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.
In Focus: Where agency margins are won – or lost in delivery
DBA Expert Manish Kapur looks at two places where design agencies tend to lose margin and why small changes can make a noticeable difference.
In Focus: Staff cost to fee income ratio
DBA Expert Mike Almandras explores a key metric you should be looking at to set your design business up to be profitable.
In Focus: The people story behind the numbers
DBA Expert Aliya Vigor-Robertson explains why the latest sector data reveals something most agencies are missing: the financial pressure we're seeing isn't just a finance story. It's a people one.
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 Member Forum | February Summary
Our February DBA Member Forum brought together four DBA expert perspectives on the DBA In Focus benchmarking report, drawn from real member data.
The Design Effect 2026: Speakers
Exploring and celebrating the impact of design Uncovering design’s role in a changing world – talks, debates, case studies and...
DBA Member Forum | January Summary
The first DBA Member Forum of 2026 brought together a wealth of peer-led insight on the realities of working internationally.
12-months of Forums: All wrapped up
The monthly DBA Member Forums are the heart and soul of the DBA. They epitomise the shared learning ethos of the organisation. Here are a few which particularly stood out in 2025, along with a snapshot of all the conversations this year.
DBA Member Forum | December Summary
In December's DBA Member Forum we asked an eclectic group of thinkers "What one experience this year will influence or change how you do business next year?"
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.
In Focus: Where agency margins are won – or lost in delivery
DBA Expert Manish Kapur looks at two places where design agencies tend to lose margin and why small changes can make a noticeable difference.
In Focus: Staff cost to fee income ratio
DBA Expert Mike Almandras explores a key metric you should be looking at to set your design business up to be profitable.
In Focus: The people story behind the numbers
DBA Expert Aliya Vigor-Robertson explains why the latest sector data reveals something most agencies are missing: the financial pressure we're seeing isn't just a finance story. It's a people one.
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 Member Forum | February Summary
Our February DBA Member Forum brought together four DBA expert perspectives on the DBA In Focus benchmarking report, drawn from real member data.
The Design Effect 2026: Speakers
Exploring and celebrating the impact of design Uncovering design’s role in a changing world – talks, debates, case studies and...
DBA Member Forum | January Summary
The first DBA Member Forum of 2026 brought together a wealth of peer-led insight on the realities of working internationally.
12-months of Forums: All wrapped up
The monthly DBA Member Forums are the heart and soul of the DBA. They epitomise the shared learning ethos of the organisation. Here are a few which particularly stood out in 2025, along with a snapshot of all the conversations this year.
DBA Member Forum | December Summary
In December's DBA Member Forum we asked an eclectic group of thinkers "What one experience this year will influence or change how you do business next year?"