Developing the Digital Sector
John Latham
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Business Development)
Being digital means - being different
• Not a sector – but multiple sectors that
need focus
– e.g. Serious games, digital archiving, media,
performance, virtual worlds
– They all need specialist facilities
– They all address different markets and
different user needs
– They are all growing – so tough decisions
Being digital means – being quicker
• Incubators need to be even more:
• flexible around the roller coaster space
needs
• reactive by running more pre-incubation
activity
• need to stop businesses starting
• supportive of the industry
• knowledgeable of the sector
Being digital means – being collaborative
• Recognition needs to be given of the flexible
staffing requirements of digital companies
and the contracting aspects of many
developments
• Extra social & creative space is a must (very
good Coffee!) – access to users
• A much more collegiate approach is often
required to ensure success
• Core facilities are both key but also needed
to support new and existing enterprises
Being digital means – new business models
• The language is the same – but the
business models are so very different:
– Different finance requirements
– Different mentors (not grey!)
– Different timescales
– Different approach to IP (first to market / viral
uptake)
– Different corporate acquisition
– Going global or staying local
Serious Games Institute
A Global Business
The Serious Games Institute (SGI)
The leader in specialist software
development business focused upon
serious games - offering a unique
approach to the creation of 3D
immersive simulations, mobile
applications and fully interactive and
engaging products (games), driving
innovation and growth through multiple
platforms
What are Serious Games and where do they apply?
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‘Serious Games’ use the world class design, 3D interactive technology, fun and
engaging nature of computer games and re-focus on non entertainment products.
Serious Games are able to;– Dramatically enhance teaching and learning through significant increases in user
engagement and retention of learning content
– Allow users to explore different scenarios in a 3D simulation and then appreciate the
overall impact of their actions.
– Model, plan and visualise buildings, vehicles, tourist attractions, City centres
– Bring to life brochures, flyers and marketing material
– Market products in a new and innovative way
– Engage a new audience through a highly interactive experience
– Make learning fun
The Market
 80% of top 1000 Corporates will use Games technology in
next 18 months to support training, marketing, recruitment
and process (Gartner 2011)
Serious Games Market in the UK is worth £1bn the UK is
the worlds largest hub of Serious Games Business
Products
 Average user age is 35 in US and 28 in UK, 100% of 6-10
year olds in the UK now use games technology
 Serious Games Capability is scarce across all market
sectors and demand is rising
UK is the 3rd largest user of Mobile Apps (81 Million
downloads in Dec) beaten by China (99 Million) and USA
(500 Million) (BBC Jan 2012)
 The Ipad2 is now over 12% of US PC market – fasted
selling IT hardware ever offering a new and exciting
platform
• Most TVs will be SMART from 2013 offering full internet
access and ability to stream games
• Touch screen systems are taking on major market share
Institute for Creative
Enterprise
A Social Approach
What is ICE?
• ICE was conceived and established in
2006-08 on principles similar to those of
Germany’s Bauhaus movement of the
1920s and 30s
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauhaus)
which brought together art, craft and
architecture practice, research and
commercial enterprise in a number of
buildings in different cities across
Germany. The ICE building, formerly a
light industrial building, was converted in
2006/07 to provide a mix of offices for
creative industries tenants, performance
spaces for staff, students and
professional organisations, incubation
spaces for business start-ups, and
touchdown and networking spaces for
new and established CI businesses.
What does it provide?
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Spaces housing a dynamic mix of skills, talent, enterprise and experience
A new kind of integrated creative practice environment for fine and new media
artists; graphic, web and industrial designers; performers; musicians; researchers
and creative businesses
Mentoring from industry champions and industry placements for 40 graduates
Opportunities for graduates to work with the resident companies and other
affiliated bodies, either informally or as paid placements/interns
Accommodation for the Siobhan Davies Replay digital archive project – Europe’s
first major online dance archive - http://www.siobhandaviesreplay.com
Affordable start-up space and support for 95 businesses
Training and CPD in appropriate technologies, accredited by Apple & Adobe
Interdisciplinary seminars, workshops and high-level creative labs for postgraduate
students and external creative practitioners from high profile world experts
Industry/academic research collaborations funded by major UK and EU bodies,
including the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Economic and Social
Science Research Council, the Technology Strategy Board
A network of 1,500 people and businesses, with monthly networking events, in
partnership with Coventry City Council
Thank You
Questions