The sector includes companies involved in advertising; architecture; arts & antiques; crafts; design; designer fashion; digital and ICT; music; publishing; radio and television; software; computer games and electronic publishing; video; film and photography; and visual and performing arts.

The North West Fund for Digital & Creative provides finance from £50,000 to £2m to businesses seeking finance to support a broad range of needs from start-up and early stage development through to expansion plans for trading businesses.

In return, the Fund Manager will require an equity share in the business. Capital structures can include a combination of equity and loan support as best suits the needs of the company.

More information

• North West Fund for Digital & Creative website
• The North West Fund on Twitter

Each event features a panel of experienced digital and social media marketers who discuss social media projects and issues presented by the audience.

The informal networking events offer an opportunity to find out how other companies are benefitting from using free social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to market and grow their businesses.

Social Media Surgery events have previously taken place in Manchester City Centre. This month, courtesy of Surgery Supporters Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA) we’re venturing out to the suburbs!

The next Manchester Social Media Surgery event is on Tuesday 30 November from 5:30-7:30pm at
The Slug and Lettuce, Didsbury, 651 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 6QZ.

The theme for the November Social Media Surgery is: ‘Using Facebook for Business‘

Social Media Surgeons confirmed so far:
Adrian Slatcher, (@adrianslatcher on Twitter), Senior Digital Development officer, MDDA – Chair
Tom Mason, (@totmac on Twitter), Social Media Manager, Delineo
Ian Pettigrew, (@KingfisherCoach on Twitter), Kingfisher Coaching, Surgery participant turned Surgeon!
Bruce Thomas, (@modernenglish on Twitter), Managing Director, social media agency, modern-english

Community groups curious about using social media most welcome.

Manchester Social Media Surgery events are organised by Chi-chi Ekweozor, (@realfreshtv on Twitter), director of Real Fresh TV, the social media training and implementation consultancy, as an outreach project of the popular Social Media Cafe Manchester network (@smc_mcr on Twitter).

Sign up to attend

http://socialmediamanchester.net/events/november-manchester-social

We’re also on LinkedIn!

If you have a question for the surgeons, please post it on our new LinkedIn Group:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3120264&goback=%2Eanh_3120264&trk=NUS_UNIU-ngroup

About the Event Organiser

Real Fresh TV provides social media consultancy, training and implementation support on digital projects in the region. Recent clients include Clock Creative, Contact Theatre Manchester, and Xyone. Need help with social media marketing? Contact us http://www.realfresh.tv/

Each event features a panel of experienced digital and social media marketers who discuss social media projects and issues presented by the audience.

The informal networking events offer an opportunity to find out how other companies are benefitting from using free social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to market and grow their businesses.

The next Manchester Social Media Surgery event is on Tuesday 26 October from 5:30-7:30pm at Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA) offices, Lower Ground Floor, 117-119 Portland Street, Manchester, M1 6ED.

The theme for the October Social Media Surgery is: ‘Getting LinkedIn for Business‘

Social Media Surgeons confirmed so far:
Ben Gibbs, (@bobop on Twitter), Web & social media consultant to third sector organisations
Alan Holding, Digital Development officer, MDDA
Coral Grainger, (@CapitalRels on Twitter), Managing Director, Capital Relations.
Tom Mason, (@totmac on Twitter), Social Media Manager, Delineo.

Community groups curious about using social media most welcome.

Manchester Social Media Surgery events are organised by Chi-chi Ekweozor, (@realfreshtv on Twitter), director of Real Fresh TV, the social media training and implementation consultancy, as an outreach project of the popular Social Media Cafe Manchester network (@smc_mcr on Twitter).

We’re also on LinkedIn!
If you have a question for the surgeons either post it via the event sign up page or on our new LinkedIn Group!
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3120264&goback=%2Eanh_3120264&trk=NUS_UNIU-ngroup

Sign up to attend

http://socialmediamanchester.ning.com/events/october-manchester-social

About the Event Organiser

Real Fresh TV provides social media consultancy, training and implementation support on digital projects in the region. Recent clients include Contact Theatre Manchester, Junction K and Xyone. Need help with social media marketing? Contact us http://www.realfresh.tv/

With so much public money available within the region, what are the options for setting up and / or growing high growth businesses?

Techcelerate are running an event in Manchester to discuss this.

Speakers

Please note more speakers and panelists to be announced.

Michael Taylor of NW Insider, who will chair the panel discussions.

