DBA Roundup
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
Main Content
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
Design events calendar
There are many industry events held every year to enrich your team and business. We've compiled a snap-shot of what's coming up.
DBA Members’ Forum | August Summary
At August's DBA Members’ Forum we were joined by Lucy Mann and Nick Farrar, Founder and CEO of Shaped By for a great conversation about how to use August to build momentum for your new business pipeline through September and beyond. This is an August to do list!
Discover! Creative Careers Month 2025: how to get involved
Could you provide design career experiences for 11-18-year-olds this November? Find out more about Discover! Creative Careers Month and help inspire the next generation of talent into design.
What led you to a career in design? How could you inspire others?
Whether you are a small company or a large employer, could you inspire young, diverse talent to consider a career in design? Here's how DBA member BAGGI helped young people Discover Creative Careers.
DBA Members’ Forum | July Summary
At July's DBA Members’ Forum we were joined by Rama Gheerawo and Clive Grinyer for the top line on their latest books. Here’s a brief summary of what was discussed in the meeting.
DBA Members’ Forum | June Summary
In June's DBA Members’ Forum we had an interesting and inspiring conversation on the topic design education particularly in higher education. Here's a summary of the conversation.
How to create a business that doesn’t get asked to free pitch
Why is it that some design businesses get dragged into speculative pitches more than others? Or rather, how do some escape the free pitching trap?
How and why designers should turn down free pitching
At a recent DBA Members' Forum, leaders shared practical tips to help studios avoid free pitching. Design Week's Rob Alderson reports.
DBA Members’ Forum | May Summary
In our May DBA Members' Forum, we had a lively discussion on the topic of free pitching. Here's a summary of the conversation.
Main Content
Innovate UK is looking for “innovative and ambitious ideas, which would realistically and significantly meet a societal need that has emerged or increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic or the need of an industry that has been severely impacted and/or permanently disrupted”.
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £20 million to respond to these needs in UK and global communities.
Innovate UK is looking for ambitious ideas for projects which can be:
- scaled up quickly
- delivered during this lock-down period
- started by June 2020
- and last up to six months.
Launched on 3 April, the deadline for applications is 17 April 2020 at 12pm. There is a streamlined application process for 100% up-front grants of up to £50k.
Ideas can come from any industry and be niche. Whilst solutions are likely to feature cross-cutting digital solutions, they could come from and impact on diverse sectors, for example healthcare, financial services, transport or creative services.
If you have ideas for solutions across priority areas that you could foresee through to commercialisation, or if you have clients who you can support and shape their R&D processes to help get these products to market quickly you can apply for a grant of up to 100% of your project costs up to the maximum of £50k (paid in advance of the project start date) from Innovate UK.
Your proposal must focus on a clear need and the proposed innovation to address it. You must have the ability to deliver the project during the working restrictions of Covid-19 pandemic.
Key details:
- competition closes 17 April at 12pm
- full funding up front
- project length 3-6months
- funding cannot be used for sustainability of a business
- sole traders will not be eligible.
Your application must demonstrate:
- a clearly innovative and ambitious idea, which would realistically and significantly meet a societal need that has emerged or increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic or the need of an industry that has been severely impacted and/or permanently disrupted
- that you have the capacity and capability to deliver the project successfully and on time during the working restrictions of Covid-19
- the ability to start your project no later than June 2020
- value for money
Full details and application info:
https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/583/overview
Image credit:
Brennan Burling | Unsplash
DBA Roundup
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
Design events calendar
There are many industry events held every year to enrich your team and business. We've compiled a snap-shot of what's coming up.
DBA Members’ Forum | August Summary
At August's DBA Members’ Forum we were joined by Lucy Mann and Nick Farrar, Founder and CEO of Shaped By for a great conversation about how to use August to build momentum for your new business pipeline through September and beyond. This is an August to do list!
Discover! Creative Careers Month 2025: how to get involved
Could you provide design career experiences for 11-18-year-olds this November? Find out more about Discover! Creative Careers Month and help inspire the next generation of talent into design.
What led you to a career in design? How could you inspire others?
Whether you are a small company or a large employer, could you inspire young, diverse talent to consider a career in design? Here's how DBA member BAGGI helped young people Discover Creative Careers.
DBA Members’ Forum | July Summary
At July's DBA Members’ Forum we were joined by Rama Gheerawo and Clive Grinyer for the top line on their latest books. Here’s a brief summary of what was discussed in the meeting.
DBA Members’ Forum | June Summary
In June's DBA Members’ Forum we had an interesting and inspiring conversation on the topic design education particularly in higher education. Here's a summary of the conversation.
How to create a business that doesn’t get asked to free pitch
Why is it that some design businesses get dragged into speculative pitches more than others? Or rather, how do some escape the free pitching trap?
How and why designers should turn down free pitching
At a recent DBA Members' Forum, leaders shared practical tips to help studios avoid free pitching. Design Week's Rob Alderson reports.
DBA Members’ Forum | May Summary
In our May DBA Members' Forum, we had a lively discussion on the topic of free pitching. Here's a summary of the conversation.