digitalmission

Come Along for Some Christmas Cheers - Thursday 15th December

It's that time of the year again, mince pies are coming out of your ears, that log fire smell is in the air, silly xmas decorations are up in the office, all in all there is alot of Christmas cheer about the place and to make it even better, we have another 'xmas drinks' to add to your list. 

Chinwag have teamed up with Kathryn McMann Consultancy and Put It Out and have organised a very informal xmas get together next Thursday,15th December in central London for some drinks, networking and chatter. We also have a magician for all your entertainment needs.

// more

Christmas Cheers

Kathryn McMann Consultancy, Put It Out and Chinwag have teamed up to organise an informal evening of networking and general Christmas Cheer with Free drinks and a magician for as long as they last, so get there early. It's seriously going to be a lot of fun.

// more

Date: 15 December 2011
Location: The Porterhouse Covent Garden, UK

Digital Mission: Singapore & Hong Kong Meetup: Discussions & Next Steps

Singapore by Manvendra Bhangui

For the least three years, over 150 companies have taken part in Digital Missions to the tech centres of the US. The week before last, we met with a group of companies interested in heading East, to South East Asia and China.

Gathering at the offices of our hosts, Pinsent Masons, we talked through the outline plans that have been brewing at Chinwag Towers and had an in-depth discussion about the priorities for a potential Digital Mission™ to Singapore and Hong Kong including the primary objectives, timings and possible companies to meet on the trip.

Here's a quick summary of the discussion and an outline of the plans for what happens next and how to get involved:

// more

Digital Mission Companies Make the Smarta 100 And Need Your Vote

Danny makes a dash for the finish line by Anne

It's award season and time for nominees to gather public votes. Having got your eye in with some thumbs-up, thumbs-down action on the SXSW panel picker, it's time for voting in the Smarta 100 awards and the Vodafone Mobile Clicks competition.

And we're chuffed that our friends and Digital Mission alumni ParcelGenie, Teamly and Zkatter have made it through to the Smarta 100, vote for them, or, if you must the other nominees ;-) - here:

// more

UKTI's Autumn 2011 Trade Missions to USA and China: Deadlines to Apply Imminent

UKTI's Cyprus representative helping customers at Explore Export by UKTI

UK Trade & Investment, the government agency responsible for helping firms develop their export potential and encourage foreign investment has announced a number of trade missions taking place this Autumn.

The six trips include five to the USA focused on cloud computing, app developers, 4G, mobile communications and digital media. An additional trip to China is planned to coincide with the UK/China Internet Forum with the delegation led by DCMS Minister Ed Vaizey.

// more

£25,000 Future Games Contest Launched by TSB and Abertay University

Future Games Contest

IC tomorrow, a Technology Strategy Board (TSB) initiative has launched a brand-spanking new £25,000 competition for the University of Abertay Dundee to build prototypes to push the barriers of the games industry.

The Future of Games contest is designed to enable small firms to develop prototypes which can be developed into commercial models in early 2012. As part of the hook up with IC tomorrow, developers will get access to content from EMI, Tate, IPC Media and National Geographic.

// more

Vote Now: 80+ British Sessions Proposed in SXSW Panel Picker

I voted!

I'm pretty sure it happens earlier each year, but maybe it's age. Policemen are all looking younger, too. The annual 'vote for me' fest that is the SXSW Panelpicker has opened its doors.

SXSW 2012This year sees over 80 panels submitted from this side of the Atlantic from organisations big and small including the BBC, Iris Worldwide, FutureGov, TechHub, BBC, PeerIndex, mydeco, Somethin' Else, Madgex, Clearleft, The Economist and heaps more.

// more

Digital Deutschland: CIKTN Announces One-Day Startup Event in Berlin

by smcde

In Chinwag's recent Digital Mission survey looking at which global opportunities were tempting the UK's digital firms, Germany featured 4th on the list.

Update: Panel line-up and Berline startups announced. Just one travel bursary left. See below.

For those digital firms interested in this market, Creative Industries KTN (CIKTN) and Berlin Brandenburg Medianet have announced a one-day session in Berlin to introduce firms to the local market, meeting with startups and local businesses who will provide mentoring support.

