Challenge Call
Catalysts and Connectors: Tools for the Creative Industries is the first of the MyWorld Challenge Calls led by Digital Catapult. We are delighted to share details of the nine companies that have been awarded £50,000 funding to address the industry challenge set by Industry Partner NVIDIA or the open challenge, exploring innovative tooling solutions relating to the creation, delivery and assessment of experiences. The Challenge teams will also benefit from a 16-week support programme delivered by Digital Catapult with, NVIDIA.
Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D)
As part of MyWorld’s Collaborative Research and Development (CR&D) Open Call, led by Digital Catapult, six projects have been awarded a share of £1 million. The projects represent a mix of early-stage and award-winning companies whose work is steadily gaining momentum. The projects will explore a range of ambitious ideas addressing emerging challenges from across different areas of the Creative Industries.
In collaboration with our globally recognised universities in the region, the project teams will develop an exciting mix of innovative prototypes. These prototypes will drive cutting-edge research and impact industry which will further fuel the West of England’s creative technology sector and beyond.
Sandbox
Six creative teams have each been awarded £45,000 to build an urban prototype that connects people to their city, thanks to Watershed’s Playable City Sandbox as part of MyWorld’s IDEAS programme. The below projects place play at the heart of the city, sparking imagination and conversation about inclusion, sustainability, surveillance and the future of cities. The prototypes will be showcased in Bristol in July 2023.

Ben Samuels
Fellowship in Residence at Bristol Old Vic
Ben Samuels is Watershed’s Fellow in Residence as part of the MyWorld IDEAS programme. He is spending seven months in residence at Bristol Old Vic, embedded in the digital presentation of Complicités production. This is a practical fellowship that will develop approaches to digital presentation of theatrical performance, focusing on liveness, immersion in digital formats and connecting live and digital audiences.

Joseph Wilk
Fellowship in Residence at Ultraleap
Joseph Wilk is one of Watershed’s Fellows in Residence as part of the MyWorld IDEAS programme. He is spending ten months in residence at Ultraleap and the Pervasive Media Studio, prototyping hand-tracking gestures for home VR gaming. This is a practical Fellowship that will create guidance and tooling for game developers through prototyping and experimentation.