Andy Leach, CEO of North West Business Finance, the authority responsible for overall management of the funds just confirmed participation.

Jon Bradford from Difference Engine will be at the event to showcase some of the companies he invested from the North West early this year and discuss the application process for the next batch.

Where and when

• Date: Tuesday, 29 June 2010
• Time: 6pm to 9pm
• Venue: Manchester offices of Horwath Clarke Whitehill

Register to attend and more information

If you are interested in attending, please register at http://www.techcelerate.org/jun10-2 (select FEES tab at bottom of event page).

The Social Media Surgery is a free monthly event that attempts to help Manchester businesses embrace the social media revolution in order to grow their company.

Featuring a panel of experienced digital and social media marketers who discuss social media projects and issues presented by the audience, the informal networking events offer an opportunity to find out how other companies are benefitting from using free social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to market and grow their businesses.

The next Social Media Surgery event is on Tuesday April 13 from 5-7:30pm at Innospace, Manchester Metropolitan University’s business incubator on Chorlton Street.

The theme of the event is: ‘Is Twitter any good for marketing?‘

On offer is up to £5,000 worth of expertise and knowledge in the form of advice from the experienced panel.

Social Media Surgeons at the event include:

• Jon Clements from PR firm Staniforth
• Simon Wharton of search engine specialists PushON
• Adrian Slatcher from Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA)
• Louise Bolotin, freelance journalist who has worked for the BBC among others
• Bruce Thomas from social media agency Modern English

Manchester Social Media Surgery events are organised by Chi-chi Ekweozor, director of Real Fresh TV, the social media training and implementation consultancy, as an outreach project of the popular Social Media Cafe Manchester network.

For more details on the events including press coverage and attendee comments see http://bit.ly/bT5ez1

Drinks and nibbles provided.

Sign up to attend:
http://socialmediamanchester.ning.com/events/april-manchester-social-media

About the Event Organiser:

Real Fresh TV provides social media consultancy, training and implementation services on digital projects in the region. Recent clients include Contact Theatre Manchester and Junction K. Need help with social media marketing? Contact us http://www.realfresh.tv/

During a course of four workshops, managers of Greater Manchester SMEs will work with experts such as Nigel Newman of the Edward de Bono Foundation UK, one of only 5 global lifetime master trainers, Jim O’Loughlin who enables senior global executives to enhance their strategic decision making and Mike Ryan, Secretary of Manchester Digital.

The practical 1-day workshops combine insights from business model engineering, neuroscience and practical thinking skills to help leaders develop a fresh perspective to apply current solutions to overcome their immediate business challenges.

The scheme has been described as “a groundbreaking opportunity” by Greater Manchester Chamber’s President, Moneeb Awan, who adds, “Irrespective of the size of your business, the practical benefits of Innovate with Confidence are hugely important. SMEs will learn to develop the tools, embody the perspective and cultivate the contacts to make successful innovation an in-built habit.”

Register to attend the second series of courses

There are just 25 places on the scheme available to Greater Manchester based SMEs. With a waiting list forming as soon as the first course sold out, we expect that this final series of Innovate with Confidence will sell out as quickly as the first series, so don’t delay. Act now to secure your place at www.InnovatewithConfidence.com

The organisers are keen to ensure that this final run of the programme leaves a lasting legacy to a wide range of businesses across Greater Manchester – so we’d appreciate if you could forward the information above onto any businesses you feel would really benefit from the opportunity to ‘Innovate with Confidence’.

More information

Please download the Innovate with Confidence PDF

From 9:30am to 5pm, Northern Startup will be offering a co-working day at eOffice Manchester, for free. You will get your own desk for the day with free Wi-Fi and sample eOffice’s working environment alongside like-minded individuals.

There are currently 15 places remaining, so grab a workstation now to avoid disappointment.

6 – 9pm – Northern StartUp Christmas Pitching Special

Difference Engine Launch

Jon Bradford, the brains behind the Difference Engine, an improved version of Y-Combinator from Silicon Valley and Seedcamp from London will be launching his new initiative to the North West on the 16th.

The Difference Engine is a full time 16 week acceleration programme which combines investment capital of £20,000 (for 8% of the business) with mentoring, support and office accommodation with various other services provided by partners. At the conclusion of the programme the businesses will be expected to be investor ready, and will have to present their businesses and products to a group of venture capitalists and angel investors at a demo day.

