Hi3 Network: Are You Innovation Ready?

Hi3 Network: Are You Innovation Ready?

If you are looking to expand and grow your business’ potential, this programme will help you do this through a compact series of workshops led by industry specialists on the fundamentals of business growth and innovation, as well as university researchers who are at the cutting edge of creative technologies, keen to share knowledge, skills, and tools with your business so it can better position itself ahead of the curve.

Hi3 Network’s 3-day programme was developed for small businesses, freelancers and sole traders looking to understand how to future-proof their business and find innovation through creative technologies. These sessions take place from 10:30 am – 4:30pm and include time to network with like-minded peers, as well as built-in break times.

You are eligible if you are a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) registered in England (including those registered as freelancers or sole-traders). You can come from any industry.

If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to get in touch: hi3network@canterbury.ac.uk

An Eventbrite ticket alone does not secure your place on the programme: you must complete the registration form and pass eligibility to take part. Places are limited!

What to expect:

DAY 1: THE FOUNDATIONS (TUES 24 MAY)

Innovation in Action: Liu Batchelor will guide us on how to find the true value in your idea/business – while also growing both your confidence and your audience.

In this 1.5hr session we’ll explore what ‘growth hacking’ is, and how you can use it to rapidly learn and develop your idea, your marketing, and your audience

In the session we’ll explore the answers to the below questions:

• Why market research alone doesn’t work
• Why you should launch our ideas/businesses before we are ‘ready’
• Why and how your obstacles can become an opportunity
• Why you should apply the scientific/creative process to marketing your ideas

The group will then get guided through finding their ‘minimum viable product’ and setting up micro ‘experiments’ – to allow them to explore elements of their idea and marketing that they are unsure or uncertain about. They’ll then get the chance to share and test a number of them out and get feedback from the group.

We’ll conclude by looking at how to test them out in the real world, as well as the confidence to deal with any feedback.

STOMP Social Media Workshop: Melanie Boylan will help us realign a business audience and to learn how emphasise online what a business does: devising topics to discuss, articles to share, and to help businesses take action. The session will include the following key themes:

• Increase sales: HI3 Network attendees will get the opportunity to learn how to improve on techniques and transition their audience to purchase using clearer and stronger calls to action.
• Increase traffic: How adding regular content to each social channel and sharing it on time and in the right way will drive further traffic on a regular basis.
• Increase Engagement: How posting relevant articles on social media on a regular basis that delivers their audience to their website (if they have one) will also improve traffic and engagement.

Tech Demo and Networking: This session will be led by Timi Salako and attendees have the opportunity to join us in our CCCU studios for the tech demo (places are limited) the session will also be live-streamed on Zoom.

DAY 2: HOLOLENS AND MIXED REALITY (WEDS 25 MAY)

Key points, milestones, of business growth: In this session, we will be joined by Ian Smallwood, Growth Hub Manager, who talks about how the Growth Hubs bringing together the best of public and private sector partners to support, promote and deliver business support based on the local needs. Join us to discuss the latest projects and funding schemes currently on offer across Essex, Kent, and East Sussex, key discussion points will include:

• Funding for Start-Ups
• Funding for growth/ Working Capital funding/asset purchase
• Funding for the first employee
• Development/innovation funding
• Acquisition

Virtual Reality for creatives and narrative storytelling: In this talk, Immersive Artist Sean Rodrigo gives a practical overview of how Virtual Reality is being applied to the industry, how creative businesses can implement it into their creative process and the trajectory the technology is on to change the way we consume stories.

Tech Demo and Networking : This session will be led by Timi Salako and attendees have the opportunity to join us in our CCCU studios for the tech demo (places are limited) the session will also be livestreamed on Zoom.

DAY 3: VIRTUAL REALITY INTERACTIONS (THURS 26 MAY)

Success Stories: Meet some of the businesses who benefited of the support provided by Hi3 Network, engage in a conversation that will spark ideas, and will get your creative juices flowing.

No code Augmented Reality for narrative storytelling. Release ideas on multiple platforms of your production: In this talk, Immersive Artist Sean Rodrigo gives a practical overview of how no code Augmented Reality is used for narrative storytelling.

Tech Demo and Networking: This session will be led by Timi Salako and attendees have the opportunity to join us in our CCCU studios for the tech demo (places are limited) the session will also be livestreamed on Zoom.

You will receive a Hi3 Network Welcome Pack with more information and relevant links before the programme starts. Don’t forget to register by completing the Hi3 Network registration form.

These events will be recorded, please get in touch if you have any questions.

About Hi3 Network

Hi3 Network is defining the future of moving-image, screen-based and creative technologies through innovative research and development. A network of specialists, researchers, and businesses developing new products, services, experiences, and new research at our hubs in Canterbury, Folkestone, and Maidstone. Technologies we are working in, are virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, Motion Capture, virtual production, computer-generated imagery, gaming, animation, eSports, etc.

Hi3 Network is a £6.1m project that is part-funded by the European Development Fund. The partners are London South Bank University, Screen South, Creative Folkestone, Canterbury Christ Church University, and Maidstone Television Studios.

Get involved

Say Hi via the form on our website and one of our community managers will get in touch to get to know you and how we can help you and your business.