Independent production company Endemol is establishing a 15 million pound investment fund in the UK for the development of new opportunities in digital media, including start-ups, joint ventures and acquisitions.
The focus will be on participation programmes, gaming and gambling, and evolving platforms such as mobile, IPTV and video-on-demand services.
The fund will be invested over an initial period of up to three years. The company says the amount invested will depend on the quality of pitches, but could go up to £6 million for a single project.
Lucas Church, joint managing director for Endemol UK said: “we’re looking for people with great new ideas who need backing.”
“The UK is currently a particularly interesting market for digital development and that’s why we’re kicking off this fund here,” said Peter Cowley, their director of digital media.
Endemol is one of the largest independent producers in the UK, best known for the reality show Big Brother. The UK company is part of the Endemol NV group, based in the Netherlands.
It follows the launch of Endemol Mobile in the UK, currently producing a mobile interactive reality show for the 02 mobile network, and Endemol Gaming, which is developing multi-platform gaming formats. Endemol has also announced a deal with BT to develop interactive propositions for their BT Vision broadband television service.