Newspaper Club (Investor) Update

During the heady summer months I led 4iP’s investment in Newspaper Club. The wonderful team at Newspaper Club are building a tool to help people make their own newspapers. And by ‘newspapers’ they mean anything you can make with ink on newsprint.

They’ve been documenting ‘the start-up dream’ on their blog which I suggest you read but if you’re a joyless, number crunching, fact loving capitalist you might prefer this investors summary.

Now, despite their best efforts to manage users’ and investors’ expectation by constantly reminding us that ‘it won’t be as good as you’re imagining’ they’ve been getting on rather well. In fact they’re getting on slightly better than I had hoped for. Here’s why.

Firstly, they’ve hit their beta revenue targets prior to actually launching their beta. Investors like this. Cynics amongst you may make the point out that Russell Davies is the master of disappointment management only to swoop in at the last minute to over deliver and delight! But the revenue targets weren’t set by NC they were set by 4iP’s investment manager (see scowl here). Generating revenue is a good thing for all the obvious reasons and because I believe start-ups that generate revenue early-on will show more financial discipline from an earlier stage. This is even more important when a company is funded rather than bootstrapped. Hey now they’re spending their money and ours!

Secondly, it seems that this newspaper idea is proving rather popular. Yes, they may be in alpha but they already got a lovely selection of paying customers. In investor land we call this traction or product / market fit and we love it. 4iP loves it a little less than most but that’s because were odd and put product first. 4iP literally fizzes with excitement when the club’s newspapers pop up at events like Playful09 and Wired’s Intelligence Briefing. Don’t even get me started about the data newspaper. 

Finally, I value management integrity and openness above almost everything. 4iP can do it’s bit to bring in external directors, advisors and specialists but this no substitute for competence and maturity from those running the show. I never leave Newspaper Club with the feeling that I’m not 100% in the know. Yes, they make mistakes but they don’t pretend everything fine when it isn’t and give a balanced view of how things are going without my having to dig too hard. I can see this openness flowing through to the customers convince people that they’d like to spend their money with them. 

Get ready for the beta..!

What’s the right deal for deal rights?

4iP - What’s the right deal for deal rights?

When 4iP launched in October last year we knew one of the key questions we’d be asked was how we would deal with IP and rights.  Our blog post (http://www.4ip.org.uk/blog/post/4ip_update/) last September attempted to address this, explaining that 4iP’s commitment to innovation and experimentation would require a flexible approach to both the business models used and the way in which we dealt with IP and rights.  This was principally because, with such a wide range of projects and partners operating in such a dynamic and fast paced sector it was impossible to come up with anything remotely ‘standard’. 

However, there was always a danger that, in the absence of done deals, some would interpret this flexible approach as ‘we’re not going to tell you because you’re not going to like it’.  So, just over a year from the launch and, with around 30 projects under the 4iP belt, we thought it was a good time to clarify our position. 

Flexiblility

The principle of flexibility remains; the widely differing needs and requirements of our various investments combined with the rapid and ever-changing development of business models in this fast-moving sector means it remains appropriate to consider the circumstances of each and every deal: this approach is sound and sensible.

We adopt a range of approaches to rights ownership and rights exploitation, and believe that the responsibility for the latter should be placed in the hands of those best able to maximise availability and potential for revenue.  We believe it makes sense that whoever is in the best position to market, distribute and sell the product should be given the responsibility to do so contractually.  For all 4iP projects to date that has been the company that pitched the project, with 4iP providing support and advice as needed. .

In all deals done to date, the companies 4iP has contracted with own the project IP and are the party primarily responsible for realising the value of that IP.  However, we need to retain flexibility as this approach might not be appropriate for all projects. 

Showcasing not warehousing

We also believe that 4iP should leverage its access to the assets of Channel 4 to increase the impact of the projects it backs.  That may mean using our platforms to feature 4iP products, where appropriate.  However, the successful sustainability of web and mobile products and services lies in their breadth of distribution.  To that end, 4iP generally takes a non-exclusive license to use and promote the output of the project.

Risk and reward
Finally, it is also worth remembering that with the responsibility of owning and exploiting IP comes not only reward but risk.  Live products have running costs and require plenty of ongoing maintenance and development.  It is rare that the IP created in a project can simply be exploited for commercial gain without requiring ongoing investment in terms of time, effort and funds.  We therefore structure our contracts to recognise the input and risks taken by everyone involved in the creation and ongoing exploitation of our products and services, which we believe is ultimately of benefit to everyone.

School of Everything solves your Christmas present woes

4iP is pleased to announce that the team at School of Everything have developed another exciting product offering.  Not content with helping people who want to learn find people with interesting stuff to teach, the site now provides you the perfect opportunity to purchase lessons for your loved ones.
So if you think your mum could do with improving her memory, your brother could use some dating lessons or you’ve been bitten by the ballroom bug and fancy buying your other half a tango session the range of School of Everything gifts is perfect for you.

