Applications Still Open For The Fashion District Innovation Challenge Prize For 2021
Image Courtesy of Fashion District
Applications are still open for the Fashion District Innovation Challenge Prize, sponsored by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Are you a tech start-up or SME that believes your business can revolutionise any part of the fashion supply chain?
Apply now to Manufacturing Futures 2021 to pitch your business proposition to our panel of judges and for the chance of winning £15k from IET, lab space from Mills Fabrica, business support from IBM and business membership of Common Objective.
Pitch to the panel of judges and receive feedback from some of the industry’s leading brands and experts.
New solutions for materials innovation, transparency & traceability, waste management, end-of-use & circular economy, supply-chain & logistics, are particularly welcome.
Read more details about the innovation challenge and our judges, from FIA, IET, IBM, Pangaia, Make UK and H&M, by clicking the link below.
The Deadline For Applications Is March 29 2021.
Applications will be reviewed against four main areas.
1: Solving An Identified Problem
An identified need and/or gap in the market.
An innovative concept with a clear solution.
2: Potential To Scale
Strong plans for development and delivery
3: Size Of Market
Does it have a USP that stands out from others currently in the market?
Is it a growing market and a future opportunity?
4: Leadership & Strength Of Team
Exceptional entrepreneurship.
Relevant industry and/tech skillset within team or the individual.
ELIGIBILITY:
To be eligible to apply you must have a tech-based solution, be a registered business, and either be operating in the UK or have plans to pilot/operate in the UK.
About Fashion District
Where Society, Culture & Technology Meet
For centuries, fashion manufacturing was a dominant industry here in East London. Whilst much was lost during the offshoring crisis, East London’s rich fashion and craft heritage was resilient.
High-end fashion manufacturing has returned to growth after decades of decline with a focus on fashion technology, which is expected to disrupt and transform the global fashion industry. We want to accelerate this growth.
An independent report carried out by BOP consulting identified key barriers to growth for the fashion industry in East London.
To address these barriers, the Fashion District formed to unite industry, business, education, and the public sector to speed up investment in skills, workspace, businesses and innovation R&D.
The Fashion District will add to our existing creative strengths, repositioning London’s fashion sector as a creatively-led digital manufacturing centre.
The cluster will be at the heart of the UK’s knowledge economy, focusing on our strengths in generating intellectual property.
It will be a destination for investment in UK fashion business.
It will incubate new companies, business models and support for innovation in products and services.
It will attract global talent, catalyse production corridors across East London and the Upper Lea Valley, and drive growth in regional textiles manufacturing.
