Media Cymru invests £1 million into innovative new technologies including ethical AI, Esports and virtual experiences

Media Cymru has awarded funding to 24 businesses and freelancers to explore a range of innovative projects designed to boost the Welsh media sector. 

The Development Fund provides successful applicants with up to £50,000 to develop ideas into tangible products or services to benefit the Welsh media sector.  

Projects for 2024 include creating virtual event experiences, the use of ethical AI, exploring the next generation of music based Extended Reality and developing new pipelines into 2D and 3D animation. 

Ten of the 24 funded projects have progressed from the Media Cymru Seed Fund and will continue their Research and Development (R&D) journey in areas including Esports training, advancing access to Virtual Production and the use of immersive technologies in therapy.  

Director of Media Cymru, Professor Justin Lewis said:  

“We’re excited by the projects we’re supporting in this funding round, exploring innovation in story-telling, new ways of doing business, as well as innovative ways of using new technologies. We look forward to working with them to help them create new products, services and experiences to add social, cultural and economic value to the Welsh creative economy.” 

Media Cymru’s Innovation Pipeline contains a series of training and funding opportunities which targets creatives at different stages in their careers and development.  

Successful Development Fund projects will have up to 12 months to complete their project. Following completion applicants may then apply for Scale Up funding of up to £250,000 for projects of significant scale and ambition that have the potential to be transformational and deliver international impact. Media Cymru’s Scale Up Fund will open again in September 2024.

Funded projects

• M.U.C.E (Painting Practice)
• Accordion 2.0 (Accordion Innovation Ltd)
• CardBoy (MarkJamesWorks)
• Moon Fight XR (Dr Joyce Datiles)
• The people’s Jury (Vox Pictures LTD)
• Almanac Sports – Creating a Sports Data and Advanced Technology Platform Through Research and Development (Temporal Junction Limited)
• The Virtual Experience (Afanti Media Ltd / Afanti Facilities)
• Chemical Brothers XR innovation experience (Sugar Creative Studio Ltd)
• Personalised Animation AI Platform (Sleeping Giant Studio Limited)
• A Process for the Ethical Use of AI in Game Production to Unlock Sector Growth (Stargazy Studios Ltd)
• Deian a Loli Virtual Production (Cwmni Da)
• The Dice Decides (Slam Media)
• Animating Emotion: Teaching a system to augment animation based on emotional inputs. (Good Gate Media)
• Virtual Production Accessibility Network (GlassShot)
• Amdani: a carbon-neutral film and tv co-operative (Amdani Co.)
• Virtual Prop House: Ready for Virtual Production, Bridging Digital and Physical Worlds Sustainably (Rusty Design Limited)
• Portable Immersive Experiences (4Pi Productions UK)
• Innovating Queer Social Spaces through immersive technologies and authentic storytelling (Shane Nickels)
• Immersive Technology in Anxiety Support Groups for Young People (Elemental Health)
• Advanced Digital Healthcheck: A transformative tool for the Music Industry (Dark Arts Digital Ltd)
• Esports Wales: A New Game Plan for Wales (EsportsWales CIC)
• Me Mine & Your Reality (BlackGold Productions)
• THE MULTI CAMP – Remote Multi Camera Training Platform (D RHYS EDWARDS LTD)
• Diversity in TV Development: Innovating The Ideas Generation Process and Integrating Diversity of Thought/Voice into the Cardiff TV sector (Cardiff Productions)