Four North East companies awarded £100,000 each as region cements reputation as a national hub for digital innovation.

The North East is strengthening its position as one of the UK’s most exciting regions for screen innovation, with four production companies selected to receive £100,000 each through the BBC and North East Screen Digital Accelerator initiative.

The investment marks a major milestone for the pioneering programme, which was created to help ambitious North East companies develop bold, digital-first content for the next generation of audiences. The initiative, launched by the BBC and North East Screen, is designed as an experimental pilot, giving businesses the freedom to experiment and test innovative new ways of working to produce digital content.

Following a competitive selection process, four companies have been chosen to take their ideas into the next stage of development, supported by investment, industry expertise and direct access to some of the UK’s leading content commissioners and digital specialists.

The successful companies are:

  • Adventure Alliance Films – based in Newcastle
  • FilmNova – based in Gateshead
  • Northern Child – based in Newcastle
  • Wander Films – based in Middlesbrough.

The Digital Accelerator was conceived to support the screen sector to adapt and respond to changing audience habits and the rapid growth of the creator-led and platform-native content. By investing directly in North East businesses, the programme is helping to build the skills, confidence and capability needed to create sustainable businesses that can drive content for audiences across YouTube, TikTok and emerging digital platforms.

Mariel Capisciolto, BBC Head of Digital Development, says: “The way younger audiences discover and engage with content on digital is changing rapidly, and we want to help independent producers seize the creative and commercial opportunities that brings.

“What has been particularly exciting about this programme is the ambition and diversity of ideas coming from these four companies, from creator-led entertainment and competitive championships to outdoor adventures and new YouTube channels. We’re backing them not just to make great content, but to experiment with new ways of reaching audiences and building sustainable businesses beyond traditional commissioning models.

“This is a chance to support innovation, take creative risks alongside independent producers and help develop the next generation of digital content businesses in the North East.”

Lisa Laws, Development Director at North East Screen, said: “The Digital Accelerator demonstrates what can happen when a major broadcaster and a region with ambition come together to do something genuinely different. The North East has built a reputation for embracing innovation, moving quickly and bringing partners together to make bold ideas happen, which is exactly why programmes like this can succeed here. We’re incredibly proud that the BBC chose to work with North East Screen and our wider industry to pioneer this initiative.

“Crucially, this is about more than commissioning content. It’s about helping businesses adapt and evolve as audience behaviours change. The companies taking part are not simply developing new ideas; they’re exploring new business models, new revenue opportunities and new ways of reaching audiences in an increasingly digital world. Together, we’re creating an environment where companies can test new ideas, take creative risks and develop content for the next generation of audiences, helping position the North East as a place where the future of screen content is being shaped.”

Helen Munson, BBC Commissioning Editor for Daytime and Early Peak based in the North East, said: “The Digital Accelerator is another example of the BBC’s commitment to supporting growth and developing talent in the region. This fantastic, future facing opportunity will give four North East based companies access to industry experts and provide them with real world experience in developing and producing content for digital platforms.

“And this is just one part of a wider BBC strategy to support growth in the region across digital and linear, scripted and unscripted so that the big, bold, ambitious ideas of the future come from the North East.”

The Digital Accelerator initiative forms part of a wider ambition to ensure that new ideas and innovative businesses can thrive in every part of the UK, while helping create sustainable growth within the North East’s screen sector.  The programme was launched with £600,000 of backing from the BBC and the North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP) which is delivered by North East Screen and funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority and Tees Valley Combined Authority.

For North East Screen, this announcement represents another step in establishing the region not only as a destination for film and television production, but as a place where the industry can explore new ways of creating, distributing and engaging audiences through digital content.

As the screen industry continues to evolve, initiatives like the Digital Accelerator demonstrate how collaboration between broadcasters, public investment and creative businesses can unlock new opportunities and ensure the North East remains at the forefront of innovation.

To find out more about the Digital Accelerator programme, visit BBC and North East Screen launch new Digital Accelerator to boost regional content creation – North East Screen

ENDS.

 

Adventure Alliance Films
Adventure Alliance Films is building their next chapter of adventure entertainment, teaming up with long-time friends and collaborators Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes – The Sidecar Guys.Combining big world adventure, discovery and comedy, the new strand sees The Sidecar Guys back on their signature three wheels, following their curiosity across the world and finding the extraordinary in the places, challenges and people they encounter.

FilmNova
FilmNova is reimagining arm-wrestling for a new generation, combining authentic sporting competition with the energy, personalities and storytelling of the creator economy. Through live events, audience interaction and shareable content across multiple platforms, the team aims to create a bold new digital entertainment format rooted in the North-East but built for a global audience.

Northern Child
Northern Child will launch two new talent-fronted digital brands across multiple platforms. Using newly filmed content, Just Do It Yourself! (working title) will combine practical DIY tips and tricks with entertaining formats to give audiences the skills and confidence they need to make, fix, and install things around the home themselves, potentially saving hundreds of pounds along the way. Doctor, Is This Normal? (working title) will approach everyday health concerns from the patient’s perspective via a purpose-built clinic. The channel will provide audiences with a trusted source of information to help them better understand common symptoms, ailments, and conditions, cutting through the confusion, misinformation, and often contradictory medical advice found online.

Wander:
Wander is launching a new YouTube-first entertainment channel that puts real people through playful, high-pressure social games, testing their relationships, their judgement, their instincts and exactly how well they know the people around them.

 

Notes to editors:

The projects that the four companies will be working on are: