track the performer’s movements.