What’s more it lands at the perfect time of year, no more scratching your head wondering what to buy those who have everything for Christmas - everyone needs some new skills or hobbies.

So check out the site now and follow the guys on twitter @EverythingHQ to keep track of the growing range of gifts on offer.

Oh, and on the offchance you’re surrounded by super-perfect people with nothing more to learn, why not add a gift of learning to your own Christmas wishlist?  I’m already penning a letter to Santa asking for photography lessons and a bread-baking course.

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Notes from the Meet the Channel 4 Digital Commissioner briefings

4iP sponsors playful

Working at 4iP is great. Not only do we get to back great products and visionary entrepreneurs but we occasionally sponsor the odd event. Helping to facilitate people meeting, talking and thinking in the real-world hopefully sees more folks applying and receiving 4iP funding. This Friday London’s Conway Hall plays host to Playful09. Tickets are running out fast so I suggest you grab em while you still can!

ooo I’m not speaking but the awesome Lucy Wurstlin is.

Playful is a one-day event all about games and play - in all their manifestations, throughout the contemporary media landscape. Games mean different things to different people, but a fundamental desire to play is something we all have in common. Playful 2008 focused on the creative and cultural dimensions of game design as both discipline and craft - 2009’s edition will go all out, frolicking across disciplines like nobodies business, and celebrating the presence of play in all its forms and successful/daring/original and brilliant implementations.

As Jonathan Follett wrote in 2007:

“Playfulness, like usability, refers to a quality of user experience that can span many disciplines—information architecture, information design, interaction design, and graphic design. In our minds, however, many of us have relegated play to the realms of gaming or kids’ stuff and don’t consider play daily when designing. Though, in the digital space, satisfying the desire to play can be integral in determining the success or failure of a digital product or service. So it’s time for user experience designers to take play seriously. (And stop being so darn boring.)”

So how are we doing? Are we being playful enough? Let’s see eh?

4iP follows its money in AudioBoo

Today we are confirming further investment in Audioboo, one of the first projects we backed.  As part of the deal, UBC Media, has also injected cash into the forthcoming Audioboo Pro product by buying 8 licences for it. This will help to both finish the product and establish a strong customer pipeline for the company.

Audioboo is an online platform which allows users to record and share audio from their mobile phones. Initially conceived and developed by Best Before Media, Audioboo uses geo-location data to provide individuals, local groups, institutions and commercial services with a set of tools to easily record audio and share it amongst multiple social networks. Take a look back at why we originally invested and some of the ways it’s been used in the past.

Audioboo Pro is a set of online tools that allows companies to moderate, edit and filter content that is created with the platform. Since launch in March 2009, Audioboo has reached a loyal and expanding number of users that have attracted well over 2.5 million listens since launch. Used both by everyday bloggers and celebrities like Stephen Fry, it has become the audio tool of choice for social media reporters and evangelists in the UK and beyond. Audioboo’s users have been out capturing audio from the most diverse sources from conferences and council meetings to maternity wards and memorial services.

Audioboo has also attracted a loyal following from professional media commentators and brands. The Guardian, Channel 4 News, the BBC, TechCrunch, The Telegraph and PaidContent have all used Audioboo to enrich their content.

The further investment from 4iP will help fund ongoing development on other mobile platforms and to establish a solid presence in the USA.

Seeing the strategic fit between Audioboo and their existing audio services arm, UBC has purchased 8 premium licences to resell to their existing customers. Audioboo has already sold a Pro version to The Royal Opera House and more customers are in the pipeline.

Daniel Heaf, Investor for 4iP, said:

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to follow our money in Audioboo. Helping innovative and early stage UK start-ups reach a greater level of financial and product maturity is exactly what 4iP is about. Our first round of funding helped Audioboo to market to prove both a user and market need. Now is the time to help Mark and his team fully realise that opportunity. Audioboo’s understanding of their users and UBC’s strong relationships with professional customers in the audio and radio broadcasting industries is an unbeatable partnership.”

Simon Cole, CEO of UBC Media, said:

“We think that Audioboo perfectly meets our criteria for investing the funds we have accumulated.  It is a technology which moves the audio content world on and can be key in allowing radio broadcasters a new way to engage with their audience.”

Press coverage so far:

http://blogs.ft.com/techblog/2009/10/audioboo-gets-amplified-funding/

http://eu.techcrunch.com/2009/10/26/audioboo-gets-further-cash-from-4ip/

http://paidcontent.co.uk/article/419-4ip-gives-audioboo-more-funds-for-mobile-u.s.-expansion/

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4iP are investing in SCORES

4iP are announcing an early investment in SCORES or the school competition results system. This pilot project, which will be based in the West Midlands, is the first stage of an ambitious project by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to commission a national database of school sports results.

