I spent a couple hours last Tues at a 3CR event as part of the Creative Technology Network learning about new and recent funding announcements.
Nigel Derrett k (CEO, 3CR) kicked things off with an overview of the latest Technology Strategy Board’s Autumn 2007 funding competition.
There are 8 subject areas, first 3 open now; Phase 2 opens on 19 Dec and closes 27 March, it includes Low carbon Energies.
Phase 3 opens on 30 Jan, closes 8 May, with two areas of potential interest;
– Gathering data in complex environments
– Creative industries
More information (though not much) is available from BERR: the information on the Phase 2 and 3 calls is very scant. BERR are asking for input on what the funding should go towards so now is the time to contact them and make the case for where to spend our money!
Mustafa Rampuri (Project Manager, 3CR) gave an overview of European Framework Programme 7 (FP7) call for Intelligent Content and Semantics in about 10 min. Well actually he ran through a mass of links and information but you can’t sensibly cover the whole 32 billion Euro, multi-modal, thematic, cross-cutting, etc thing that is FP7 in less than a couple days, but he did a pretty good job.
Geraint Jones (Project Manager, 3CR) introduced the new Digital Communications Knowledge Transfer Network
Launched last Thursday with joint directors in Dr Richard Nicol & Prof Mike Short. The network has funding of £3m over 3yrs but doesn’t appear to have much resource for additional prototyping or research? It seems to come down to a networking and soft-lobbying on TSB funding – lots of events but no projects. I guess if it can influence the Tech Strategy Board into allocating funding then that’s a good thing.
This could be a possible model for future networks (we’re expecting announcements for Creative KTN in Jan).