Scottish new media and creative companies will have the chance to compete for a place on a week-long residential Lab, which will take their new media ideas from concept to prototype or demonstration. The Lab will conclude with an opportunity for the resulting developed ideas to be pitched to BBC commissioners, with a view to funding the next stages of production under commercial contracts.

BBC Innovation Labs are designed to help nurture new talent and provide a route for companies to explore ground-breaking new media ideas, with four UK regions scheduled to hold Labs. The Scotland Lab programme is designed and delivered in close collaboration with Scottish Enterprise's Digital Media and Creative Industries Team.

Scottish new media, creative technologists, application designers and interactive media companies are invited to attend one of two Lab introductory Open Days in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Following the introductory Open Days, companies and consortia will have the chance to submit proposals for ideas they would like to be considered for Lab development. Selected teams will be invited to attend a week of residential workshop development with peers, BBC mentors and industry gurus in February/March 2007.

The open days will be an opportunity to learn more about the new briefs, receive more information, and give an opportunity for regional indies to meet BBC commissioners and ask questions about the kind of projects the BBC is looking for this year.

Glasgow
Glasgow's Introductory Open Day will be held on Tuesday 7 November 2006 at Scottish Enterprise, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow G2 8LU.

Companies wishing to attend one of the two Open Days are required to register their attendance in advance by emailing the email address below or visiting the website below. Places are limited to one attendee per company or consortium and will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

Prototypes developed at the Labs wil be pitched to BBC New Media commissioners at the end of the Lab week in Feb/March 07. The best idea may be pitched for future development, which could see the best of the best become part of the BBC's new media programming in years to come.

Matt Locke, Head of Innovation said "Innovations Labs is a way for us to get to know the range of talented independent companies across the UK, and to share with them our strategies and innovation requirements. The pilots in 2005/06 were a great success, generating over 170 ideas with 29 companies attending the week-long Labs, and 13 projects being selected for further development beyond the Labs."

Email: innovation@scotent.co.uk
Url: www.scottish-enterprise.com/digitalmedia