It’s a Dragon’s Den for Ideas…..it will open doors! – The Observer. Launching this Autumn Ideas Britain is an app and ecosystem that can turn anyone’s ideas into reality. Whether it’s a business, product or project – anyone can bring an idea to life with the help of a global audience, our big brand friends and a roster of celebrity coaches.
“Ideas Britain is a game changer, and Britain is just the start”
The Idea
Launching this Autumn we believe Ideas Britain is a world first, we have developed and built a mobile mentoring app. It lays the right tools at the feet of aspiring entrepreneurs, and urges they pick them up – and follow their dream.
Ideas Britain was conceived by TV Executive Adam Shaw in 2013, after young son Harvey told his dad he wanted to launch a business of his own.
As with many aspiring entrepreneurs, Harvey would benefit immensely from the right mentoring, finance, opportunities, knowledge, and peer support as he starts his journey in business.
So Ideas Britain is all those things: a complete ideas ecosystem – including a supporting social media and entertainment network – that packs everything we believe an aspiring entrepreneur would need to make their mark, including some unbeatable coaching talent and access to brands already on Board.
Including some experienced coaching talent already on board.
Covering new business basics – and bases
Many of us have ideas, but fear of where to turn next can stop us in our tracks. In the digital era, a host of investment avenues have arisen, putting would-be entrepreneurs in touch with finance or mentors or opportunities – but Ideas Britain covers all bases with entertainment and gamification built in. Instead of the few, this is an ideas channel that’s for the many.
As featured already in The Observer, Guardian, Daily Mail, SKY News and a host of other media outlets, Ideas Britain has been described as a democratic Dragon’s Den fused with the showbiz of X Factor (on a mobile device) – it’s an idea built for the global stage.
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/14/dave-stewart-innovation-dragons-den-ideas
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/smallbusiness/article-3016229/Sweet-dreams-business-ideas-app.html
The company’s existing shareholders include Manchester City Council and The North West Fund and, to the best of our knowledge, the Ideas Britain concept is the first ever app funded by either organisation. As a business, we have already sold £200k in sponsorship.
We have agreed competitions around music and sport/tech with Creative England and Manchester City Football Club respectively for 2015.
We have some great coaches supporting Ideas Britain which include:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXg-AC8f2wBPTXRHYFUW-6Q/featured
With that, we don’t think there’s a better mentor-roster out there – and ours are actively engaged and raring to help entrepreneurs overcome hurdles – and make their mark.
With Dave Stewart (formerly of the Eurythmics) – who has joined the board as Creative Director – “Ideas International”, a joint venture created with 50% ownership by “The Ideas Company Inc Limited” and 50% by Dave Stewart’s company “Weapons of Mass Entertainment LLC” which is poised for international rollout.
How it works
Ideas Britain gives a global audience access to opportunity, knowledge, mentors and finance to help make ideas happen and individuals get ahead.
In-app, individuals upload ideas (no matter how well developed they are) and await feedback from the crowd in the form of social sharing and virtual currency investment.
The more virtual investment and buzz an idea receives, the more the crowd helps to filter ideas and the better the chance one has of catching the eye of watching coaches, advisers, brands and investors. Once adopted by a coach or brand, ideas and their owners are given time, effort, contacts and investment to make it work.
Opportunity
Revenue is generated from a number of streams:
Funds generated from crowdfunding will be used to help us further develop the app, creating an Android version and providing additional functionality as our market grows. In addition, funds will be used for the general marketing and advertising in the UK and USA.
“I think Ideas Britain could become very large indeed because its scalable, I think with something like this, that anyone can access this could become global.” Ivan Massow, Entrepreneur and Mayoral Candidate
The market
We feel Ideas Britain blends and speaks to the entertainment preferences, the gaming prowess, the social habits, and the entrepreneurial aspirations of a switched on millennial market across the globe.
Where we sit
Ideas Britain occupies a market spot aimed at capturing natural audiences from a number of established channels; with a fresh and inclusive concept.
Given Ideas Britain’s headline objective – bringing businesses and products to life and connecting aspiring entrepreneurs to the people who can– natural comparisons can be drawn with crowdsourcing platforms, business incubators, and accelerators. It’s a market we expect to engage and, even at this early stage, we’ve already had over one hundred entries.
But we believe the entertainment platform underwriting people’s journeys in Ideas Britain is unmatched in this space. Ideas Britain isn’t only interested in product for the time it’s being showcased – we shine a bright light on the people behind the story, at all stages of their journeys.
This entertainment focus might liken us more to reality TV or talent shows – and indeed we were quite delighted when a journalist interviewing Dave Stewart described us as a democratic Dragon’s Den fused with the showbiz of X Factor.
But Ideas Britain is not a seasonal event, stage-managed, scripted or pre-prepared. It’s on 24/7 and involves real people connecting with ideas, each other and coaches in real time.
The crowd can access it round the clock, and it’s they who play kingmakers at Ideas Britain, adding another dimension of market.
All aboard
In our experience other investment platforms and crowdsourcing communities are, generally, for the few, not the many. There’s little general market appeal – and they speak mostly to a niche audience.
Contrarily, reality TV or talent shows are designed for the masses – for the many. But the audience is regularly passive – they are entertained and that’s, largely, as far as involvement goes. They don’t steer or decide the fate of contestants on The Apprentice or Dragon’s Den.
This is where we believe Ideas Britain has fused winning concepts to maximise audience. There’s a natural audience of those who have ideas – and then there’s the draw of the show: the audience participation, the decision makers in action, and the reality of lives changing in real time.
