Digital Mission Blog
The Digital Mission series is run by Chinwag to support UK-based digital companies expand into new markets and attract overseas investment.
Last chance: Digital Mission NYC (22-26 Feb) including Social Media Week, Facebook, VaynerMedia, WeWork, PSFK
The Digital Mission NYC is almost here (22-26 Feb) and you're in luck, there's a couple of places up for grabs if you'd like to join some of the UK's top tech startups and agencies in the Big Apple. Apply here.
The trip organised by Chinwag and UK Trade & Investment USA includes a specially-designed week long programme of the Big Apple's top tier digital media, marketing and advertising players including Facebook, VaynerMedia, WeWork, PSFK, a VC panel, a VIP reception at the HM Consul General's residence in NYC and lots more.
Based in London? More good news. Thanks to UKTI London there are a limited number of grants towards travel/accommodation.
The mission also takes in Social Media Week NYC Insider Pass providing access to 150+ speakers, workshops, the exclusive opening event and the infamous closing party.
Why go?
This mission is perfect for both tech startups and agencies covering media, marketing, content, mobile and social media including AdTech, MarketingTech, MediaTech, analytics and, of course, social media.
As a mission delegate, you’ll discover the challenges and opportunities of a new market, make contacts, meet clients, partners and potential hires, networking, investment opportunities.
The aim, by the end of the week, is to empower companies with enough information and contacts to plan your US expansion.
About Social Media Week New York
Social Media Week is a worldwide event exploring the social, cultural, and economic impact of social media. Social Media Week New York 2016 is taking place from 22-26 February at The Times Center and The SVA Theater.
Last year SMWNYC included 150 events with over 320 speakers, speakers announced for this year include:
- Mark Thompson, CEO of The New York Times
- Alex Blumburg, CEO of Gimlet Media
- Jennifer Betka, CMO of StubHub
- Evan Shapiro, EVP, Digital Enterprises of NBCUniversal
- Ricky Van Veen, Co-Founder of CollegeHumor
- Dan Harmon, Creator of “HarmonQuest,” “Community” and “Rick and Morty”
- Sean Foster, Chief Executive Officer of Crowdtap
- Kate Lewis, SVP and Editorial Director of Hearst Magazines Digital Media
- Kevin Knight, Head of Creative and Brand Strategy of Pinterest
- Lisa Weinstein, President of Global Digital, Data & Analytics of Starcom Media Group
- Camille Hackney, EVP Brand Partnerships & Licensing of Atlantic Records
- Ian Schafer, Founder and Chairman of Deep Focus
- Joahne Carter, VP Marketing of Ricola
What’s Included in Digital Mission NYC 2016?
The programme will be tailored around the attending company objectives. Typically, this includes:
- Confirmed meetings include: Facebook, Vaynermedia, PSFK, WeWork
- Speakers include: NYCEDC, Brandwatch, Econsultancy, Colliers International, Santander, Thomson Reuters, McCann, Edelman, New York Times & more
- VIP reception at HM Consul General's residence
- SMWNYC exclusive opening reception at Ogilvy & Mather
- SMWNYC Insider Pass:
- access to all official SMW sessions
- access to masterclasses and interactive demos
- Dedicated networking & co-working areas
- Entry to the official SMW party
- Exclusive insider networking events
- Mission lookbook, website & marketing
- Pre-Mission briefing in the UK
- Visits to Accelerators and Incubator spaces in New York
- Masterclass on US Business, venture capital
- Roundtables with potential clients, connectors and local experts
How much does it cost?
We have a limited amount of discounted places going for £799+VAT. Please note that delegates are responsible their own travel and accommodation costs, although we're happy to offer recommendations for flights and hotels.
NB. For London companies who are new to NYC i.e. don't have an office yet a small number of £500 grants are available towards travel/accommodation. These are paid retrospectively and apologies, there's a bit of extra paperwork. But hey, grants!
Where do I sign up?
Companies can apply here.
It's worth noting that places are allocated to qualifying companies on a first-come, first-served basis i.e. you snooze, you lose!
For our other events and missions in 2016 including trips to China, register your interest here.
Contact Information
For any other queries, ping us an email mission
chinwag [dot] com.
It's always worth keeping track of @digitalmission and on Facebook.
Photo (cc) ConstantinAB on Flickr.
Expanding to the US? Apply for Digital Mission to Social Media Week New York (22-26 Feb)
The Digital Mission series is back for 2016. Our first adventure will be the Digital Mission NYC to attend Social Media Week NYC, 22-26 Feb 2016.
This week-long trip, organised with UK Trade & Investment USA, features a programme specially designed for both tech startups and agencies covering media, marketing, content, mobile and social media including AdTech, MarketingTech, MediaTech, analytics and, of course, social media.
UPDATE: Meeting plans now include Facebook, Buzzfeed, VaynerMedia and Twitter plus a VIP reception at the UK Consul General's residence in New York.
As a mission delegate, you’ll discover the challenges and opportunities of a new market, make contacts, meet clients, partners and potential hires, networking, investment opportunities.
