Work at the DBA
View our current vacancies to work in an exciting and dynamic industry, with inspiring and market-leading design professionals, and help champion the transformative power of design.
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View our current vacancies to work in an exciting and dynamic industry, with inspiring and market-leading design professionals, and help champion the transformative power of design.
DBA Roundup
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
DBA CEO to speak at The Future Of… conference in Chicago in March
The DBA's CEO Deborah Dawton will be joining CDOs and Design VPs from across the globe this March, speaking at a conference specifically curated around the challenges and opportunities driving design leadership.
DBA Members’ Forum | February Summary
In February's DBA Members' Forum we explored the growing impact of AI on the design industry and how we’re using it to reshape the way we work.
DBA member discount to dmi: Design Management Conference Amsterdam
DBA members can benefit from 10% off the registration fee for the dmi: Design Management conference in Amsterdam in April 2025.
DBA Members’ Forum | January Summary
In our first DBA Members' Forum of 2025, we were joined by Blair Enns as we focused on how to sell expertise in creative businesses.
2025: what’s in store for DBA members?
A look ahead for DBA members, including what's in store this January and the many ways the DBA can support you and your team this year.
Business ‘elf: unwrap success in 2025
As the year draws to an end, we bring you festive offerings from the Wise Men and Women of the DBA Experts Register to improve your business 'elf in 2025.
“It’s design leaders, not Gen Z, who need to change”
The DBA's CEO, Deborah Dawton spoke to Design Week about the changes design leaders can make to keep up with employees' new expectations.
DBA Members’ Forum | December Summary
In our December DBA Members' Forum, we asked an eclectic array of people to answer the question: what would you like to see designers achieve by this time next year?
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Innovate UK is looking for “innovative and ambitious ideas, which would realistically and significantly meet a societal need that has emerged or increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic or the need of an industry that has been severely impacted and/or permanently disrupted”.
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £20 million to respond to these needs in UK and global communities.
Innovate UK is looking for ambitious ideas for projects which can be:
- scaled up quickly
- delivered during this lock-down period
- started by June 2020
- and last up to six months.
Launched on 3 April, the deadline for applications is 17 April 2020 at 12pm. There is a streamlined application process for 100% up-front grants of up to £50k.
Ideas can come from any industry and be niche. Whilst solutions are likely to feature cross-cutting digital solutions, they could come from and impact on diverse sectors, for example healthcare, financial services, transport or creative services.
If you have ideas for solutions across priority areas that you could foresee through to commercialisation, or if you have clients who you can support and shape their R&D processes to help get these products to market quickly you can apply for a grant of up to 100% of your project costs up to the maximum of £50k (paid in advance of the project start date) from Innovate UK.
Your proposal must focus on a clear need and the proposed innovation to address it. You must have the ability to deliver the project during the working restrictions of Covid-19 pandemic.
Key details:
- competition closes 17 April at 12pm
- full funding up front
- project length 3-6months
- funding cannot be used for sustainability of a business
- sole traders will not be eligible.
Your application must demonstrate:
- a clearly innovative and ambitious idea, which would realistically and significantly meet a societal need that has emerged or increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic or the need of an industry that has been severely impacted and/or permanently disrupted
- that you have the capacity and capability to deliver the project successfully and on time during the working restrictions of Covid-19
- the ability to start your project no later than June 2020
- value for money
Full details and application info:
https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/583/overview
Image credit:
Brennan Burling | Unsplash
Work at the DBA
View our current vacancies to work in an exciting and dynamic industry, with inspiring and market-leading design professionals, and help champion the transformative power of design.
DBA Roundup
A roundup of industry expertise, exclusive resources, business support and tools for your design business.
DBA CEO to speak at The Future Of… conference in Chicago in March
The DBA's CEO Deborah Dawton will be joining CDOs and Design VPs from across the globe this March, speaking at a conference specifically curated around the challenges and opportunities driving design leadership.
DBA Members’ Forum | February Summary
In February's DBA Members' Forum we explored the growing impact of AI on the design industry and how we’re using it to reshape the way we work.
DBA member discount to dmi: Design Management Conference Amsterdam
DBA members can benefit from 10% off the registration fee for the dmi: Design Management conference in Amsterdam in April 2025.
DBA Members’ Forum | January Summary
In our first DBA Members' Forum of 2025, we were joined by Blair Enns as we focused on how to sell expertise in creative businesses.
2025: what’s in store for DBA members?
A look ahead for DBA members, including what's in store this January and the many ways the DBA can support you and your team this year.
Business ‘elf: unwrap success in 2025
As the year draws to an end, we bring you festive offerings from the Wise Men and Women of the DBA Experts Register to improve your business 'elf in 2025.
“It’s design leaders, not Gen Z, who need to change”
The DBA's CEO, Deborah Dawton spoke to Design Week about the changes design leaders can make to keep up with employees' new expectations.
DBA Members’ Forum | December Summary
In our December DBA Members' Forum, we asked an eclectic array of people to answer the question: what would you like to see designers achieve by this time next year?