In March of this year 4iP and Screen West Midlands put out a call for proposals around using the power of digital networks to engage, inspire and reconnect young people to sports in the UK. After wading through proposals and some brilliant face-to-face pitching we selected AllTeams to design, build and run the service.

The SCORES service will showcase the results of a selection of team sports played by local secondary schools based in the West Midlands. Over 40 schools based in the Black Country, Birmingham and Hereford & Worcester have been selected for the project.

While the site will be free for schools to use we anticipate the SCORES reaching financial sustainability should the DCMS go on to  commission a national database of school sports results as part of its ongoing commitment to building a vibrant sports culture across the UK, helping encourage children into sport and a healthy ‘playing-to-win’ culture into English sport at grassroots level. The national database could operate for all 5-19 year olds involved in the widest range of school sports.

 

Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Ben Bradshaw

“The School Sports website will be a key part of the Government’s ongoing drive to build a vibrant culture of competitive sport among young people. By harnessing the technology that young people are so familiar with we can help them to share their sporting successes, inspiring even more young people to get active.  Our ambition is to see a national website, so children in the West Midlandswill be blazing a trail for the rest of the country.”

From a 4iP investment perspective a key ambition has always been to use the power of digital networks to engage, inspire and reconnect young people and help them change their lives. The SCORES service, powered by AllTeams is a fantastic initiative that, if effective, will encourage more children in England to become involved in playing sports and I’m delighted that 4iP is able be involved at the pilot stage.

4iP invests in Phabling

“You’ve taken the world of sticky promotional fliers, and shunted it into futuristic smartphone-land where you can do all the interesting social stuff.” Phabling beta tester.

Earlier this year 4iP put a little startup investment into Phabling, a mobile web app that makes it easier to find, share and record great nights out with your friends. Phabling is the first product of Glasgow-based digital start-up Sauce & Vinegar Limited, and 4iP invested along with Nesta’s Starter for 6 programme to develop a prototype, explore how it could be harnessed to help users discover other cultural treats on their doorstep and provide support to a new startup.

Since the investment, Heidi was invited to take part in mini Seedcamp and come away with more ideas on how to improve and develop the service.

Sauce & Vinegar was founded by Heidi Proven, moving from an eight year past working in broadcast television to bootstrapping her own startup. Founded to trial the Phabling concept, Sauce & Vinegar pitched to Nesta and 4iP to raise funds to develop a first stage beta.

Following many months of development, hard graft by a tiny team, and a steep learning curve Phabling is now in private beta. An app for desktop and mobile web, Phabling is about capturing snippets of events, which create your own personal guide to the best nights out. It also helps bring together those memories instead of seeing them lost in the black hole of status updates on your social networks. Venues can add events with a simple system dashboard, and users can interact with events and offers, either on their desktop or mobile web.

Phabling fills a gap for promotors, who want to have their events across social and mobile platforms, but don’t have the time to maintain all these spaces. Users and promoters also want higher levels of interaction, which Phabling’s beta phase has tested the potential for with its MySpace-based venue dashboard. This is where part of the revenue generation can take place to support the service into the future.

One of the beta’s core aims was to test the feel of a mobile app, using a mobile browser site. This approach enabled a broader test base to be accessed more quickly and with less expense. Ultimately, future versions of the app are well-placed to work across a myriad of devices, not just the device du jour. The Phabling beta illustrates the potential of the site, and tested the process of developing for mobile web.

Phabling will continue to be developed in private beta, tweaking the service following the key lessons learnt during the test stage with venues and users. Sauce & Vinegar are also scoping development of native phone applications to complement the mobile browser service, and pitching for funding to develop the product and be launched out of private beta.

Funding vs. Investment

I was asked today whether I had seen Stef Aquarone’s piece in The Birmingham Post about public funding for the screen industries. “You might not like it”, I was told. The main thrust of the piece is that public funds should be used to support viable, sustainable businesses - not short term projects.

Well ... I read it today. And no, I don’t like it. I love it.

To be honest, I think there’s an awful lot in there that needed to be said. But while, historically, I’m sure there is a lot of truth in Stef’s perception of how public funding has been used in the screen industries, I honestly don’t think it’s true of how Screen WM - or our many partner support agencies - currently operate.  The only part of the piece I really had any issue with, then, was towards the end:

“The latest cloud of confusion around digital media that has led to highly-funded scattergun state support will only lead to more money being wasted and an even bigger bubble to burst when the funding runs out.”

I think the problem here is probably one of communication, though. Maybe it needs to be better on our side, for while we’re all pretty clear internally - and with our partners - that we’re working to precisely the kind of joined-up economic strategy that Stef has brilliantly outlined, perhaps we’ve taken it for granted that this should be perfectly obvious and clear to everyone else too. Of course, it’s never that obvious and - realistically - it may be some time before anyone really sees the fruits of what we’re trying to achieve.

