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Digital Catapult Centre Launches to Accelerate UK's Digital Economy - Regional Hubs to Follow
LONDON, September 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Centre will foster collaboration between greatest academic and business
minds in digital - helping showcase and develop new ideas to help the UK realise the
potential of data in the economy
The Digital Catapult Centre [https://cde.catapult.org.uk/ideas-innovation-centre ], a
national centre to rapidly advance the UK's best digital ideas, will open its doors on
November 5th. The Centre will be the cornerstone of the Connected Digital Economy Catapult
[https://cde.catapult.org.uk/ideas-innovation-centre ] and the many new collaborations it
convenes between business, universities and other digital stakeholders. The goal is to
unlock four major challenges in the data value chain
[https://cde.catapult.org.uk/data-value-chain ], helping small data innovators accelerate
new ideas to market.
Located in Kings Cross, the heart of London's knowledge quarter, the Centre will
provide entrepreneurs, SMEs, researchers and corporate organisations with a space to meet
and collaborate on development projects. The focus is to address the following challenges
faced by many data innovators: creating trust in the use of personal data, the Internet of
Things - linking data innovators to next generation connectivity, building diverse data
and content sets and the re-use of creative content - first reducing licensing friction.
The Centre launch will be followed by a series of launch events and a first wave of
regional hubs across the country.
"When trying to address major challenges, for example the Internet of Things in
healthcare, businesses reach a point where they need help to cross some 'chasms' on the
way to bringing their products or services to market," explained Neil Crockett, CEO,
Connected Digital Economy Catapult. "It's at this point the Digital Catapult Centre will
play a part. The UK is full of Universities and Clusters where people think of great ideas
and are given support. We want to complement that. We'll bring people together in
collaborative development projects to unlock four challenges in the data value chain in
order to accelerate digital innovators to market."
The Digital Catapult Centre is designed to highlight the fusion between creative and
technology, offering space for technologists, creatives, businesses and academia to
showcase products, connect and collaborate. It includes state-of-the-art collaboration
solutions, innovations labs, development spaces plus a Data Sphere and showcase for the
UK's most exciting new data innovations. As well as a program of events and workshops, the
Centre will run pit stops. These are intensive two-week sessions that bring together
relevant multi-disciplinary expertise to help businesses accelerate the development their
products or services.
By 2018, the Digital Catapult will have made a difference to 10,000 UK organisations,
generating GBP365 million of linked economic value. In addition to working with small
businesses, the Centre will see large businesses supporting and using the Centre to help
UK-based innovators develop their ideas. The Centre has also committed to a secondment
program to leading PHDs from several Centres of Doctoral Training and a student fellowship
program organised in collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council (ESPRC).
"The Centre has been designed with creativity and technology at its heart. That
doesn't mean a room with a pink slide - the fusion of creativity, technology and design is
what will allow the UK to unlock the potential of digital. This space has features we know
help people combine creativity and technology to think, learn and accelerate digital
development," said Andy Green, Chairman of the Connected Digital Economy Catapult. "Once
the London centre is open, we will launch regional hubs across the UK. Our Euston Road
location is easily commutable by rail from the rest of the UK so it's a convenient central
hub and is also in the heart of the fast growing 'Knowledge Quarter' and close to London's
world class digital clusters".
"Technology has changed the world in which we live. The next stage is to accelerate
the UK as a leader, unleashing the power of data and information into new insight and
solutions that can both accelerate UK economic growth but also make the UK a better place
to live," commented Warren East, Non-Executive Director, Connected Digital Economy
Catapult and chair of the UK Electronic Systems Leadership Forum.
"Creative collaboration is at the heart of realising data's true potential and the
Centre is an exciting new addition to the UK innovation landscape," added David Docherty,
Non-Executive Director, Connected Digital Economy Catapult and CEO of the National Centre
for Universities and Business. "It will not only provide home for digital innovators to
connect but run a series of programs, secondments and events to actually make this
collaboration a reality. This is an exciting time for the UK's digital industry and the
Centre is now at the heart of it."
