digitalmission

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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…

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.

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.

After a very busy, very tiring, but very productive week out to the famous SXSW we have returned. All companies in check, no broken bones or more importantly broken laptops and with some great stories to tell - lets start off at day one…

Thursday

As we touched down in refreshingly sunny Austin you could tell it was going to be a good week, with the sun shinning and the geeky vibes buzzing there was a lot to look forward to.

Jumping timezones had left everyone slightly confused as to what day and time it was so we eased the companies participating on the UKTI Mission in slowly with a networking reception at the Moonshine Grill. The Texan food on offer including buffalo meatballs and “corn dog” shrimp definitely got our taste bubs ready for the next few days, washed down with a few magaritas.

It gave the companies a chance to get to know one another a little better as well as meeting the UKTI and Chinwag teams. With the easy start to the busy week ahead most of us headed to bed, minus a few that started the SXSW parties early!

Here are fifty tips from the mind of SXSW veteran, and Chinwag mastermind, Sam Michel. They are good, and they work - I know because I've personally beta-tested every one of them!

1. Shoes - Wear comfortable shoes. There is lots of walking - the Austin Convention Center (ACC) is so large that it could declare itself a principality and have its own royal family. They'd be on Twitter of course.

2. Pace yourself - You know that think about the candle that burns brightly? You may want to be a bright star, but the days are long, and the nights longer still. Don't over do it too soon.

3. Flexibility - Plan to change your plan. The queues for one session or party might be huge, so look at what else is on. You didn't some here to queue, you can do that back home.

4. Contact - Stay in touch on Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, but don't forget old skool SMS. It's all about the people. Contact and be contactable.

5. Roaming Data Charges - They can be eye-watering. Lots of venues in Austin have WiFi, and a new EU ruling means you shouldn't get ripped off, well, not too badly anyway. Coverage hasn't been great in previous years, it may be better this year. There again, they say that every year.

6. Eating & Drinking - plan your days well and it's unlikely you'll be buying any food or drinks, virtually for the whole week. Check our our BBQ, the Block Party, the Great British Breakfast and more...

7. Breakfast - This is the most important meal of the day, it will set you up right. For us the kings of breakfasts are Magnolia, & Downtown Jo's on 2nd Street.

8. 6th Street - Get to know it, its choca-block of party venues - very lively during Interactive, absolutely heaving during music. Walk the whole length, but perhaps not every day!

9. BBQ - You you might be in its ancestral home. Good dining options: Iron Works, Stubbs, and Salt Lick.

10. Texas - Austin State Rodeo - Get a cab there, and don't forget to get a number to get a cab back!

Everyone knows that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Or breakfast. Or drinks...

That is, unless you're in Austin for South by South West (SXSW). The Chinwag team will be heading out to Austin along with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and 31 of the UK's leading digital companies on the UKTI Mission to SXSW.

Alongside the 200+ conference sessions, the trade show (where the Brits have a stand so big, it's been dubbed the British aisle - geddit?) and dozens of evening events, there's more than a handful with an international flavour. 

For those heading in to Austin from abroad, it's a great chance to meet fellow travellers, and the Americans interested in making connections overseas. Here's a few we're involved with (and if you know of more, please feel free to add them in the comments):

• Chinwag's Global Grill @ SXSW
• The Great British Booze-Up
• Great British Breakfast: SXSWi

A new initiative announced by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), sees the launch of IC tomorrow, a platform for content owners and app developers to test drive ideas and applications with a closed group of consumers (sign-up here) using content from major content owners including Sony Music, Getty Images and Crytek.

The platform will host 20 consumer trials focused on the creative industries including music, TV/film and publishing, with a total fund of £200,000 up for grabs to support six month-long trials on the platform. Entrepreneurs are being encouraged to use the platform which will also include mentoring, as well as up to £10,000 per project funding and access to premium content.