So, in the interests of transparency, here’s how it all works and what we’re doing to move away from the ‘culture of dependency’ and towards a thriving industry and sustainable businesses, with specific reference to Stef’s main points. I make no apology for the fact that a lot of these examples are based around the 4iP/Digital Media Fund - that’s what I do and what I know best - but I can assure you that the same aims, principles and - in many cases - approaches we take with 4iP/DMF are replicated across the agency, even in the more culturally-driven Education, Archive and Audience Development Department (EAAD).

The Culture of Dependency and “focus on the next grant deadline” -vs- New Commercial Opportunities

Even before we launched 4iP - back in the pre-launch briefing in July last year - we made it very clear that we are looking to support sustainable businesses. This is about investment, not funding.

This has absolutely been borne out by our investment decisions and selection process. One of the most common complaints we get from those who have been rejected is “my project fit all your criteria, so why didn’t you fund it?”. To my mind, this is a symptom of the culture of dependency and the ‘old school’ approach to funding projects. This is not about ticking boxes or designing projects that fit around our criteria. It’s about projects that are plugged in to new market opportunities and have a realistic chance of exploiting them but just need a boost to get there. 4iP/DMF is a catalyst, not a framework.

Lack of fit with broader context of regional economic development

Specifically, ERDF focus on creating and sustaining jobs is “a misfit with the short-term nature of most project-based intervention”.

Job creation is a key requirement of our funded projects and we go to great lengths to ensure this happens. We are measured by Advantage WM on such targets and these are passed-down to the projects we support. As for business creation being “a red herring”, businesses created through 4iP/DMF must still be trading two years after the project start date in order to be counted, so - yes - we are absolutely focused on ensuring we are not just creating any business, but creating sustainable businesses. Inevitably, some will fail. Our job is to help ensure that the vast majority will not.

Economic support must only be used to support valid businesses

This is fair comment and - as outlined above - absolutely a core part of our objectives. But there are a few caveats here.

First of all, whilst the majority of our production funding - including the Advantage Media Production Fund for film financing - comes via Advantage WM and, therefore, economic outputs are to the fore, there are still many cultural outputs and requirements, particularly through UKFC funding. So there’s a certain amount of ‘spread betting’ that takes place here, which is not uncommon in the wider commercial film industry. For every commercial feature, like Confetti, there will be more culturally important features, such as Special People - although here there has arguably been a strong economic impact for Justin Edgar and 104 Films in terms of other doors and commercial opportunities that have opened up as a result of profile raised via Special People.

Secondly, in addition to supporting viable businesses there is a broader strategic aim to support the wider industry. This can be seen in the work Screen WM did behind the scenes to keep Doctors in the region and to bring in Survivors and Hustle - not to mention a whole raft of features produced in the region, including Faintheart, Tormented, Clubbed, the forthcoming One Day and many more. Irrespective of whether or not these individual productions recoups on investment, each one of them provides regional employment, helps support the supply chain and production infrastructure, helps the region to retain talent and develops the skills base and attracts more inward investment and production opportunities moving forwards. They are stepping stones towards developing a viable industry that can support and sustain many businesses in the region.

Finally, there is always a difficult balance to be maintained with public funding in that there must be a clear case for public intervention, ie. if the project or business is so obviously commercially viable then why does it require public funding? This often means a higher element of risk with publicly-funded businesses than the private market could bear.

Businesses Need Core Skills

Agreed. Wholeheartedly. In all this talk of developing new business models, it’s often easy to forget that there are large elements of traditional business models that are still an essential requirement - namely creating the model of a good business structure with the right balance of skills required to run it, not just creative skills.

Screen WM works very closely with Business Link WM on this for every project we fund - whether it is through 4iP/DMF, AMPF or even cultural projects funded through EAAD dept. In every case, we are looking to support the businesses around the projects to become more sustainable. Business Link WM’s head of creative industries, Lara Ratnaraja, feeds into funding decisions on all 4iP/DMF projects and every funded project is given a business review by dedicated senior level business advisors with specialism in the creative industries. This review flags up the needs of the business - whether it is in skills training, unlocking other funding opportunities, recommending consultants or business partners, company structure and skills base etc.

It’s All About Sales

“We need help getting products to market rather than with projects themselves”.

This is one of the major benefits of 4iP/DMF and why Screen WM and Advantage WM worked so hard to bring Channel 4 to the region. I have to say, the Channel 4 4iP team have been great at working with businesses to develop their projects and leverage whatever promotional or market opportunities they can both through Channel 4 itself and through their wider connections and the strength of their brand - look at the amount of exposure the first raft of 4iP projects received from The Guardian, for example. For our part, we are constantly looking for other major national and international partners who can present a clear route to market and brokering relationships between them and regional companies. Two such examples are the recently-announced trade missions to Seattle and SXSWi, where we will be introducing regional SME’s to such major international players as Real Networks, Big Fish, Valve, Microsoft and others. We’re working very closely with UKTI and Advantage WM on these and other initiatives to help regional businesses get their products to market.

