A Successful First Series of Events for the New for 2019 Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Demonstrate Impact Programme
The GCRF Demonstrate Impact Programme events were held throughout September 2019 in various UK cities.
Photo galleries are not available for content from the previous KTN website: we apologise for this.
What a success!
The KTN Organising Committee would like to thank all the Speakers and Participants for a great start to the GCRF Demonstrate Impact Programme Briefing Event Series. We look forward to the next round of events and hope you can join us!
Each briefing event focussed on a different group of Sustainable Development Goals. To download the collated presentations, click on the links below:
03 September 2019 - London: Quality education / Decent work and economic growth
(Speakers: Charlie Winkworth-Smith, KTN, Janet Geddes, Innovate UK, Zoe Jones, Innovate UK, Simon Yarwood, KTN, Ben Griffin, Innovate UK, Adrian Westaway, Special Projects, Susannah Hares, Centre for Global Development, Piya Shah Avanti, Max Cuvellier, GSMA.)
04 September 2019 - Cardiff: Responsible consumption & production
(Speakers: Charlie Winkworth-Smith, KTN, Janet Geddes, Innovate UK, Zoe Jones, Innovate UK, Robert Quarshie, KTN, Simon Cooper, Welsh Government, Ben Griffin, Innovate UK, Nick Allott, Nquiring Minds, Jon Cloke, Loughborough University, Alex Anderson, Koolmill)
05 September 2019 - Sheffield: Climate action / Life below water / Life on land
(Speakers: Charlie Winkworth-Smith, KTN, Janet Geddes, Innovate UK, Zoe Jones, Innovate UK, Jake Larsson, KTN, CERC, Duncan Cameron, University of Sheffield, Pete Skipworth, EM Solutions, Andrew Swan, Leeds Beckett University)
10 September 2019 - Belfast: Sustainable cities & communities 
(Speakers: Sandeep Sandhu, KTN, Janet Geddes, Innovate UK, Zoe Jones, Innovate UK, Bruce McLelland, KTN, Richard Palen, Invest NI, Ed Hobson, KTN, Nadia Echchihab, Connected Places Catapult, Brian Bishop, Data Performance Consultancy, Miranda Sharp, Ordnance Survey, Clare McKeown, Belfast City Council, Bruce Raw, GreenCape)
12 September 2019 - Edinburgh: Good health and well being / Clean water & sanitation 
(Speakers: Charlie Winkworth-Smith, KTN, Janet Geddes, Innovate UK, Zoe Jones, Innovate UK, Jonathan Abra, KTN, Ben Griffin, Innovate UK, David Swann, Sheffield Hallam University, Jon Rathjen, Water Industry Team, Scottish Government, Bhaskar Sen Gupta, Heriot-Watt University, David Sarphie, Bio Nano Consulting)
There were several videos also presented as part of the event programme. Please see below to view:
GCRF Demonstrate Impact Programme Event Series – Video Presentations
Dr David Sarphie, CEO, Bio-Nano Consulting commented:
“The¬†GCRF¬†event in Edinburgh provided a timely and much-appreciated introduction to the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) ‚Äúdemonstrate impact in meeting the sustainable development goals: phase 1 call‚Äù¬†which has recently opened. This will enable businesses working on technology-based projects that can beneficially impact sustainable development goals (SDGs) to apply for support in furthering their product development activities. The programme provided a glimpse at a breadth of example projects which are focused on the SDG area.”
Find out more about Bio-Nano Consulting here.
Nick Allott, CEO, NquiringMinds reflected:
“The GCRF Demonstrate Impact Responsible Consumption and Production event in Cardiff was a great opportunity to meet like minded innovators; those with a ¬†passion for creating impact where it is needed most. We met companies working in similar fields on similar projects, who we would not of met otherwise. We are already seeing the benefit of new emerging collaborations. The presentations on the challenge and process were invaluable for us to assess the ¬†upcoming opportunities.”
Find out more about Nquiring Minds here.
Did you know KTN can help make introductions to Design companies?
For further details on particular types of design work, the following professional networks may be useful in finding the right support.
For industrial and product design Рthe British Industrial Design Association - http://www. britishindustrialdesign.org.uk
For service design РService Design Network UK - http://uk.service-design- network.org
For design advice regarding the value of using design - https://www.designcouncil.org.uk
For a guide on how to select a designer РDesign Business Association - http://www.dba.org.uk
Or get in touch with us at design@ktn-uk.org to help connect with the right type of designers for your project.
B2B Match: For each of the events that were held in September, there was an opportunity to meet with companies that may have had the design capabilities you are looking for. The good news is that this opportunity is still open! To register your interest and to start your search for partners, click here. (It is recommended for design agencies to register for all five events in the B2B Match service).
Below is a list of designers that have expressed an interest in partnering with collaborators specifically for the GCRF opportunity. While we do not vet these, please check their portfolio online to see whether they offer the right sort of support for your project.
Tim Sharpe
Co-founder, Design and Innovation Director, Better Normal
Al Kennedy
Business Designer | Founder | Leadership Coach | MBA / MA / FRSA
Danny Herbert
Design Council Associate and Brand Consultant
Chris Natt
Design and Innovation consultant
Nick Vessey
Managing Director Product Design at WMP Creative
Andrew McCulloch
Managing Director and Co-Owner, Minima
Tom Moy
Little Mammoth
Mark Penver
Lead Designer, 4C Design | Managing Director, TENc
David Watts
Managing Director at CCD Design and Ergonomics Ltd
Richard Hall
Managing Director at Pd-m International Ltd
Gabriela Soler - “We are a team from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and we can be a think partner of projects, for context considerations (social, cultural, business)”
Zoom Sustentable
Strategic Sustainable Design
Katie Beverley
Ecodesign Centre, PDR
GCRF Demonstrate Impact Programme Webcast for Competition Briefing hosted in London: Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth.
About GCRF and how to apply for Phase 1 of the Funding Competition
Through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), Innovate UK will invest up to £9.3 million in innovation projects. The aim of this competition is to support demonstration-stage projects that have the potential to improve lives of people living in lower income countries and emerging economies. It will support projects that address one or more of the global societal challenges recognised as the UN Sustainable Development Goals through development of innovative, market-creating products and services. These projects should ultimately lead to the deployment of those products or services within those countries.
This is a two-phase competition. Phase 1 projects must explore the feasibility of running a demonstration project in phase 2 and applicants can use a human-centred design or technical feasibility approaches during this phase. A successful sub-set of phase 1 projects will be invited to apply for phase 2.
Funding Competition Information: GCRF demonstrate impact in meeting the sustainable development goals: phase 1
Organisations can apply for a share of up to £9.3 million to demonstrate market-creating innovations in lower income countries and emerging economies. This funding is Official Development Assistance from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).
Competition opened: Monday 9 September 2019
Competition closes: Wednesday 13 November 2019 12:00pm
Applicants will be notified: Monday 16 December 2019
For further information and to apply for this funding competition, click here.