The University of Brighton's engagement as lead academic partner in the new Digital Catapult Centre Brighton (DCCB) launched in spring 2015 with the aim of generating thousands of new jobs, driving innovation at a local level, and creating millions in linked investment and future funding by 2025.

UoB is working with Wired Sussex and the Coast to Capital (C2C) Local Economic Partnership (LEP). Other partners include Brighton & Hove City Council, Amex, Gatwick Airport and the Universities of Sussex and Chichester. Dr Karen Cham, is the academic lead with Prof. Miltos Petrifies, professor of computer science, engineering and mathematics.

The DCCB is one of 3 local Digital Catapult Centres (Brighton, Sunderland and Bradford) which are supporting the Digital Catapult Centre in London’s Kings Cross to help accelerate the UK’s digital economy through collaboration across entrepreneurs, SMEs, researchers and corporate organisations, as well as providing physical spaces for them to meet and work together on digital innovation and development projects.

The DCCB is based in New England House with additional facilities and innovation support provided through an interdisciplinary digital economy and technology R&D ‘hub’ being developed at Moulsecoomb. This development builds on the success and high impact of the Brighton Fuse study, which highlighted the role of creative arts, design and humanities as accelerators in the creative and digital economy, and the innovative FuseBox24 business support programme drawing on these areas to develop innovators and new businesses.

Colleagues can sign up for news and get involved at: http://www.digitalcatapultcentre.org.uk/local-centre/brighton/.

See also the Digital Catapult Centre website for more details: http://www.digitalcatapultcentre.org.uk/