CATEGORY - Funding

Already a lot on blog in this area. Time to pull it together.

Articles

Guardian - Activists slam changes to green grants - Isn't a BERR an irritating thing that sticks to you to spread everywhere? The enviROI of the investment into the department vs. the benefit out would seem... less than optimal.

ps: sub-editors: I don't really feel that I am an activist, nor to I 'slam'. I am a concerned consumer and informed advocate of sensible enviro-practices. Stop waving silly, stirring sentences about!

BBC - Anger over climate change loans - Bit O/T, but I had nowhere else to stick it. Makes you wonder about the value of some paper things get printed on these days.

Grants

The 2008 CIP Eco-Innovation Call has been published - your chance to apply for funding for your eco-innovative pilot and market replication projects this year.

government-grants.co.uk - NEW - plus twitter

Resources

innocentive - have an invention? They may have the money. RE:tie ho!
raisecapital.com - but still, caution all round! Lock down your IP.
Resource Efficiency

Do good. But don't spend it all at once

Gordon Brown's social enterprise vision

They do sound nice, don't they?

So I am relieved at the notes of caution being voiced, though concerned that they are being voiced up to a person for whom vision has not proven a strong suit to date, and who is not noted for his talent for listening, or indeed grasp of realities. But he does seem to know a good soundbite when he hears one.

As one who has been involved with, for sure benefitted but also suffered from 'commitments' to social enterprise, I wish more reflected the notion that 'the result is a reasonable salary and a sense that they are making a difference'. To which I might add 'delivering a healthy ROI to all involved'.

If customers don't like the product/service, and hence buy/into it, then sadly all these enterprises will become is money pits sucking funding from elsewhere. Or they will go bust.

Peter Jones' comments, rather colourfully expressed at the beginning ('do gooders' can rather set an unfortunate tone, and frankly passion for doing good can be a potent part... of the mix. See later) but more considered on reading later on, get closer to it.

Any twerp can have an idea. I know, I have. Lob in a bit of money you can, if relevant, protect the IP.

But none of this is much use if you don't flog it on. And keep on doing so.

And here is where I see a stonking great gap between stated aims, useful support and actuality. Government doesn't understand sales.

I have lost count of the number of Third Sector funds, forums, quangos and whoever, with natty offices and staffed to the gunnels, who are out there to invite you to submit, assess your plan and slip you the readies. Business Links, Chambers, Trusts, you name it. Awash with cash, seemingly concerned with the bottom line, but almost all designed to launch a box-ticking scheme, often with a pot of EU/taxpayer money, and then... get you to 'sign off' quicker than you can say 'match-funding'. And often the funding pot is pretty bare of actual serious dosh to dole out once the empires, especially often overlapping ones, have taken their cut first. It's like being bought an F-16, helped to take off and then bang, the guys in the back seat eject as 'their job is done'. You either crash and burn or get addicted to in-flight refuelling just to stay airborne.

Some do delve into the P&Ls and all the rest, but as it's an enterprise you are usually dealing in the future, with forecast guesstimates at best. And visionary thinkers are not usually too great at the numbers. So they will say what is required to be heard, and if it's at all social enough will get the launch money. As to what happens down the road...? Case closed. The caravan will have moved on.

Why can there not be more emphasis on matchmaking talents, bringing together the ones with ideas and assisting them by the introduction of a sensible complement (for every Trevor Baylis there has to be a Peter Jones whose introduction to each other will benefit both...the project... and the country), with more funding going into forging those business relationships such that a team is created to ensure that both the social and the enterprise aspects can be delivered, with returns, quickly and... sustainably. Once in profit, everyone can be happy, left to it, and support can move on to new, good works.

Or, the whole thing can be driven by targets and PR opps...

Gaurdian - Social Innovation Camp: finalists announced

PR COVERAGE - Nice little Fillip

The other day I was a speaker at an all-day event on the pros and cons of Intellectual Property protection.

It was promoted by Fillip, the organisation that has been very helpful and supportive with the RE:tie invention I am marketing.

Seems my adventures with RE:tie are deemed an entertaining example of the roller-coaster ride it can all represent. At least it got some nifty PR in the Birmingham Post, and major regional daily.

I also had a lot of good feedback from many present, which was encouraging, as we were talking hard-nosed types from the VC and associated worlds.

I feel like sharing an exchange I had with one kind soul who offered some good advice on dealing with money men, with my answers in reply putting it in the context of one from the more creative side of the equation.