The aim, by the end of the week, is to empower companies with enough information and contacts to plan your US expansion. The programme will include receptions, briefings, company visits plus a Social Media Week NYC insider pass.
About Social Media Week New York
Social Media Week is a worldwide event exploring the social, cultural, and economic impact of social media. Social Media Week New York 2016 is taking place from 22-26 February at The Times Center and The SVA Theater.
Last year SMWNYC included 150 events with over 320 speakers, speakers announced for this year include:
- Mark Thompson, CEO of The New York Times
- Alex Blumburg, CEO of Gimlet Media
- Jennifer Betka, CMO of StubHub
- Evan Shapiro, EVP, Digital Enterprises of NBCUniversal
- Ricky Van Veen, Co-Founder of CollegeHumor
- Dan Harmon, Creator of “HarmonQuest,” “Community” and “Rick and Morty”
- Sean Foster, Chief Executive Officer of Crowdtap
- Kate Lewis, SVP and Editorial Director of Hearst Magazines Digital Media
- Kevin Knight, Head of Creative and Brand Strategy of Pinterest
- Lisa Weinstein, President of Global Digital, Data & Analytics of Starcom Media Group
- Camille Hackney, EVP Brand Partnerships & Licensing of Atlantic Records
- Ian Schafer, Founder and Chairman of Deep Focus
- Joahne Carter, VP Marketing of Ricola
What’s Included in Digital Mission NYC 2016?
The programme will be tailored around the attending company objectives. Typically, this includes:
- Meetings and roundtables with relevant companies within the sector, previous years’ visits included: Google, Facebook, FourSquare, BBDO, HUGE, Digital Dumbo, Bloomberg and many more
- SMWNYC Insider Pass:
- access to all official SMW sessions
- access to masterclasses and interactive demos
- Dedicated networking & co-working areas
- Entry to the official SMW party
- Exclusive insider networking events
- Mission lookbook, website & marketing
- Pre-Mission briefing in the UK
- Visits to Accelerators and Incubator spaces in New York
- Masterclass on US Business, venture capital
- Roundtables with potential clients, connectors and local experts
How much does it cost?
We have a limited amount of discounted places going for £799+VAT. Please note that delegates are responsible their own travel and accommodation costs, although we're happy to offer recommendations for flights and hotels.
Where do I sign up?
Companies can apply here.
It's worth noting that places are allocated to qualifying companies on a first-come, first-served basis i.e. you snooze, you lose!
For our other events and missions in 2016 including trips to China, register your interest here.
Contact Information
For any other queries, ping us an email missionchinwag [dot] com.
It's always worth keeping track of @digitalmission and on Facebook.
Photo (c) Social Media Week New York.
Planning Your Startup's Global Expansion? Register Interest for Digital Mission NYC, China or Pitch NYC
It’s almost the holiday season! Christmas is coming and we’re hard at work creating some new and exciting Digital Missions and events for 2016.
We like to keep it simple, so we’ve put it all into one easy calendar (sorry, it doesn’t contain any chocolate :-()
We’d really like to know if you’d like to join a Digital Mission, Pitch NYC or have any suggestions / other destinations you’re considering for international expansion.
Digital Mission NYC 2016
Following the success of the missions in 2012, 2013 and 2014, the Digital Mission to New York is back for 2016 coinciding with Social Media Week New York.
This trip is ideal for both startups and agencies covering media, marketing, content, mobile and social media including AdTech, MarketingTech and MediaTech.
This trip is being organised with UK Trade & Investment and Tech North. A limited number of grants towards travel and accommodation will be available to companies based in the North of England.
// Digital Mission NYC 2016 - Apply Now
// Digital Mission NYC 2016 - Flyer
Pitch NYC 2016
Pitch NYC is designed for later-stage European emerging tech startups raising a minimum of $3-5m to pitch to New York’s most influential investors.
The firms selected will take part in an intensive Investor Readiness Bootcamp in the UK and the US to prepare them for the pitch event in September 2016 in New York.
Digital Mission China 2016
Marketing and media in China has long been a mystery for Western firms. This is changing rapidly as their digital giants head West, but what's the best way to engage with them to access the Chinese market?
This brand-new week-long mission is intended to explore this with plans to visit Beijing, Shanghai and possible Shenzhen.
Interested? Ideal for: media, marketing, and tech agencies, plus startups in AdTech, MediaTech, MarketingTech and creative technology. May also be open for tech-aware brands, register interest below.
Digital Mission Maker Faire Shenzhen 2016
Designed specifically for creative technologist (yes, makers, that's you!) this trip builds on 2014 and 2015 visits to Maker Faire Shenzhen (100k+ visitors) which saw two groups of UK makers feature on a UK pavilion plus company/factory visits, briefings and networking events in Shenzhen.
This is ideal for companies looking to understand the Chinese market, the supply chain in/around Shenzhen.
Interested in coming along?
Just fill out the form below - it will only take a minute, plus it'll really help make the missions great!
