How to get your share of £2m from the Technology Strategy Board

Yesterday, the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) explained how the competition for funding of “Network Services Demonstrators” is going to work. £2m is available to fund selected demonstrators which sit at the intersection of thinking about the economics of the network, the economics of content and services and access protection and empowerment. The TSB were deliberately but frustratingly vague about exactly what they wanted to sponsor, looking instead for innovative ideas. But some key points did come through:

• Although not precisely defined, it is clear that they are looking for perhaps 5 to 10 projects in total – so you get an idea of scale
• There must be a network facility ( a “site”) which is open to content owners and service providers, and which allows innovative ideas (including new business models) to be tested; it is NOT just about fibreing up a village
• There must be real users connected to it; real revenues may be generated, if required to test a business model for example, but these will be deducted from the costs being funded
• Out of scope would be anything which was primarily about network provisioning, anything without a network partner, lab/research prototypes and genuinely new technology- it is a “near market” funding.

The independent assessors will be looking for the added value coming from TSB funding (ie what would happen because of the funding that would not have happened otherwise), the impact of service enablers, a proof on principle business model and pretty specific plans for implementation (including, APIs, SLAs and various other abbreviations).

The ten questions on the application form cover:
• The business proposition – is it a viable market, is there a realistic future
• The benefits including wider spin-off benefits
• The technical approach and innovations, both commercial and scientific
• Risks and risk management
• Partners’ track records and experience
• Costs, revenues and added value

The TSB will fund 50% of eligible costs (including in-kind costs), and there are various restrictions on how that is shared and a limit to academic involvement. The deadline for submissions to Stage 1 of the procedure is noon on the 24th June. Further steps lead to a decision by 7th October and project commencement around December/January.

For more information go to the Innovate website: http://digitalbritain.innovateuk.org/

NetStrategics can help with the development of business cases and innovative business models and is keen to hear from anyone planning to submit a project to this competition.