“Space here for public sector support - to strengthen business propositions”

Again, we are extremely active in this area, both through our partners such as Channel 4 and Business Link and with our own sector-specific support. I’m sure there have been many eyebrows raised and hushed questions asked as to why - almost a year after launch - there have been so few 4iP projects announced. The reason is precisely because of the amount of time that is spent working closely with applicant companies to develop robust propositions before committing to funding. Successful business modelling does not happen overnight.

I hope this goes some way towards explaining just how much work goes in to every investment decision that we make, but I’d be happy to respond directly to any other comments or queries on here. And criticisms or suggestions too - really don’t want to shy away from those. I’d like to think things are pretty well set up to support businesses towards sustainability here in the West Midlands - far more so than I have seen in other regions, in fact. Is there room for improvement? Of course.  There always is. Tell us what you need and we’ll see what we can do.

The proof of the pudding, of course, will be in how many supported businesses are still thriving in 2, 3 or more years time. But the truth is that this is outside of our power. We’re here to help get you off the ground and to provide opportunities. But it’s really down to you to make the most of them. We’re behind you all the way.

BarCampDerry: two weeks to go, supported by 4iP

BarCampDerry is a free, user-generated unconference for anyone interested in web stuff, technology or digital media, and takes place in a couple of weeks at the University of Ulster, Magee, October 10th. 4iP is once more supporting a BarCamp in Northern Ireland, sustaining coder talent as they show off their latest projects, concepts and seek out interesting partnerships.

Head over to the BarCampDerry website to learn more, take up one of the remaining speaker slots and get yourself registered to attend.

4iP has taken its time to make a first investment in a Northern Ireland company, to be announced very soon, but I’m keen to ramp this up significantly and hope that BarCampDerry and our forthcoming Belfast briefing will stimulate some new ideas and companies to come onto my horizon. If you’re heading along to the BarCamp if you’re developing interesting platforms, apps or services that could do with a helping hand not just in terms of access to cash, but in terms of helping develop the product and the team further. I’ll also be looking to work more intensely with some more established companies who are keen to move away from doing purely agency work, for example, and towards making their own sustainable or profit-making products and platforms.

LinkedIn hits 3 million members in the UK, eyes IPO in not so near future

[UK] Business social network LinkedIn has hit a milestone in the UK, surpassing 3 million registered users in these parts. Kevin Eyres, Managing Director Europe at LinkedIn, announced the feat at a London event last night and on the company's blog this morning. LinkedIn founder and chairman Reid Hoffman attended the event as well, and told Reuters afterwards that the company plans to pursue an IPO at some point, but not any time soon.

A sleepless 58 hours later, Startup Weekend London produces nine potential companies

[UK] Startup Weekend is the 58 hour-long conference where attendees made up of "developers, business managers, startup enthusiasts, marketing gurus, graphic artists, and more" don't just talk, they actually build something. The projects, of which nine were completed at the London event last week, are developed over a very long weekend - presumably sleep is optional - and some go on to form actual companies. It's all pretty exciting stuff and makes me hark back to my days at university where we'd occasionally pull an 'all-night-er'. But this seems much more real as it has the potential to create genuine startups and in turn possibly change lives. It sounds like a lot more fun too. On that note, here's a quick run down of the projects that this year's Startup Weekend London produced.

The iPhone comes to Tesco — will a price war follow?

[UK] Is an iPhone price war about to break out? After Vodafone and Orange bagged the iPhone we learn today that Tesco, the UK supermarket leviathan, is to sell the iPhone on Tesco Mobile, its MVNO joint venture partnership with O2. Both iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS handsets will be sold in Tesco Phone Shops and online through Tesco Direct in the UK. There's even a pre-regsitration website Tescomobileiphone.com - but it's showing a 500 Internal server error.

CrunchBoard Europe Job of the Week

This week's TechCrunch Europe Job of the Week is for a Lead Architect with ChannelFlip Media. Remember, it costs only £20 to post *any* kind of advert on the CrunchBoard related to your startup/business, whether it be jobs, searches for office space or requests for new projects. Every week we publish the Job of the Week here (14,000+ on RSS) and Twitter it to about 16,000+ more people. To apply to have Job of the Week featured, put up a job on the CrunchBoard and contact editorial. Help European startups by carrying our CrunchBoard widget on your site.

Achtung! Google Analytics is illegal, say German government officials

[Germany] Several federal and regional government officials in Germany are trying to put a ban on Google Analytics, the search giant's free software product that allows website owners and publishers to get detailed statistics about the number, whereabouts and search behavior of their visitors (and much more). According to an article in today's Zeit Online (poor Google translation here), multiple federal and state government officials charged with guarding over national data protection are convinced that Google Analytics is against the law in Germany and are mulling imposing fines on companies who use the service to gather detailed stats based on their website visitors' usage patterns without the explicit consent of those visitors.