StartUp Pitching

Up to 10 companies are encouraged to deliver 5 minute pitches to the audience made up of investors, tech entrepreneurs, deal makers and friends. The Q&A time for each pitch will be determined by number of pitches booked. There is no additional cost to pitch. If you are interested in pitching, please get in touch immediately.

Prizes for best pitch
- Package from Salesforce.com (winner plus participants)

Companies confirmed includes:

• Little World Gifts – Virtual Gifts
• Whamoosh! – Personalised greeting cards
• edocr – Generating sales leads from your documents
• OnePage – Realtime business cards
• VisiDeck – Architectural Visualisation
• Konkura – Challenge everyone
• Distinct ID – Converged Identity Platform
• Canddi – On-line Campaign Management

For more information visit the Northern StartUp Christmas Special Website

It is aimed at people already running one of the following ventures:

• Small or Medium business
• Social enterprise
• Not-for-profit organisation

Such ventures in the Northwest can apply for funding (a voucher) which can be used to purchase knowledge from one of the NWDA’s registered knowledge providers.

The aim is to improve your company’s innovation capability.

The key benefits are:

• Access the wealth of knowledge from the  knowldge base, including public and private sector research and technology organisations
• Resolve a business issue, quickly, efficiently and through a source not previously utilised
• Easy to apply and ’spend’ the voucher
• The scheme is funded by the NWDA and ERDF, so is a credible and stable way to fund your organisation’s growth.

Creative and Digital Industries are one of the sectors where applications are being given a higher priority.

NWDA particularly welcome applications from women, minority groups and businesses in deprived areas. Please note that charities are not eligible to apply.

Application deadlines

The current application round is open until 28 August 2009.

The following vouchers are available in the current round:

• 250 x £3,000 vouchers
• 50 x £7,000 vouchers

More applications rounds are planned for December 2009, April 2010 and August 2010.

How to apply

The application form should be submitted online. If you are awarded an innovation voucher you can use it to purchase leading edge expertise to meet your innovation requirements.

You can apply online on the NWDA website.  The application process will take about 20 minutes.

More information

Please contact the Innovation Voucher Team on 01925 400466 for further guidance, or visit the NWDA Finance for Business website.

DMEX (Digital Media Exchange) is an innovative cross-platform project that pays TV professionals to work with some of the region’s leading Digital Media companies. It links the experience and skills of traditional media freelancers and employees with the new markets and innovation of the region’s best Digital Media companies. It offers unique opportunity for Digital Media businesses to work with, and learn from, established professionals from the television industries, sharing skills and knowledge between both sectors.

As part of the scheme, Digital Media companies across the North West will be able to host an experienced TV professional for 20 days – based on their own requirements. In recent DMEX exchanges, companies have hosted a scriptwriter for a viral campaign, a producer for a multi-platform drama series, a director for a machinima film, and an editor for an interactive documentary. The calibre of the TV professionals on offer is considerable, with all participants having at least 3 years’ experience.

Timescales are flexible; they can be hosted onsite or work remote; and can be for discreet projects or integrated into a team for the duration of the exchange. Host companies will have complete choice in who they select, and previous participants have included Bellyfeel Interactive Media, Corporation Pop, Conker Media, Fudge Studios and many more.

The scheme has had very positive feedback from both host companies and TV professionals – with many striking up longer-term collaborations beyond the initial exchange period.

This is what some of the recent participants have said:

“The DMeX scheme has provided us with the opportunity for real cross platform collaboration.” Krishna Stott, Bellyfeel Interactive Media

“This is an outstanding opportunity to immerse yourself in the latest thinking abut digital media in the company of some cutting-edge practitioners.” Geoff Deehan, Award-winning Television Producer and Director

If you would like to host a placement, please contact Phil Birchenall directly by phone on 0161 446 2991 or by email at birchenall@thewhiteroomcec.com. The programme is running until June 2009, however, places are limited so register your interest now!

Join us at our informal open evening to find out how you can boost your business from some of the biggest names in business information. Learn about industry standard tools you can access for FREE.

Free company credit checking Research new markets & competitors

Find products and services Get sales leads and contacts

Get expert tips at our bitesize business talks:

6.15 How to access & benefit from business support Steve Connolly, Business Link

6.30 Survival techniques in an economic downturn Simon Kite, Saffery Champness Chartered Accountants

Plus Networking, advice and refreshments

Venue: Commercial Library – Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 5PD

Date/Time: Wednesday 11th February – 5.45pm – 7.45pm

Contact 0161 234 1995 for more details or email: businessinfo@manchester.gov.uk or just drop in!

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