About Catapult Centres
Catapult centres are being established and overseen by Innovate UK as a new addition
to its range of programmes to stimulate innovation. They are places where the best of the
UK's innovative businesses and researchers work together to bring new products and
services more quickly to commercialisation. Focusing on areas with great market potential,
Catapults will open up global opportunities for the UK and generate economic growth for
the future. For more information, please visit http://www.catapult.org.uk
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the new name for the Technology Strategy Board - the UK's innovation
agency. Taking a new idea to market is a challenge. Innovate UK funds, supports and
connects innovative businesses through a unique mix of people and programmes to accelerate
sustainable economic growth. For further information visit http://www.innovateuk.org
Press contact details:
Hugo Deacon or Laura White
+44(0)207-861-2842
catapult@harvard.co.uk
The Connected Digital Economy Catapult
Digital Catapult Centre Launches to Accelerate UK's Digital Economy - Regional Hubs to Follow
LONDON, September 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Centre will foster collaboration between greatest academic and business
minds in digital - helping showcase and develop new ideas to help the UK realise the
potential of data in the economy
The Digital Catapult Centre [https://cde.catapult.org.uk/ideas-innovation-centre ], a
national centre to rapidly advance the UK's best digital ideas, will open its doors on
November 5th. The Centre will be the cornerstone of the Connected Digital Economy Catapult
[https://cde.catapult.org.uk/ideas-innovation-centre ] and the many new collaborations it
convenes between business, universities and other digital stakeholders. The goal is to
unlock four major challenges in the data value chain
[https://cde.catapult.org.uk/data-value-chain ], helping small data innovators accelerate
new ideas to market.
Located in Kings Cross, the heart of London's knowledge quarter, the Centre will
provide entrepreneurs, SMEs, researchers and corporate organisations with a space to meet
and collaborate on development projects. The focus is to address the following challenges
faced by many data innovators: creating trust in the use of personal data, the Internet of
Things - linking data innovators to next generation connectivity, building diverse data
and content sets and the re-use of creative content - first reducing licensing friction.
The Centre launch will be followed by a series of launch events and a first wave of
regional hubs across the country.
"When trying to address major challenges, for example the Internet of Things in
healthcare, businesses reach a point where they need help to cross some 'chasms' on the
way to bringing their products or services to market," explained Neil Crockett, CEO,
Connected Digital Economy Catapult. "It's at this point the Digital Catapult Centre will
play a part. The UK is full of Universities and Clusters where people think of great ideas
and are given support. We want to complement that. We'll bring people together in
collaborative development projects to unlock four challenges in the data value chain in
order to accelerate digital innovators to market."
The Digital Catapult Centre is designed to highlight the fusion between creative and
technology, offering space for technologists, creatives, businesses and academia to
showcase products, connect and collaborate. It includes state-of-the-art collaboration
solutions, innovations labs, development spaces plus a Data Sphere and showcase for the
UK's most exciting new data innovations. As well as a program of events and workshops, the
Centre will run pit stops. These are intensive two-week sessions that bring together
relevant multi-disciplinary expertise to help businesses accelerate the development their
products or services.
By 2018, the Digital Catapult will have made a difference to 10,000 UK organisations,
generating GBP365 million of linked economic value. In addition to working with small
businesses, the Centre will see large businesses supporting and using the Centre to help
UK-based innovators develop their ideas. The Centre has also committed to a secondment
program to leading PHDs from several Centres of Doctoral Training and a student fellowship
program organised in collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council (ESPRC).
"The Centre has been designed with creativity and technology at its heart. That
doesn't mean a room with a pink slide - the fusion of creativity, technology and design is
what will allow the UK to unlock the potential of digital. This space has features we know
help people combine creativity and technology to think, learn and accelerate digital
development," said Andy Green, Chairman of the Connected Digital Economy Catapult. "Once
the London centre is open, we will launch regional hubs across the UK. Our Euston Road
location is easily commutable by rail from the rest of the UK so it's a convenient central
hub and is also in the heart of the fast growing 'Knowledge Quarter' and close to London's
world class digital clusters".
"Technology has changed the world in which we live. The next stage is to accelerate
the UK as a leader, unleashing the power of data and information into new insight and
solutions that can both accelerate UK economic growth but also make the UK a better place
to live," commented Warren East, Non-Executive Director, Connected Digital Economy
Catapult and chair of the UK Electronic Systems Leadership Forum.
"Creative collaboration is at the heart of realising data's true potential and the
Centre is an exciting new addition to the UK innovation landscape," added David Docherty,
Non-Executive Director, Connected Digital Economy Catapult and CEO of the National Centre
for Universities and Business. "It will not only provide home for digital innovators to
connect but run a series of programs, secondments and events to actually make this
collaboration a reality. This is an exciting time for the UK's digital industry and the
Centre is now at the heart of it."
About Catapult Centres
Catapult centres are being established and overseen by Innovate UK as a new addition
to its range of programmes to stimulate innovation. They are places where the best of the
UK's innovative businesses and researchers work together to bring new products and
services more quickly to commercialisation. Focusing on areas with great market potential,
Catapults will open up global opportunities for the UK and generate economic growth for
the future. For more information, please visit http://www.catapult.org.uk
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the new name for the Technology Strategy Board - the UK's innovation
agency. Taking a new idea to market is a challenge. Innovate UK funds, supports and
connects innovative businesses through a unique mix of people and programmes to accelerate
sustainable economic growth. For further information visit http://www.innovateuk.org
Press contact details:
Hugo Deacon or Laura White
+44(0)207-861-2842
catapult@harvard.co.uk
The Connected Digital Economy Catapult