Will The Sugababes put women off Windows 7? Or not? I’m confused.

Please help me everyone, I'm confused. Today the WITsend blog on ComputerWeekly, a blog called 'A place for women in IT', asks "Will tech companies ever learn?" Apparently Microsoft, in making girl band The Sugababes the new face of Windows 7 (at least in the UK), has made a mistake. WiTsend says that The Sugababes are aimed at tweeny-bopper eight-year-old girls who are "not exactly the biggest consumers of computer operating systems". Thus the campaign will not appeal to grown up women who do actually buy PCs. Admittedly the blog admits that in using a pop band (it quite easily have been a boy band I guess) who are not known for their intellectual capacity so much as their ability to kick out a pop track while looking good, Microsoft is cleverly showing that just about anyone, wow even bubble-gum pop bands, can use Windows 7.

Hey startups, let’s go to SXSW!

[UK] If you are a technology startup and want to network with Silicon Valley type then one way of doing it is to go to South By South West Interactive. Those who attend in the past have informally called it 'Spring Break for Geeks', but it is a little more significant that that suggests. Twitter took off in the US by launching there in 2007, Foursquare launched there last year and it's generally a pretty interesting platform to test the waters of American geekdom. Organised by Chinwag and the UKTI, the Digital Mission (a kind of punk trade mission) to SXSWi is back for it's second year after a successful trip to Austin in 2009. There are 35 slots available on the 2010 mission (12-16th March, 2010) and applications are now open - but the dealine is Friday, 27th November so you better hurry. TechCrunch Europe is a media partner because to get on the mission all you have to have as a company is a UK headquarter, so in other words any European company with a UK HQ counts. Thus, this year, Zemanta, which is really built in Slovenia but has a UK HQ, came along. The rest of the selection criteria is below.

Russian games house raises $5 million for social strategy game

[Russia] Russian online game developer Nival Network has closed a $5 million round from an undisclosed investor but will use the funds to develop Prime World, its online strategy game with social networking features aimed at the Russia and former Soviet countries. Nival Network is currently majority owned by founder and CEO Sergey Orlovskiy. Software vendor 1C Group owns a 30% stake in Nival Network, reports Quintura.

Attentio raises €525,000 for social media monitoring and analysis software suite

[Belgium] Brussels-based Attentio, a startup that markets a robust software suite for brand monitoring and analysis of conversations that are happening in social media, has raised €525,000 (or $786,000) in financing from the city's regional investment firm SRIB/GIMB. The financing consisted of an equity investment of €400,000 and a loan of €125,000. This brings the total of capital raised by the company to about €3 million, according to co-founder and CCO Simon McDermott, although this is the startup's first round of institutional funding since its inception in 2004.

Mobile music discovery service Shazam joins the (PRODUCT) RED campaign

[UK] Mobile music discovery service Shazam has joined the (PRODUCT) RED campaign, with a specially branded iPhone app - the first mobile app provider to have done so. The campaign raises funds and awareness in fighting AIDS in Africa. Joining (PRODUCT) RED is an especially good fit for London-based Shazam's music-oriented iPhone app, the (RED) brand will be familiar to many iPhone users since Apple is one of the high profile companies to already sell products that support the program - currently the iPod nano - along with other big names including American Express, Bugaboo, Converse, Dell, Emporio Armani, Gap, Hallmark and Starbucks.

5gig, a social network for concert goers, gets more money and eyes rest of Europe

[Spain] Nvivo.es has been around for 3 years now here in Spain. It’s a name most of the online scene is quite familiar with, especially those that frequent concerts. Nvivo, which sounds like “en vivo” or “live” in Spanish, is a social network for concert goers, the place to discover upcoming music venues, follow artists, manage your own concert agenda and, according to nvivo, never miss another concert again. Sounds a lot like Songkick? Yup. Very much so, although nvivo launched first but with less noise. Nowadays, competition is abundant. While Songkick focuses on the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (the English speaking countries), nvivo.es has been busy rolling out local European versions, branding itself as 5gig internationally. It's currently available in the US, UK, France, Italy, The Netherlands and Germany under the 5gig brand and is aggregating 35 different concert providers across all 7 countries.