Entrepreneurs
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Ideas Britain has a roster of coaches – who are mobilised and ready to help – that have huge networks and significant influence in their industries This is an incentive enough for idea makers to get involved.
38.3 miliion of the UK population are mobile phone internet users with 25% of working individuals wanting to be their own boss.
Coaches
When it comes to investing in people and ideas, it’s coaches’ own time and reputation that’s at stake, so the investment and the project is personal and provides an opportunity for a coach to earn a return on their time investment. It’s all part of a show where the audience has a pivotal role.
The Audience
The mechanics of gamification are built into Ideas Britain, giving the audience – anyone who’s active on the app – the power to steer the fate of an idea. Via social sharing, and by investing virtual currency, the audience helps raise the profile of ideas and alert coaches to their potential. Audience members themselves build up an in-game portfolio, which can lead to real financial payoff later.
Our target audience is primarily millenials (born between 1980 and 2000) of which there are 13m in the UK, 80m in the USA and 2.5bn worldwide. In 2017 they are projected to spend US $200 billion annually and US $10 trillion in their lifetimes.
98% of those under 30 are using the internet and of those, 90% of internet users are on social media.
The Whole Show
All the audience are treated to the entertainment spectacle of products coming to life – the trials, the tears, the pitches, the wins and the breakthroughs. The cut and thrust of coaches in action, new business being put through its paces, and new entrepreneurs taking their first strides into a new life.
The ideas show unfolding has an obvious infotainment value, but Ideas Britain is designed to be a learning environment that offers real-world help for anyone contemplating solo flight.
We provide multi media best-practice advice, tips, knowledge and know how from the best in the business through our channels – and a constant news pool of original content: articles, videos, features, and educational assets that inform and assist and inspire.
“Ideas Britain is an amazing platform, its different because of the type of people who are involved, the coaches, the opportunities, the type of businesses that are supporting, it” Jan Collins, Business Manager, Virgin Media
Adam Shaw, CEO
Adam started his career in television programme distribution licensing US hit shows Dynasty and Starsky & Hutch and The Muppets.
Adam was MD of a subsidiary of Wembley plc, Guild TV . He took 3DTV to Hong Kong and the Far East for their first national broadcasts. Adam founded HTC plc (a division of Lister Healthcare), which became London’s primary pre-school education group.
http://www.accelerate2014.co.uk/speakers/adam-shaw/
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/adam-shaw/29/285/77a?trk=pub-pbmap
Stuart Marks, Chairman
Stuart is a successful technology entrepreneur having founded, run and sold three companies since 1990. His last company, ITIS Holdings plc, was listed on the LSE and sold to INRIX Inc in 2011.
Stuart now runs his John Lewis’s and DPD’s partner in their Accelerator Programmes.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/02/john-lewis-digital-innovation-next-big-thing-retail
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/stuart-marks/59/298/603?trk=pub-pbmap
Dave Stewart, Creative Director
A multi-media entrepreneur, Dave Stewart is recognized as one of the most respected and accomplished talents in the music industry today. Beyond his creative work as a musician, Stewart is a renowned producer, author, director, photographer, filmmaker, and philanthropist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Stewart
Jemima Bird, COO
http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/people/jemima-bird/225772.article
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jemima-bird/5/8b9/575?trk=pub-pbmap
Martin Hyman, FD, UK
Martin Hyman is an experienced finance director of AIM listed, VC backed and privately owned businesses.
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/martinhyman
Morgan Sowden, CTO
Morgan has over 15 years experience as technical lead in a variety of companies in San Francisco and Europe, working alongside the likes of Michael Birch of Bebo. Morgan worked with the founder of Bebo on a private technology incubator developing multiple apps and websites.
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/sowden
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“Ideas Britain is totally different to anything that I have seen any where. I really think this is a unique platform and a big opportunity, we can engage millions of people in this, because this is good.”Martin McCourt, Former CEO Dyson
We believe that the product is truly innovative in that it is a 360 degree format merging entertainment, gamification and socialising on multi screens and devices whilst serving a much needed purpose in providing a platform for new ideas to be shared and developed.
The continuous uploading of new ideas and the ability to play an active role as ideas develop will give us the ability to attract and keep new users delivering real value.
As the product is a global one covering merging sectors we anticipate a trade sell to a communication, entertainment or digital carrier business within 3 years. Or a possible IPO.
Meet some of our Investors and understand why they chose to invest in Ideas Britain:
Google, Yahoo and Facebook have all been active in recent years in the trade purchase of Apps with examples including:-
Yahoo;
Google;
Facebook;
However our inventive format combining tech with a format means that we could also attract the attention of TV companies. Format valuations have included;
This company is offering both A and B shares. If you invest £5,000 or more you will receive A-shares which have full voting rights. If you invest less than £5,000 you will receive B-shares which have no voting rights or pre-emption.
Ideas Britain has submitted their plans to raise money, details of their structure and trade etc. to HMRC and is awaiting advice on whether or not the proposed share issue is likely to qualify for Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) tax reliefs relating to their shares.
Tax relief is available to individuals only, who subscribe for shares in an Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). Relief is at 30 per cent of the cost of the shares, to be set against the individual’s Income Tax liability for the tax year in which the investment was made.
If you sell, give away, exchange or otherwise dispose of shares, tax reliefs can reduce your Capital Gains Tax bill. Your shares must meet certain conditions to qualify for these reliefs.
Please visit the HMRC website for further information on EIS tax relief
The availability of any tax relief, including EIS and SEIS, depends on the individual circumstances of each investors, and may be subject to change in the future. If you are in any doubt about the availability of any tax reliefs, or the tax treatment of your investment, you should obtain independent tax advice before proceeding with your investment.
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