i.JAMMING Networking Session
IDMPO’s bimonthly networking session is here again. The event provides a conducive environment to meet and explore collaboration opportunities in the IDM sector. We are expecting over 400 participants, ranging from industry practitioners, researchers to startups.

In this session, we will be announcing Stream Global as our new incubator, and new partnerships with global industry players such as Akamai Technologies and Microsoft. There will also be a panel discussion on innovation and the process of invention with Prof John Seely Brown, Prof Jose Luis Encarnacao and Dr Kees Schouhamer Immink.

We hope to see you at this event, please register at http://www.ijam.sg/event

i.Match
i.Match, a match-making initiative led by Interactive Digital Media Research and Development Programme Office (IDMPO), to bridge Series-A funding gap between IDM companies and local investors, has completed its first cycle and is moving on to Cycle II.

Highlights of Cycle I include:
• 13 companies presented at the first i.Match Showcase event on 29 July
• 69 investors have joined the i.Match Investor Core Group to date
• ICG investors continue to follow-up with i.Match Cycle I companies for Series A investment

The i.Match Cycle II Showcase is tentatively scheduled for end October/early November. To participate in Cycle II and be part of the i.Match Programme, please visit imatch.sg to register.

Apple and IDMPO Call for Proposals
Education Technology Development (ETD) Program is a joint initiative by Interactive Digital Media, Program Office and Apple South Asia Pte Ltd. The objective of this program is to enhance learning and teaching experiences in the education industry. The program encourages local developers to develop innovative education related applications on Mac operating system and/or iPhone operating system.
The call for proposals for the ETD program will open on September 1, 2008, and all submissions must be made by September 26, 2008 at 12pm. IDM Program Office will review the proposals assisted by Apple South Asia Pte Ltd. The proposals shall be reviewed on the following criteria:
• innovation and effectiveness in education
• use of Mac OS and/or iPhone OS
• robustness and reliability
• scalability and extensibility
• availability of a public beta in the course of 6 months

You can attend Apple ETD Briefing on 1st September for more information.
Please visit the i.JAMMING Networking Session / Apple ETD Briefing registration page for details and registration.

Friendster and IDMPO Call for Proposals

IDMPO is working with Friendster to help local developers market, distribute and monetize their apps and services to Friendster. The Friendster Developer Platforms provide APIs to access Friendster data and seamless integration points within the Friendster web site to create compelling applications for Friendster’s over 75 million users.
As part of the programme, Friendster will offer,
• A developer support group and forum for general Q&A
• Featured placement on Friendster.com and Friendster’s monthly newsletter (to over 20 million subscribers)
• Integrated Sponsorships: Friendster works with developers and advertisers to build a compelling user and brand experience
• Help building Fan Profiles, so they can more effectively market their apps to the community

You can attend Apple ETD Briefing on 1st September for more information.
Please visit the i.JAMMING Networking Session registration page for details and registration.

Stream Global, the new i.Jam Incubator

IDMPO is pleased to announce Stream Global as our partner and incubator of IDMPO’s i.JAM (IDM Jumpstart and Mentor) Program.

Stream Global’s philosophy is to focus on early stage companies to help improve their strategies and business model for the long haul, to seize opportunities and increase revenue in the regional markets and to help them to determine the best method to raise funds and to achieve best value for their business.

“We are glad to work hand in hand with MDA to nurture and mentor the new startups,” said Bill Liu, Chairman of Stream Global Pte Ltd. “I am certain that our partners and associate will be able to add tremendous value to the new IDM startups”.

For more information on our i.Jam programme, please visit i.Jam Programme Overview.

“IRC” does not stand for “Internet Relay Chat”

More that 50 people from various local universities, polytechnics and other agencies turned up for the International Research Centre (IRC) Workshop on 25 Aug held in the Nanyang Technological University.

So what is an IRC? It is a research centre jointly set up by a top overseas Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) or Research Institute (RI) with local IHLs to conduct research in exciting areas of Interactive Digital Media (IDM).

We now have GAMBIT Lab formed with MIT (the US) on games; the China-Singapore Institute of Digital Media (CSIDM) with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (PRC) on language mediation; and the latest one announced on 25 Jul 08 — the Connective Ubiquitous Technology for Embodiments (CUTE) Centre, with Keio University (Japan) on lifestyle and pervasive media. There are several more interesting ones in the pipeline and the workshop was to help each IRC craft sharper and more compelling goals.

Besides that, there was a good discussion on how the IRCs and the local IHLs could share resources and work together for greater synergies. The conversations are ongoing. Suffice to say that they could be embodied by the lyrics of 3 songs: “I can see clearly now the rain is gone…”; “The more we get together, together, together…”; and “We’ve got the whole world in our hands…”

Visit the GAMBIT Website