GeographyJobs.co.ukGeography Jobs First. In the United Kingdom. |
 |
Job Seeker
My GeographyJobs Login
Featured Article
Kick start your start-up with Geovation
By GeographyJobs.com
July 22, 2015
I've recently come across an interesting program for those in the UK with an entrepreneurial spirit and innovative geo-spatial ideas.
£20,000
worth of funding, expert technical help and transformational business for
innovative and outstanding start-up ideas that recognise the value of location
The Geovation Programme offers a unique opportunity for developers, innovators
and entrepreneurs with bright ideas to be guided through an innovation process
that focuses on developing the idea through product creation and commercial
realisation, all the while being paid a wage of up to £20,000. The altruistic
programme, which runs out of Ordnance Survey’s recently opened Geovation Hub,
is believed to be the first of its kind in Great Britain.
Geovation Hub manager, Alex Wrottesley, has had his own successes (and
failures) running start-ups, from launching Real Madrid’s brand in Asia to
building an ambitious 3D city platform of London, says: “There are many people
out there who have really good business ideas, but who have to give up their
evenings and weekends to pursue them, because of the very real need to earn a
wage. This means ideas progress at a slower rate or are lost altogether, which
constitutes a disappointing loss to the economy.
“The Geovation Programme levels the playing field for those who cannot afford
to take time off to pursue their ideas. It offers anyone with the right idea,
commitment and passion to take the time needed to make their idea a commercial
reality. Through it they can earn up to £20,000 in exchange for a minimum of 20
hours a week at the hub dedicated to working on their idea. If they need to top
up their income they can take on extra work without it inconveniencing their
goals. In addition to funding we provide a full curriculum of innovation
modules to help our participants develop their ideas. Whether they need access
to experts from Ordnance Survey and the wider geo-spatial industry, business
mentors to help make their proposals bullet proof or senior developers who can
help them build concept proving prototypes and Minimum Viable Products to
attract investors and early-adopters alike, we will be there to support them.
What makes this a special prospect for people is that we do not want or expect
a penny back. We just want them to succeed. I don’t think there is anything
else out there quite like it.”
In an as yet unpublished report on the UK geo-services industry, kMatrix
estimates the direct value of the sector’s activities at £2.2bn, with its wider
economic impact estimated at being around £25.9bn. There’s no doubt about it, spatial
information is big business and the Geovation Hub is perfectly positioned at
the centre of this. Geo-services is also a growing market, projected to advance
at a rate that out-performs a range of industries that are more commonly
associated with innovation – including software solutions, mobile
communications and videogaming.
The report concludes: “With the increase in sensors and communicating devices
(The Internet of Things) and increasingly integrated “SMART” cities,
geo-services will continue to impact on all areas of urban life and
increasingly on rural/remote living too.”
Wrottesley continues: “There’s a sense that we are just scratching the surface
of what can be achieved with location data and intelligence, and that the
digital era we are in suggests we are on the cusp of unlocking its full
potential. If you think you have a great idea for a business we would love to
hear from you.”
Examples of ideas that have been turned into commercial entities by the
Geovation process
Run an Empire - http://www.runanempire.com
(Sam Hill)
Run An Empire were winners of the ‘How can we encourage active lifestyles in
Britain?’ Challenge. The Hoxton based, PAN Studio were awarded £26,000 to
develop their idea. Run an Empire is an exercise strategy game on a smart phone
app, which uses GPS with Ordnance Survey data to record paths players take and
allow people to compete to capture and maintain control of as much territory as
possible, using neighbourhoods as arenas for play. The more times people run or
walk around their neighbourhood the more secure they can make it against
‘invasion’.
AR Carbon Ltd - http://www.arcarbon.co.uk/about-arcarbon/
(Richard Page) AR Carbon’s Carbon Prophet is a Government funded project that
provides farmers and landowners with a new income stream from selling captured
carbon to companies that want to off-set their own emissions.The company
measures and maps the carbon content of soils in the UK to develop a carbon
trading scheme that can unlock the value of this important asset. For more info
visit - https://www.geovation.org.uk/the-future-is-bright-the-future-is-carbon/
OpenPlay - https://www.openplay.co.uk/
(Sam Parton)OpenPlay is a web and mobile platform designed to connect sports facilities
to the public. It takes away the hassle of finding and booking sports
facilities and activities with a focus on parks, open spaces and schools.
Examples include tennis courts, football pitches, multi-use games areas and
sports halls. It was born out of frustration whilst trying to source football
pitches for an U15 team in South London. The owner of the company, Sam, found
the experience to be a complete nightmare with endless fruitless phone calls
and a lack of transparency over pricing and condition of facilities on offer.
Element Green Recycling - http://www.elementgreenrecycling.co.uk/
(Ayo Isinkaye) The Green Alchemist (from Element Green Recycling) is a recycling
web app; it empowers businesses to sell their recyclable waste, and to make
better recycling decisions.The concept of Element Green Recycling (The Green
Alchemist) is simple enough. The company want to make recycling simpler, more
accessible, and financial rewarding. We fail to realize the monetary value of
the rubbish we produce. Clean separated waste is in demand by the reprocessing
industry and they are prepared to pay for it because it saves them money in the
manufacturing process. However, contaminated waste is worth very little and
actually costs money to be taken away. By using the new app users will be able
to find out what their separated recyclables are worth, find organisations
willing to buy it and licensed waste couriers happy to transport it. By
entering your postcode, what type of waste you have, organisations and
households will be able to see, their local network of recycling facilities and
waste courier options in their area. All this information will be displayed via
an Ordnance Survey map.
The closing data for applications to the Geovation Programme is August 1.
Applications can be made at: https://geovation.uk/programme/#appl