One major drum I banged at the event was that too much resource was going into funding the making of things and not enough into complementing these efforts with sales. Inventors tend not to be great at Business Plans or pitching to boards packed with bean counters.

Note that (in big bold letters), they will not do everything for you and I’m afraid to say it takes a considerable and consistent time and energy commitment from the current management team to enable them to do their job.

Don't get me wrong. I will meet more than halfway. The more I do, the more I save... and make. Thing is, there is no management team... I'm it. Chief cook and bottle washer. I can do time and energy. What I can't become is something I am not. Too many suits so far seem to have a problem getting their heads round that. I need a team of complementing talents. Some consultant telling me what I need that I have already told 'em I know I need... er... no.
It will take longer and be more painful than you ever imagine at the start, but there is no magic bullet to either funding or a stronger management team.

It will take longer and be more painful than you ever imagine at the start, but there is no magic bullet to either funding or a stronger management team.

Length and pain noted. Been there, am still... got the T shirt. Robert the Bruce is my inspiration.

I understand where you are, I was in the same position, there was one of me, but if you don’t support them, it’s impossible for them to produce the resources you’ll need to take it to the next stage.

Finding, and clicking with the right guys is the mission. Intros like this one will help that happen.

No VC is going to even consider you without a solid plan.

Noted. But most I'd not be targeting. Their skill sets are inappropriate and while I need hard-nosed money men reigning me in, wannabe Dragon's Denners who have no vision of making the world better whilst making money are not either. Without folk who pluck ideas from the ether, guys like this are nothing. A joke about a one word business plan is funny to other suits, but cheap. What about the story of how they saw a product's potential and worked with the creator to make the plan perfect, if necessary using network contacts to complete the jigsaw. 'Computer says no' followed by 'try again, do better and come back when it's how I expect it' is not a mindset I'd want on my team, even if I could find a way of helping them deliver money I need to pay back with interest. I don't need money as such; I need talent and access... which does take money. It makes sense to have that role performed by a player on my team with a vested interest in long term success, not a vulture hovering above seeking a quick return.

You need the following pieces clearly worked out in your mind to pass on even before you approach anyone else–

The potential for the business, numbers (size of market not micro detail)
Sorted.

The routes to market
Sorted.

The licensing potential
Sorted.

Detailed current and IP road map
Sorted.

SWOT analysis – risks & threats, opportunities, strengths and weaknesses
Sorted.

Where you fit in and your future role
Sorted.

What skills you’re going to need to rent in the future
Sorted.

Exactly what do you want to do with the funds and how will it achieve the growth that will reward anyone coming in
Sorted.

Investors from what I hear rarely feel comfortable with one product companies

Noted. Not really a problem, because it's a design with license potential. See rapstrap. Plus I do have more second use ideas in mind. I need a hero to play off first. Then there is a whole raft of other inventions to come. I am at least smart enough to keep 'em tucked away until I can afford to protect them, and give all necessary resources to exploiting them. Being the guy behind the 'RE:tie' is a brand foundation I am building here.

And I think you need an idea of what will generate growth moving forward.

Those numbers exist, but already this is moving into areas I am not qualified to handle effectively. If a bridge is needed to interface with a VC, so be it. That's who I need to find to fight my corner. There is no point pitting me against a suit who expects me to fit into their mindset totally as it will end in tears.

I am here to make money by doing good. Not just for me, but all who hitch up. That means seeing the potential of what I am seeking to achieve and convincing me that they can make it happen as much as I need to convince them it's worth the effort. A way with P&L's and a swanky office and a client list means diddly. I seek added value, personality matching and end-benefit focus.

If you get the opportunity to pitch to any investors they want to see someone; extremely clear, passionate, focussed, with very defined aims. Don’t forget at our level, 90% of what they’re investing in is your ability to deliver, bring in the rest of the team and manage and motivate.

I am at the bringing in the rest of team stage. It seems my pitch has re-inspired a few to wish to help, with luck not for up front money but to share in the rewards.

My instinct is that you need at least one deal already in place to use as a platform.

Agree. Too many in this country are set on being first to be second. I get one and the dominoes will fall. It will give me great pleasure to charge those who could have had a much better deal a lot longer ago... anything I feel like.

Live... and sucking!

Recently I did a Dragon's Denny kind of effort. A Bristol-based media-business company posted a contest invite to pitch, and I decided to go for it with RE:tie.

Well, I ended up on the shortlist! But now you can see how I also managed not to win!