LeWeb goes back to its roots: tech, startups and Europe

LeWeb has published its schedule for the upcoming global conference for tech in Paris, and it's looking pretty good. TechCrunch Europe is a media partner and is helping to organise the startup competition, so that's our interest declared. That said Loic and Geraldine Le Meur have clearly finessed the event back towards tech companies and brought a new focus on Europe I think. Here are some highlights they've just published: -Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan will speak at noon on Dec 10th -The Real Time Web theme will be present in the form of Jack Dorsey (inventor of Twitter) opening the event, followed by announcements from Microsoft, Facebook, MySpace, Ning, LinkedIn and Ustream. -Mobile applications will be quite high on the agenda with a panel including Shazam, Tapulous, SGN and others. - Google's Marissa Mayer returns to keynote again as is Skype founder and partner at Atomico Niklas Zennstrom and YouTube's founder and visionary Chad Hurley

QooQ – a tablet computer that teaches you how to cook

[France] Tablets are destined to be the next super trendy tech device. CrunchGear regularly reports on new devices that will be launched by PC or mobile manufacturers, and Apple will one day join the dance. Analysts have announced that the tablet war will take place in 2010 so we just have to be patient. A French company called Unowhy, (which raised 2.9 million euros in April 09) is approaching the issue from another angle. They see the tablet not as a finality but as a way to offer new experiences. And that's how QooQ was born: a cooking coach built into a tablet. It's not about hardware, it's not about software, it's about content. Qooq will replace your cooking books, and bring you hundreds of recipes, tips and tools to help you become a master chef.

Mobile-friendly search engine Taptu releases half-baked Android app

[UK] Cambridge, UK-based Taptu, the mobile optimised search engine that, in particular, targets touch screen devices, has released a dedicated Android app. The service already offers a generic browser-based version for mobile phones, along with a native app for the iPhone which disappointingly for Android users, appears to be at least one generation ahead. After playing with the Android app for a short while, I'm also struggling to see Taptu's appeal, although admittedly I'm probably not the target user.

ChristmasCrunch – Our speakers, and how to pitch your startup

The second annual TechCrunch Europe ChristmasCrunch combines our annual TechCrunch Europe meetup and Festive Christmas party, in one handy package. This year we're basing it the hot theme of realtime streams and the event in London will also feature some of the hottest realtime startups in the world today. The event will start with registration from 14.00 on December 15 for the seminar programme consisting of keynote presentation, panel discussions and startup pitches followed by TechCrunchPitch! Once the seminar programme has come to an end, it will turn into your very own startup Christmas party, with DJs and entertainment until late. Do you want to pitch your realtime startup at ChristmasCrunch? To be considered for the pitch competition you need to email TechCrunch Europe Editor Mike Butcher, with a one side of A4 text-only pitch, and also include the URL of your company/project/startup etc on CrunchBase (you can add your company onto it if it is not already there). Use the subject line "TechCrunchPitch". Note: You MUST be on CrunchBase. In your A4 pitch include: The market “problem” you are solving with your startup, your solution, your business model, your competitors, your team and what you’re looking for (Seed funding, Angel funding, Series A round, etc). There is no fee for one person from the startup to pitch, as is our policy. Deadline for entry is this Friday. Also: On 30th November 2009, TechCrunch Europe will be hosting another free Pitch! Workshop sponsorsed by UKTI. It is only open to qualified startups to attend and if you are interested in finding out more information, please email petra(at)twistedtree.co.uk.

Boo.com owner made $100m – but not from Boo

[Ireland] Ray Nolan, co-founder of Irish company Web Reservations International (WRI) — parent company to booking site Hostelworld.com and reborn travel site Boo.com — says WRI's initial plan was for an audacious 2008 IPO at a market cap almost double the company's final selling price of about $340 million last week. Ironically, he made almost as much money out of the Boo.com holding company as Boo lost back in the dotcom bust. WRI was picked up by private equity firm Hellman and Friedman, to the surprise of many who assumed a travel giant such as Expedia or Priceline would make the acquisition. “We were trying to push it out to a $600-700 million market cap. That’s a big IPO. It was so big that the market only had to cough, and we knew the IPO was off." Obviously, the market didn’t just cough; it tanked, and the IPO was abandoned. A three-time serial entrepreneur — he set up his first company, Raven Computing, in Dublin at age 22 — Nolan stepped down as WRI chief executive in advance of the planned IPO and was a non-executive director by the time of last week’s sale. However, with 25% of the company’s shares, he did well out of the transaction.

We7 delays iPhone app, and says Spotify can’t scale in the US. Exclusive pics

[UK] Ad-supported music streaming service We7 and Spotify competitor has big plans to go mobile. That much was already known - an iPhone and Android app has been in the works for sometime. Earlier this month, however, CEO Steve Purdham surprised attendees at an event in Manchester by telling them that while the We7 iPhone app was ready, its release was purposely being held back. The reason, he explained, is that it could drive too many new users to the service before the advertising side of the business can afford to support them. In other words, the economics of ad-supported music don't yet make sense, forcing We7 to focus on 'sustainable growth' or acquiring users at a rate somewhere inline with any increase in ad-revenue. Where this leaves competitor Spotify's land grab approach to user numbers is clearly open to debate and Purdham is more than happy to chime in (hint: he thinks they're heading for a crash). On that note, TechCrunch Europe has learned that We7's mobile offering will in fact be launched in Q1 2010 and, perhaps unsurprisingly, will be part of a new premium subscription offering. We've also managed to source some, admittedly, blurry photos of We7 running on the iPhone. The app that you can't have - yet. But first, let's dive into the thinking behind We7's decision to postpone their mobile plans.