// more

Inside the Digital Mission to DC #dm2dc

So we are back at the Chinwag towers after a great Digital Mission to Washington, and I’ve found myself reflecting on the goings on of the past week, who we met, what we saw, where we went and what we came away with. I think it is safe to say the trip was a huge success and we caused just the right amount of havoc.

I am going to try and fit in the weeks activities into one blog post…wish me luck.

// more

Digital Mission Observer Programme Launches with Washington Trip

Through the Looking Glass by Jon McGovern

The recently announced Digital Mission Observer Programme launched this week, with the trip to Washington, DC. The programme was designed specifically to offer opportunities for staff in larger corporates, professional services firms and academia a chance to benefit from the Digital Mission series.

Amongst the observers joining the DC trip is Louise Eldridge (@fieldhead) from London law firm, Finers Stephens Innocent LLP. She said,

"We're excited to be part of the mission and the observer programme affords both companies and individuals the opportunity to engage with the companies selected and learn about their drivers and to better understand how to help facilitate their growth".

The agenda includes a mixture of briefings, masterclass, speed networking, VIP reception and evening events with the US Dept of State, Microsoft, Deloitte, the State of Maryland with more to be announced shortly. Across the week-long trip there'll be opportunities to meet representatives from across the spectrum of the DC digital and governmental scene from departments to NGOs to startups and social innovators.

// more

VIP Showcase Completes Packed Digital Mission to Washington, DC

VIP by Gerard Girbes

The companies joining the Digital Mission to Washington are gearing themselves up for a packed week in and around the US capital meeting with numerous federal agencies, major corporates and a host of movers'n'shakers in DC.

We're delighted to announce a VIP Digital Mission Company Showcase (Mon 11th July - RSVP here) to close the first night of the mission. It follows a highly successful event organised by UKTI to promote TechCity a few weeks earlier. 

Working closely with FutureGov, UK Trade & Investment, Fairfax County EDA and Deloitte, the guest list will feature senior staff from across DC including speakers from sessions later in the week and key influencers in this sector from government and industry.

After the official presentations and introductions there will be a spot of speed networking with some of DC’s leading digital agencies and government officials continued with a casual networking session, with a chance to relax with a beer and carry on the all-important conversations.

// more

OpenAir Summer Announced, Rooftop Networking Session To Close Digital Mission to DC

OpenAir Summer, a night of networking, engaging conversations, cocktails and a rooftop sunset, what more could you want from an evening?

The event, taking place at 6pm on Thursday14th July, fits nicely with the end of the Digital Mission to Washington and is being organised by Tech and Innovation advisor Justin Herman and Director of FutureGov Dominic Campbell

// more

Digital Mission to Washington DC: 10 Reasons Your Company Should Apply

Not long now until a group of digital government and social innovation geeks pack their bags and head over to the US with FutureGov and the Digital Mission gang to learn how things are done on the other side of the pond – and hopefully show them a thing or two as well with the best of UK digital innovation. 

But before all of that, I thought I’d fill you in on a good few reasons why we thought a Digital Mission to DC would be such a good idea…

// more

Vodafone Mobile Clicks Competition Opens With €225,000 Prize Fund for Mobile Developers

Vodafone Mobile Clicks Competition 2011

Thanks to our friends at Momo London for the heads-up that applications are now open for year's Vodafone Mobile Clicks competition. 

The competition is open to startups from seven countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Spain, Turkey or the United Kingdom) and has a rather juicy €225,000 up for grabs for the leading mobile site, service or applications.

// more

South By South West...Through the Eyes of Teamly

I’m writing this a few days after returning back to the UK after attending “South by South-West” (SXSW) Interactive, Austin, Texas. It’s an enormous conference or festival of all things digital and web related. In Silicon Valley it’s known as “spring break for geeks”, an apt description which describes the attendees and the atmosphere just a little too well.

It’s spread over 5 days, with talks, discussions, panels and keynotes running all through the day with parties running all through the night. There is simply no other conference like it. You won’t see people in suits, instead, flip flops, shorts and a T-shirt branded with your company logo is fairly typical.

// more