One thing you should bear in mind is the brief, and this one was a bit loose. I had presumed that it was about the idea of course, but mainly about the money. And I know VCs don't get out of bed for less than £1/2M. Hence we had to concoct a scheme whereby I could ask for that much money, justify how it would be spent... and how they, and we, would not only recoup our investment, but then really start coining it. As it turned out, what we came up with, while not the only option, made a lot of sense.

Shame they didn't want to hear about the money, then. I had us on £10k per day for the rest of our lives after just a year. Remember, this was billed as looking for unique new ideas that would be of interest to major investors. But they didn't ask how that would happen.

Not much I can say. They were coming from a very different mindset in about every way. I can't believe that being 'smart', meaning wearing a suit*, is still an issue in getting behind an idea, but there you go. They also, amazingly, almost all seemed amongst the few so far who plain didn't 'get' RE:tie. Funny how so many in business, and especially when one gets to the business of green, operate on the basis of 'Well, I wouldn't'. I'm sure they don't shop in Tescos either, but most folk do. At least they were pleasant, if a bit negative, though I would have wished for more constructive feedback. I got what they wouldn't do, but not much on what they would.

Still, we now have some edited footage and it will get an airing. So possibly worth doing still. Not sure what I would have done differently. But still a valuable opportunity.

Off now to scope the other contestants in companion to see where I went wrong:(

Addendum - There's a blog too. Now all I need to do is find my password!

*Suited and booted?

Interesting.

I could have come in a suit. I do have one. I made the decision not to (a 'Bench' over shirt is still 'smart casual' in my book, especially on a hot day). Poor call, evidently.

It was on a variety of grounds.

First up this was not a typical DD/VC/BA pitch.

As I recall the main aim was to seek a great idea. From all my years in the ad world, great ideas tended to come from folk who didn't see suits as the main point of a productive day. And in the theatre that is presentation, I suspect most of my clients would have been a tad thrown to find a wall of corporate grey drones trying to convince them how to engage with normal folk... teens, kids, Mums, silver surfers... with their messages.

Of course you are also selling a business idea, so it is optimal to have a guy on the team who the money men can identify with. No such option. My bad.

But it is still a worry that the veneer still seemed/s these days to matter more than the substance. I guess such as The Apprentice and most of the UK's government and corporate activities of late have shown how tops the results of this mindset are for the country's fortunes.

I came fully armed with numbers for my financial pitch, if they were required. But as the judges were not going there, this was irrelevant as, surely therefore, was the need to look the part for this aspect?

We all make judgements, on various bases, so I guess dress can serve a function in this.

For my part, I am selling what I know and who I am trying to reach with what I create, and how I understand and identify with them.

Hence the critique from one judge 'Why would I want to do this?' was not a concern: I doubt a free piece of plastic that can save pennies (and planet) would make much difference to a suited and booted finance whizz. But I can understand why packaging for champagne bottles would. More his 'zone' I guess. Oh, did I mention that we had estimated payback of investment within a year, and then £10k per day from then on?

But it is a two-way street. I also need to work with these guys, and have confidence that they 'get' my concept, see its potential and where I am coming from. Makes working together fun... and profitable.

So long as they can prove to me we're on the same page, have a clear vision and strategy to achieve our objectives, I could care less if they were sitting in shorts and a flip flop.

Actually perhaps dress also more appropriate for a late-teen oriented design innovation festival, held in a converted ex-disco in a dirty room with stained windows, if you think about it.

So yes, If I am presenting to a VC in a corporate office or a retail board there will be a suit... if no tie. But I will have a guy in full Armani with me who will be. Here... it wasn't necessary or relevant to the task at hand or the brief I had.

Don't know if you agree on the last bit, but glad you might on the rest.

Sorely missed

New funding scheme for food packaging innovation

'...a tender process is underway, whereby initiatives from the food manufacturing sector focusing on reusable and refillable packaging, new merchandising and dispensing systems or product reformulation will receive funding for up to 50 per cent of the project costs.'

I guess we must have slipped their mind, what with Junkk.com and RE:tie n' all.

Ah well, back to the pointless proposal pushing. You never know; they might get interested this time.

Special know-who

Media software firms go to US on government-backed mission

One wishes them well. But there is also a whistful ponder as to what got this particular bunch government-backing, and the extent of such largess.

Plus who is funding the evident caravan in tow.

With a few exceptions, from the summaries provided, if stuck in a lift for 30' with most of these guys, if I was a VC I'd be asleep by the the 3rd floor.