The official news that News Corp and Microsoft are in talks. Or Bing’s Slow News Future

Congratulations to the Financial Times. It's taken them 10 days and three reporters to confirm our previous story that Microsoft and News Corp, along with plenty of other newspaper publishers, are in actual, formal discussions to encourage them to de-index from Google and will incentivise them with premium positions on the Bing search engine, revenue share and, in all likelihood, cold hard cash. The interesting thing about this story is that it is typical old media. It says talks are at "an early stage" but doesn't even mention the fact that we had cast iron information that the actual meeting took place on November 10. Also: The FT also doesn't link to our story - plus ca change. Why? because it's an "article" not a blog post. As is usual with traditional media, articles very rarely link, while their blog posts (increasingly, but it's a taken a while) do. Apparently "the Financial Times has learnt that Microsoft has also approached other big online publishers". Yes, we know. We listed them in our story: Associated Newspapers, Germany’s Axel Springer and publishers from Poland and Italy, among others. We even know the name of the man at Microsoft heading up the discussion: Microsoft’s Peter Bale, Executive Producer of MSN UK. The FT has no other new information that hasn't been previously reported. I'm sure I'll get accused of trying to score points, but that's not my aim. And I have the utmost respect for my colleagues on the FT. But there is a serious point here.

NSFW: Give me ad-free conversations, or give me death (please RT)

Yesterday I spent the day at TechCrunch’s ‘Real Time Crunch-up’. This despite having no idea what a ‘Crunch-up’ actually is. The important thing is that Erick had asked me to help moderate his panel about marketing within ‘real-time streams’, which is a subject close to my heart. So close in fact, that had he asked me [...]

Spotify lands on Symbian phones from Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung

[Sweden] The much - perhaps justifiably - hyped music streaming service Spotify has extended its mobile reach significantly today with the release of an app for phones powered by the Nokia-led Symbian operating system. This follows earlier clients for both iPhone and Android and means that the service will now be accessible on millions more handsets from Nokia, obviously, along with Sony Ericsson and Samsung which also support the platform.

Review: Taking Time: Craft and the Slow Revolution, at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

When avant-garde fine art turned conceptual and visually spartan in the 1970s, those who felt starved of a visual thrill could find it in the newly reinvigorated studio craft movement.

A photographic collection to be proud of

Terry Grimley meets Pete James, the award-winning head of photography at Birmingham’s Central Library

Birmingham, a work in progress

The changing face of Birmingham fascinates Terry Grimley as he views a new exhibition

Work comes full circle for John Walker

Veteran artist John Walker tells Terry Grimley about a rare new show.

Technology by the numbers in cutting edge digital project

For anyone who doesn’t feel they normally spend enough time staring at a computer screen, the latest exhibition at Ikon Eastside should be a must.

Bodies Revealed exhibition is a gory education

Lorne Jackson gets under the skin of a new city exhibition revealing our inner selves.

Birmingham-born artist Trevor Denning dies

A Birmingham-born artist whose contemporary work was an influence on the founders of the Ikon Gallery has died.

Images of the artist at work

The history of the artist’s studio is captured in a new show, says Terry Grimley.

Brush with genius

Sally Hoban looks at the work of one of Birmingham’s finest painters.

Too realistic for USSR ideology

Semyon Faibisovich’s social realism would not have found favour in the Soviet Union, says Terry Grimley

Organic forms leap out of the earth

Terry Grimley talks to Peter Randall-Page about the sculptor’s latest projects.

Steve relishes challenge of his intricate art

Birmingham artist Steve Lilly certainly has a steady hand and a lot of patience.

Jaguar Land Rover Awards for Arts and Business shortlist revealed

The shortlist has been announced for this year’s Jaguar Land Rover Awards for Arts & Business.

Unearthing hidden gems

Terry Grimley discovers some local artistic treasures as he turns the pages of an ambitious catalogue

Life at the h.Art of the country

More than 130 artists will open their studios to the public next weekend. Terry Grimley explains.

Lord takes view of the world

Birmingham artist and photographer Michelle Lord’s success is continuing with showings of her work in Australia, China and Lithuania.

Making an exhibition of myself at Trafalgar Square

Deirdre Figueiredo tells Terry Grimley about her time on the Trafalgar Square plinth.

Walsall exhibition a real chamber of horrors

The disquieting images at an exhibition in Walsall intrigue Terry Grimley.

Photo show of Birmingham frozen in time

The work of photographer Michael Scott in documenting Birmingham’s derelict buildings for more than seven years is currently showing at the Central Library.

Get your Flickr photos of Birmingham published in the Post

The Birmingham Post has a Flickr photo group, to showcase in print and online some of the best images of the West Midlands.