The Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) is a strategic leadership network for blue-chip companies and universities, and is working with Brighton Fuse to develop the UK’s knowledge-based economy. CIHE believes that the UK’s future is inextricably bound to a successful, high-quality education system building a cohesive, just and caring society. It believes that the UK education system nurtures some of the best graduates and research talent in the world, producing global citizens equipped to address the great challenges of our time. It also believes that real value is added when universities and businesses work together to harness the capabilities and creativity of everyone and to encourage innovation and transformation.

CIHE works to develop and promote an agreed agenda on the higher education, talent and research issues that affect the UK’s global competitiveness. It seeks to build and publish clear research to inform evidence-based national policy and strategic change. CIHE helps to lead thinking and resolve major economic and social problems. It is an effective and influential lobbying voice willing to research, debate, and innovate.

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David Docherty (Chief Executive)

Through its Centre for Innovation Management (CENTRIM) and Faculty of Arts the University of Brighton is delivering research and expert analysis for Brighton Fuse. The University of Brighton is a community of teaching professionals and students consistently producing research of an international standard. Its multidisciplinary approach enables researchers to make significant contributions to social, cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing across the arts and humanities, science, technology and engineering. The University’s business partners range from established international corporations to small and medium sized enterprises, and local start-ups.

The Faculty of Arts incorporates architecture and design, arts and media, and humanities. It is committed to nurturing excellence and providing a world-leading research environment for the arts. Researchers work across fine arts, performing arts, fashion and textile design, product design, photography, digital media and cultural heritage.

The Centre for Innovation Management is one of the world’s ten leading innovation research groups, and one of the four leading UK university centres in innovation management. It sits within the Brighton Business School and draws on social science methodologies to map and evaluate business innovation, closing the loop between research and practice. Working with colleagues at the University of Sussex Science and Technology Policy Research unit (SPRU), CENTRIM forms part of the largest cluster of innovation scholars and students in the world.

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Anne Boddington (Dean of the Faculty of Arts)
Professor Steven Miles (Director of Postgraduate Studies)
Juan Mateos-Garcia (Research Fellow)
Dr Jonathan Sapsed (Principal Research Fellow)
Georgina Voss (Research Fellow)

The University of Sussex Science and Technology Research Unit (SPRU) is delivering research and expert analysis for Brighton Fuse. University of Sussex has a built a reputation for world class research, creative thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

SPRU combines postgraduate teaching in science, technology, and innovation with the conduct of world-leading research and policy advice. It forms part of a worldwide network of interdisciplinary researchers analysing the rate and direction of scientific change and innovation, and developing effective policies for risk management and sustainability. The current focus of SPRU research includes innovation management in business, technological competition within industries, the impact of technologies on society, positive contribution, regulation, good governance, and solutions to economic and social policy problems. SPRU researchers are prominent participants in global academic and policy debates concerning information technology, and the roles of public and private research organisations.

SPRU has created a unique, international research culture founded on cooperation and mutual support, crossing traditional competitive boundaries to promote wealth creation, social inclusion, sustainability and development. Working with colleagues at the University of Brighton Centre for Innovation Management (CENTRIM), SPRU forms part of the largest cluster of innovation scholars and students in the world.

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Roberto Camerani (Research Student and Associate Tutor)
Dr Alex Coad (Research Fellow)
Dr Paul Nightingale (Deputy Director)
Fernanda Puppato (Researcher)

Wired Sussex is a Brighton-based membership organisation for companies and freelancers operating in the digital, media and technology sectors in Sussex. They help those companies deliver innovation, creativity and growth, and work to enhance the reputation of this fast-growing regional cluster on the international stage. The enthusiasm, expertise and involvement of Wired Sussex member companies underpins the Brighton Fuse research.

Wired Sussex helps companies access talent, workspaces, investment and clients. They run recruitment, training and internship services and help companies and individuals find studio and office space. They are also involved with other research and business engagement projects and provide consultancy services to universities and to local, regional and national government. The MD of Wired Sussex currently oversees the development and delivery of an enterprise and entrepreneurship strategy for high growth businesses on behalf of the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership.