If I remember and can find it, the progress of this merry band might be educational.

May I call you, Al?

Nice to see that help (Junkk.com is rather outstripping my ability to cope) can be out there: Wikipedia scores $3m donation

Now, how do I get hold of them? I do intend to be sullied by ads, mind.

Bureaucrats - 200. Rainforests - Nil

And my brain into minus figures, if not near meltdown.

What I should be doing is getting cracking on filling this lot out. But all I can think of doing is taking a picture and blogging (yes, I need help. In more ways than one).

You are looking of stacks of up to a dozen pages, from A to O, though with a few letters rating subsets from (i) to (iv), so probably around 30 stacks in all.

It all started so well. I stumbled across some nice folk who liked what I was doing and offered to help with the prototypes of the RE:tie for the show next month. So I went up to Brum to see what they could do and explain what was needed; we communed, and lo... it was good.

And it's all ready to kick off. With precisely a month to go. But... just... a bit of paperwork.

I didn't pay much attention as it was just one Excel document, but when it came time to address it (OK, deadline) it just kept on printing... and printing. No first born required, nor pint of blood, but amounts and levels of data required that go back in the past and project into the future that I can barely grasp the relevance of for this task, yet alone imagine how I will aquire... or complete.... ever.

Even the lovely lady who sent it to me was sympathetic, for she is but an intermediary working for the University and hired just to handle their responsibilities with such paperwork, as demanded from 'above' by... now who is that? A blue square with a circle of golden stars at the bottom of each page (only part-funded by, mind. Lord help me if I get another set from another bunch later!). Layer upon layer of 'EU-what!' to 'help' them 'help' me get a prototype ready.

And I must do it as I have no choice now but to. I am committed.

But sadly, I do not seem to have the luxury of a lovely lady hired for the sole purpose of filling such forms out.

Nope, despite writing that, the monkey is still very much resting full square on my shoulders.

And so, with a heavy everything I must now turn to Form A (i).....

How does he do it?

Now I know he is reading my blog!
After all the fun and games I have been moaning about these last few days, dealing with funders and VCs and the like, and not being very good at making up 'projections' that are in fact wild guesses, but po-faced stating them as done deals... this is who gets the money.

A game of two halves

I nick, and probably mis-requote the original, but it kind of sums up my day.

Mostly, I was in Birmingham, and using some mental athletics I soon hope to turn to the common good with a program addition to Junkk.com and/or tripsplitters, managed to combine two meetings.

The latter, from which I have just returned, was my first tentative step into the hairy world of Venture Capitalists and Business Angels. As I say... a step. It was not with anyone with whom I might end up working or is going to introduce me to all the right FMCG folk or wads of wonga, but rather a broker. Very nice chap, who gave me a fair and considered hearing. Thing is, I really had no idea how it went. I may never hear again (which I doubt, but it won't be the first time), or I may find myself on another roller-coaster. Quite disconcerting. There was so much I wanted to share and to ask, but it was just the pertinent facts, little reaction or feedback... and then wait for the call.

In contrast, my first appointment was a very different affair. I was meeting the Technical Manager and crew of the Jewellery Innovation Centre, part of Birmingham City University.

The purpose was to see what they could do for me to help with selling RE:tie, by way of prototyping.

I was there for a few hours, and had a ball. We toured every nook and cranny of the facility, and they have toys and skills you would not believe, to make just about anything out of just about anything. And they are keen to help if you qualify and the idea seems fun.

There were big boxes that housed lasers that burned away. And little boxes with inkjet layered powders that built up. The one that really blew me away was a hi-tech version of an ancient Chinese ivory carving craft whereby a lattice ball is created within another lattice ball. Only this fellow was a ball within a ball... times 6! They had things in metal, things in aluminium and things in plastic. From 40cm cubed down to the size of a pinhead, with angels dancing upon it... and a logo stencilled on their tushies.

What was quite funny, and I guess interesting, was when they showed me a tray of stunning creations (try a sailing ship with full rigging... the size of a fingernail), and the one I zeroed in on was a gorgeous structure composed of rows of rods, which I thought would make a stunning piece of stationery ware. Turns out it was a waste mould and was to be thrown out! I think they understood where my reuse mind was at once this happened.

Of course we went off topic and roamed all manner of other things they could do for the inventive mind, and I was keen to repay the commitment with anything I could offer in return.
Links all round and features at the show stand to start!

