The £33m ISCF Audience of the Future Challenge offers support to innovators, researchers, creators and technologists to create new products and services by adopting, exploiting and developing immersive technologies. October 1st sees the launch of the next phase of the Audience of the Future Challenge with a new R&D fund “Production Innovation for Immersive Content”. Up to £8m is available for business-led R&D projects that enable immersive content to be created faster, more efficiently or in new ways and which improve significantly on the current ‘state of the art’ in the field.

Lowering the cost of this content and expanding the ways in which it can be experienced will help UK businesses, especially SMEs, to flourish and maintain the UK’s position as a global creative powerhouse.
The competition is open to all UK creative industry organisations working with immersive technologies. Single company projects can receive up to £250,000, while collaborative projects up to a £1million. All proposals must involve at least one UK-based SME but universities and research organisations can be part of consortia bid. Proposals must include at least one participant who is a content creator and develop tools, products or services for creating and delivering immersive content.

A series of briefing, networking and drop-ins are planned throughout October. These events are designed to give you an opportunity to meet the teams behind the competitions, learn more about the scope of funding on offer, ask questions and meet potential partners and collaborators. These events are free to attend. Registration details for each event are listed below:

• Belfast: Drop In Info Session - 8 October, 2pm-4pm

• Edinburgh: Briefing Event - 9 October, 2pm-4pm

• Cardiff: Drop In Info Session - 15 October, 11am- 1pm

• Manchester: Briefing Event & Consortia Networking - 16 October, 10am -3pm

• (Morning) London: Briefing Event & Consortia Networking 18 October, 10am - 1pm - SOLD OUT

• (Afternoon) London: Briefing Event & Consortia Networking: 18 October, 1pm - 5pm

• Online Webcast Briefing Event: 18 October, 10am -12pm (for those who cannot attend a briefing in person)

• Newcastle: Drop In Info Session – 8 November, 10:30pm-1:00pm

The competition scope will be made live Oct 1st on the Innovate UK Competitions Page and www.immerseuk.org where you will also find more information on the ISCF Audience of the Future Challenge and a range of resources to help and support applications to Audience of the Future competitions.

Keep in touch with AotF competitions as they launch by signing up as an Immerse UK member and receiving our monthly newsletter. You can also follow us on Twitter @immerseuk_ for news and updates.

The event is being run with the support of Digital Catapult Immersive Labs, for more information please contact: hello@storyfx.co