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Press Releases
91Èȱ¬ branches out Innovation Labs across the UK
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Following their success with pilots earlier this year in London, Yorkshire and the North West, the 91Èȱ¬ is extending its Innovation Labs programme for 2006/7.
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Innovation Labs are a series of events bringing together 91Èȱ¬ Commissioners and regional digital media companies to develop and commission innovative new products and services for the 91Èȱ¬.
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New media companies in four UK areas - Scotland, Northern England, Southern England and London - are being invited to pitch ideas in response to a series of briefs from commissioners across the 91Èȱ¬.
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Ten companies in each region will be invited to a week-long residential Innovation Lab, working with 91Èȱ¬ developers and other industry experts to develop their ideas into concept prototypes.
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The Labs conclude with an opportunity for the prototypes to be pitched to 91Èȱ¬ commissioners, who will be offering further development commissions for the best ideas at each Lab.
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Innovation Labs is a collaborative project with ten regional agencies, including Scottish Enterprise, London Development Agency, North-West Vision, Codeworks, Screen Yorkshire, EM Media, South-East Media Network, Digital Central, SW Screen and Screen East.
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Matt Locke, Head of Innovation, said: "Innovation Labs are a way for us to get to know the range of talented independent companies across the UK, and to share with them our strategies and innovation requirements.
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"The pilots in 2005/6 were a great success, generating over 170 ideas, with 29 companies attending the week-long Labs, and 13 projects being selected for further development beyond the Labs.
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"We've also made some changes to improve the Labs this year, extending the programme to more regions, including briefs from more departments across the 91Èȱ¬, and streamlining the commissioning process after the Labs themselves.
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"The Labs are a very collaborative and creative experience for the 91Èȱ¬ and the independent sector, so we're looking forward to seeing the ideas from the 2006/7 programme, and hopefully will be extending it across the whole of the UK in 2007/8."
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From 26 October to 27 November, there will be a series of 13 launch events in the four UK regions to which interested companies are invited.
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There, they will learn more about the new briefs, receive more information about the 91Èȱ¬'s new media strategy and technological infrastructure. Regional indies are given an opportunity to meet 91Èȱ¬ commissioners and ask questions about the kind of projects the 91Èȱ¬ is looking for this year.
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Notes to Editors
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Dates of launch events: venues will be announced on open.bbc.co.uk/labs shortly.
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Scotland Innovation Lab:
Glasgow - Tuesday 7 November - Scottish Enterprise Offices
Edinburgh - Wednesday 8 November - Apex Hotel and Conference Centre
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Northern England Innovation Lab:
Newcastle - Tuesday 14 November - venue TBC
Leeds - Wednesday 15 November - venue TBC
Nottingham - Friday 17 November - venue TBC
Manchester - Monday 20 November - venue TBC
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London Innovation Lab:
Monday 30 October - OneZero1
Thursday 9 November - OneZero1
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Southern England Innovation Lab:
Brighton - Thursday 26 October - Brighton Landsdown Place Hotel
Bristol - Friday 3 November - Watershed
Oxford - Thursday 16 November - Oxford Spires Four Pillars Hotel
Birmingham - Tuesday 21 November - Orange Studio
Cambridge - Monday 27 November - Moller Centre Ìý
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