Because it's all looking good. They don't see any problem making not just a prototype but a fairly large number of demo pieces of the RE:tie for the March show. A few design challenges to sort out, but from the patent drawings through CAD-CAM to an on bottle-top mock-up or score.... to not just claim what RE:tie can do, but show it doing it to those who will hopefully be an audience with an imagination and chequebook to match.

Here's hoping.

It's just interesting that when it comes to these aspects I was in my element, but when it came to the related, necessary and highly complementary issues of taking business I go from being a Orca doing flips above the ocean to a beached whale gasping on the shore. So now, more than ever, I need that all too missing piece to my commercial structure. With luck, if this finance guy sees merit I may be en route, but I honestly have no reading.

But here's hoping.

Ok, it's been a tough day so far

It’s green Gordon versus Felix, the filthy rich forester

What we need is a few more breath's of pragmatic air like this around to make a real difference.

And it seems to be the individual entrepreneurs we need to turn to.

Like politicians and hence governments and LAs and NGOs, even corporations are more concerned with what looks good than does any.

Hence we have more going down in the name of green that is either sidelining major issues or possibly plain not making the planet better for my kids.

For an example of how complex it can be, see here:

http://junkk.blogspot.com/2007/11/junkk-category-plastic-bags.html

Maybe we need the likes of Mr. Dennis or maybe a Dyson to go the route of Google and fund genuine 'doing' ideas that are trying to make a difference, rather than the current crop of bottomless green pit quangocracies that are designed mainly to fund their bloated, self-serving infrastructures and comms budgets first before doling anything out to things that mainly tick the right boxes.

Share and share... not alike?

Still smarting a bit from being told that I wasn't going to get any NGO-assistance to move to a revenue-generating model because... I didn't yet have enough revenues.

That's up there with the one a few years ago that rejected my application because it was 'too left filed and nothing like it had be doen before'. It's name? The Creative Innovation Fund.

I was pondering this as I watched today's BBC Breakfast local/Midlands section, with a report on a Birmingham Council carshare initiative (no link I can find, thanks to the woeful BBC online search - subject to confirmation, it might be referring to this).

Any road up, seems that this initiative has been in place a while now (and I'm betting with a few more folk and a few more involved than any that has come my solo, mostly self-funded way), and has netted... 60 sign-ups. This puts me in mind of a press release for a national green online effort recently that was trumpeting 50,000 monthly hits . That's... not great, bearing in mind I'm gunning for 500,000 unique visitors, which is a lot different (and tougher) measure.

The platitude offered was that such things are 'slow-burners'. Well yes, that's what I have been saying about us, but this slow burner seems to be doing a lot better than many, yet can't get arrested, yet bazillions get poured down green holes to a very questionable enviROI+ degree at the drop of an inter-departmental hat... er.. memo.

The even more annoying thing is that I have in the wings tripsplitters, which is a whole new take on car sharing that I really think could work and make some serious money, and acts in complement to the Junkk.com local postcode facility.

To get this off the ground I would need help, mainly in time (but that is, at the end of the day, still money). But considering the effort to reward ratio of applying for help from these bodies, and where their heads are at as to what you get and how they connect you with the right folk to help the ideas person turn it into a business, I am not so keen any more.

If ever there was a system designed to drain the creative soul out of an innovator, these seem to be perfectly crafted for the task.

For every snake... a ladder

I think I'm losing my touch with funders. Another bites the dust:(

This one also looked promising, as it was a local (well, regional) award designed to offer creative/media enterprises a chance to run a feasibility study on what they could do to improve revenues.

Now if ever there was something Junkk.com could do with, that was just what the doctor ordered! We've awards up the whazoo, tripping over nice PR at every turn... but... no major advertisers... yet. And there's no doubt the site needs a spring clean.

And again with the funding types the sticking point seemed to be I didn't already have what I was applying for the funding to put in place to get. Frankly if I was well on the way to having my media sales act together I really wouldn't need to bother with such funding. It's always welcome and gratefully-received, but is one heck of a lot of effort often for not that much to warrant what goes in.

And in this case a lot did. Not just from me, but the consultancy I'd selected to help me knock the site media structure into shape and kick-start some sensible ad sales efforts on top.

So I was feeling pretty glum when I had to share with them the sad news that I was getting anything and couldn't afford to do it on my own.

So imagine how it perked me up to find they hadn't just shrugged their shoulders and moved on, but decided to do a bit more on Junkk.com's behalf spreading a few nice words around, simply because they saw/still see merit in what we're up to. Plus a few more than useful poniters on what might be doen to move things along.