NB. There's no commitment to join, also this doesn't guarantee a place, we'll be back in touch with details and asking for more info.
If you have any questions, please direct them to the Digital Mission team at missionchinwag [dot] com
Pics (c) Digital Mission, Pitch NYC, Social Media Week NYC, dove lee on Flickr, Mitch Altman on Flickr.
Calling Makers: Digital Mission to Maker Faire Shenzhen Applications Open 17-23 June
We're delighted to announce the Digital Mission to Maker Faire Shenzhen is open for applications. Designed specifically to support the UK's maker movement, the trip features a UK pavilion designed by car-makers MINI as part of their Modern British Roadshow and a specially designed programme for makers.
Designed for the UK's leading Makers - creative technologists and entrepreneurs - the mission combines a high-profile presence at the Maker Faire with visits to local hardware accelerators, manufacturers and local experts. It's a unique chance for insight into the Chinese market covering manufacturing, distribution, market entry and more.
This mission builds on on 2014’s successful Digital Mission to China that saw companies like Triggertrap, Bare Conductive and Patchblocks develop distribution channels, gain insight into the Chinese market and sell some product to the 38,000 Maker Faire visitors.
This year's Maker Faire Shenzhen (19-21 June) includes 3 days of influential keynotes, workshops and 200 exhibitors as well as an expected 50,000 visitors. It's the focal point of Maker Week, a series of activities organised by Shenzhen's city government.
Speakers this year include Kevin Kelly (former Editor, WIRED), Adrian Bowyer (RepRap), Dale Dougherty (Founder, Make Magazine & Maker Faire), Stefania Druga (Singularity University, HacKIDemia), Massimo Banzi (Founder, Arduino), Julie Watai (Founder, Hardware Girls).
The trip organised by trade mission specialists, Chinwag and backed by UK Trade and Investment runs from 17-23 June in Shenzhen, China.
If this is you, we’d like to invite you to sign up for this specifically designed trip from 17-23 June, fill in this form.
If you need further info or have any questions email missionchinwag [dot] com.
// Apply Now
// Maker Faire Shenzhen
Pic (c) Maker Faire Shenzhen.
Report - Unbundling the Bank: Fintech, Innovation and Banking
When Dave Birch from Consult Hyperion was first asked to sit on a panel about the impact of fintech disruption he sent a tongue in cheek tweet to his followers to ask if they’d seen any yet.
The event, Unbundling the Bank, was held at Cass Business School on 9 April and highlighted the challenges to true disruption in the banking industry.
Dave Birch's point was around the use of the word disruption and whether the existing fintech industry, for which London is mostly acknowledged as the leading global hub, has disrupted the existing rails on which banking infrastructure sits.
Yet he added that recently announced regulatory requirements for UK banks to provide open access to customer accounts through application program interfaces (APIs) may finally lead to true unbundling as a technological response to regulatory pressure.
Cass Strategy Professor Gianvito Lanzolla agreed that digital technology will make innovation cheaper, easier and likely to happen faster. However he argued that new value curves in financial service markets leveraging a network effect are still likely to lead to one dominant player and a “long tail” of companies that find it hard to scale (as has happened in Search for example).
Jonathan Kramer from Zopa suggested that companies like his can continue growing over the long-term if they build a reputation that enables consumers to trust that, in their case, they don’t need to go to a bank for a loan.
Dave Birch said that the logical extension of that point, and from the observation that banking deposits as a percentage of wealth have been falling for a century, is that maybe, “banks aren’t a place where you store your money, but should be a place where you store your identity.”
Banks, in this scenario, could leverage their strong and regulated procedures for Know Your Customer, with other companies efficiently providing niche services to those customers.
Mutaz Qubbaj from Squirrel, certainly felt that while banks might know who their customers are, it is entrepreneurs who can better understand what those customers actually want. The strength of companies like his, he said, is that they can build products really focused on customer need, unencumbered by institutional bureaucracy, and then work with the banks to implement them (Squirrel is a graduate of the Barclays’ Techstars programme).This suggests a future with much more co-operation between innovators and existing institutions.
Panel moderator Ben Rooney, co-Editor in Chief at Informilo, accepted the point that many bank services might be better undertaken by specialist companies, but challenged the panel that surely it would be easier still to go to a single provider.
True, Professor Lanzolla responded, but need it be a bank - why not Facebook?
The panel agreed that the output on the ongoing digital transformation by banks will depend on the extent to which they are seen in the future as trusted and important by both millennials and, crucially, regulators.
Banks do not seem destined to disappear but their role and relative bargaining/pricing power in the financial services ecosystem will significantly depend on this 'battle for trust' with emergent competitors, often tech companies from outside the legacy banking sector.
The slide presentations from Unbundling the Bank are available from Dave Birch and Prof Gianvito Lanzolla.
Unbundling the Bank was organised by the Cass Entrepreneurs Network and Chinwag. This report was written by Steve Shepperson-Smith of Cass Entrepreneurs Network.
