Innovation Pipeline

A series of targeted funding rounds and training opportunities focused on the media sector, for creative businesses and individuals.

What is the Innovation Pipeline?

The Innovation Pipeline is a series of targeted funding rounds and training opportunities designed to develop companies and individuals within the media sector in the Cardiff Capital Region and across Wales.

The aim is to increase their capacity to carry out meaningful research, development and innovation (R&D). This can be from early-stage development through to scale up activity, to result in more ideas, diversity and growth to the industry.

Greening the Screen Fund – Apply Now

Greening the Screen is open for applications from 18 September 2023 until 1 November 2023.

Individual projects can apply for up to £250,000.

We are looking for ideas that have the potential to deliver real positive change across the sector. We are not looking for a one-off idea but long-term solutions to the industry challenges of reaching net zero.

Projects will start from 1 April 2024 and will have between 12-18 months to complete their R&D.

The application process for this project is run through UKRI.

Find out more...

Banner with two green semi-circles meeting and the text 'Greening the Screen', as well as other green and grey shapes touching, representing collaboration around sustainability

Scale Up Fund – open now

Apply for up to £200,000 for projects of significant scale and ambition that have the potential to be transformational for the media sector and deliver an international impact.

Apply now

Development Fund
Applications now open

The Media Cymru Development Fund offers up to £50,000 for Wales based individuals and businesses to research and develop (R&D) innovation-driven projects that demonstrate clear potential for a tangible product, experience or service in the media sector.

Media Cymru is looking for ideas that have long term economic benefits for the media sector in the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) or Wales.

We are interested in projects which focus on:

Virtual production
Placemaking and tourism related content
Immersive storytelling
Extended reality technologies (augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality etc.)
Tools that support environmentally sustainable media production, distribution and consumption
Developing tools to improve the production process
Gaming
Tools that encourage the development of new and inclusive business models within the media sector
Bilingual or multilingual production.

Previously funded Media Cymru Seed Projects are welcomed to apply for funding to further develop their existing idea.

Projects should consider the four pillars of Media Cymru:

Growth: to drive economic development through research, development and innovation (RD&I)
Global: to increase international awareness of the media sector in Wales and encourage international collaborations
Fair: to create a fair, equal and diverse media sector
Green: to significantly reduce the negative environmental impact of the media sector.

To be eligible to apply for development funding, you must be able to demonstrate experience and sound understanding of research, development and innovation (RD&I).

If your project is not focussed on R&D, you may wish to consider the Creative Wales Development Fund which opened on Friday 14 July. This scheme supports the development of new content in TV, games, animation and immersive genres.

It is important you read the supporting information before proceeding with applying. Failing to do so may result in an unsuccessful application.

View and download supporting information (updated 14 September 2023):

Supporting Information – Media Cymru Development Fund (PDF)

Supporting Information – Media Cymru Development Fund (Word)

Applications open: Monday, 24 July 2023
Applications close: 12 noon on Friday, ~~15 September~~ 6 October 2023

Due to extenuating circumstances we are extending the deadline. If you have already submitted and would like to resubmit before the new deadline, please do – we will review the most recent submission.

If you would like advice regarding your eligibility, need further information or have specific access requirements, book a 121 with a member of the team by contacting: media.cymru@cardiff.ac.uk.

Apply for Media Cymru Development Fund

Submit application

Seed Fund 2023

Creative freelancers and businesses in the Cardiff Capital Region and across Wales were invited to apply for up to £10,000 to Research and Develop (R&D) ideas for new products, services and experiences in the media sector.

Please note, applications for the Media Cymru Seed Fund 2023 have now closed.

2023 seed funding has been awarded to 18 projects exploring a range of new ideas, including in the fields of virtual production (VP), immersive technologies and interactive experiences.

The funded cohort will have three to five months to complete their project, supported by partners PDR and the Alacrity Foundation.

Co-created Challenge Partnerships

Explore the Innovation Pipeline

People working on laptop and writing on post-it note

News: Media Cymru Seed Fund launches

We caught up with Senior R&D Producer and Fund Manager, Lee Walters, to find out more about the opportunity.

Learn More

News: Media Cymru invests £180,000 of seed funding into innovation projects

We have awarded funding to 18 projects exploring a range of new ideas, including in the fields of virtual production (VP), immersive technologies and interactive experiences.