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Phil Jones (Managing Director)

Brighton Fuse is supported by an advisory board of policy-makers and representatives from local and national government, the arts, digital technologies, media, television, business, skills training, and higher education.

The Arts Council is developing, promoting and investing in the arts in England, its South East regional office supports many innovative creative digital arts projects within the Brighton Fuse area.

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Stephanie Fuller (Senior Manager Regional Planning)

The BBC Academy puts training and development at the heart of the BBC and works with the wider broadcast industry to equip people with the skills for a lifetime of employability in the ever-changing media landscape.

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Anne Morrison (Director)

Brighton & Hove City Council is the local authority at the centre of the Brighton digital media hub, actively encouraging and supporting its development through funding and practical development.

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Paula Murray (Commissioner for Culture)

Channel 4 is the UK’s only publicly-owned, commercially-funded public service broadcaster, with a remit to be innovative, experimental and distinctive. In addition to the main Channel 4 service, the Channel 4 portfolio includes E4, More4, Film4 and 4Music, as well as an ever-growing range of online activities including channel4.com, Channel 4′s bespoke video-on-demand service 4oD and stand alone digital projects. As a publisher-broadcaster, Channel 4 commissions content from the independent production sector across television, film and digital media.

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Helen Jay (Public Affairs Manager)

Cogapp is an award-winning, international new media consultancy founded in 1985, and helping clients to plan and deliver web sites, touchscreen systems, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMS, and online publishing projects.

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Greg Hadfield (Director of Strategy)

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is the government department responsible for the digital economy, and championing the creative and leisure industries.

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Dr Adam Cooper (Head of Research)

Gobo Games is a Brighton & Hove interactive media start-up that projects bright ideas that GO Beyond Ordinary.

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Tony Beckwith (Studio Head)

Magic Lantern is an interactive media company that aims to make a difference by connecting, entertaining, informing and inspiring people using the latest technology, clients include Channel 4, Google, and The Tate Modern.

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Anthony Lilley (Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer)

NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, an independent organisation investing in early-stage companies, informing policy, and delivering practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challenges of the future.

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Hasan Bakhshi (Director, Creative Industries, Policy & Research Unit)

Plenty Productions is a Brighton-based community organisation facilitating high quality, small-scale arts and media projects focusing mainly on black and minority ethnic communities.

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Dr Alan Cawson (Director)

Ricochet Television is one of Britain’s leading independent television production companies making high quality factual and entertainment programmes that changes people’s lives.

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Nick Powell (Managing Director)

Sky is a valued part of everyday life in over 10 million homes. We entertain, excite and inspire customers with a great choice of high-quality television and we connect people to each other and to the world with our broadband and phone services.  Seeing the bigger picture is part and parcel of the way we do business which is why we’re committed to doing the right thing and playing our part in the communities where we live and work

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Rowena James (Future Talent Manager)

University of Liverpool is a research based university with a pioneering reputation and 27,000 students pursuing over 400 programmes spanning 54 subject areas.

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Dr Beatriz Garcia (Director of Impacts 08)

The Arts & Humanities Research Council advances world-class research to strengthen human culture and creativity, and is funding Brighton Fuse. The AHRC is a public body sponsored by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. It supports projects of social, cultural and economic significance that raise the profile of arts and humanities and equip graduates for professional careers. It encourages researchers to share and transfer knowledge to fresh contexts where it makes a real difference. The AHRC supports Brighton Fuse as a project bringing together academics, creative and technology professionals, and digital innovators to conduct valuable, high-level research examining, measuring and explaining the development of a successful digital cluster. The AHRC expects Brighton Fuse to provide data, and sustainable models of innovation, for business leaders, policy makers and other groups in emerging creative clusters.

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Rob Keegan (Case Officer for Brighton Fuse)
Professor Rick Rylance (Chief Executive Officer)
Dr Emma Wakelin (Associate Director of Programmes)