Naturally, with such belief in place they will be the first I call when I do have the money for such expertise.

So, if you are ever in need of some new media specialists, I'd be happy to not only recommend the skills sets and professionalism on offer, but also the commitment of Generator.

Tell 'em Peter sent you. But please, make sure you have a budget first!

New Year. New Opportunities.

It was a good long run, and I gave it my best shot, but a hurdle has been stumbled over.

Sadly, my hopes for Stage 2 funding on the Fillip initiative have not been realised. Of course it was great to get to the finals, but it was not to be.

And not the happiest of news to get just before the festive break.

I guess it was just one I felt was so 'right', namely the means to protect the idea and package it in a form to take to major institutions nationally and internationally, my inherent 'wait 'til you see the cheque before popping the cork' caution still had too much of a sneaking hope that this would be 'the big one' attached. Especially as the day before we'd learned that the international search examiner has concluded that the invention is 'novel' and 'not obvious', which is good in IP terms.

Though my IP adviser was upbeat, I must say I walked out the presentation pretty much certain of the result.

There was one question that was asked, and though I know the answer we gave was reasonable I knew it was not the one that was required.

This was to ask why, in light of all the PR and awards, there were no companies or VCs beating a path to my door.

Though not given in such terms, it seemed pretty simple to answer. As of this moment, no companies relevant to the concept have yet been approached, save for the technical folk at closures manufacturers. And this was done more to confirm the practical applicability, and also to seek complementary branding techniques to add sales and marketing value to its obvious raw material and CSR benefits. Both these aims were achieved at the Brussels conference, and frankly as no one thinks much of anything from late November save the best way to Xerox their tushie at the company bash, I saw no point in following even that up 'til the New Year.

And as to VCs, well, it's not an area I have a huge experience with, but other than a few rare instances, I rather think that you go to them. That's just the way it is. Being money folk they know how you keep the upper hand in negotiations, and making the first approach isn't it.

So I had concentrated on looking down the idea and building a solid story behind it using the talents I do have, before considering engaging other talents I know I do not to bring it to those who bring it to market.

Sure I am more than disappointed, and this is doubtless reflected here, but I must say that I am really losing faith in the system that claims to be keen to support the solo creative innovator, but all too often seems more geared to dealing with more traditional enterprises who talk in terms that make the boxes a wee bit easier to tick.

I know RE:tie can make it. And in doing so be an acorn from which so much else in the world of second use design can derive inspiration, so it will be be onward and upward come the New Year.

As one door closes, another opens...

Call for funding for Hydrogen research

This report from Engineering Talk details how a leading transport expert is calling for significant government investment into research to make Hydrogen a realistic fuel of the future.

"Prof Smith ......... believes hydrogen is one of the best fuel alternatives for the future, but said a significant Government investment is needed now to overcome technical and cost difficulties in sourcing, storing and transporting hydrogen."

Interesting little comment on the Northern Rock support too - "If the Government spent GBP 10 billion - only a third of what they spent on Northern Rock - we could build a high speed railway from London to Birmingham, reducing the need for domestic flights and long-distance car travel."

Now we will have to wait and see whether our gov's plan to surround the UK with offshore wind farms is going to eat all available funds to the exclusion of everything else. However, perhaps we may already have an indication of where the extra revenue to fund such projects may come from?

Labour party donations

As ever, the inimitable genius that is Matt of the Daily Telegraph manages to sum up the whole sorry mess in a single amusing cartoon.

Coming on top of the cash for questions affair and more recently the missing HMRC data files, it looks as if this could create more than a few ripples.

Here's the Telegraph's take on the story.

The Guardian's take is worth a look too, as is this from The Times.

In fact, the more this story unfolds, it looks as if we may well see a few more heads rolling before long.

Addendum 29/11/07:
Hmmmm, looks like the plot is thickening already. See this from this mornings Guardian Unlimited. I find it extremely odd that the party's treasurer (who also just happens to be 'Harridan' Harman's husband; and of course, 'Harridan' herself did accept a donation via such a 'conduit' "in good faith") claims to know absolutely nothing about the use of 'conduits' for the acceptance of donations. On top of that they had one of the so called 'conduits' on Radio 5 this morning; a builder from the NE by the name of Ray Ruddock. What is very interesting is that the labour party donations record shows that he has paid in some £200,000 but he claimed he was only aware of handing over some £80,000 in donations.

Another interesting snippet via Guido Fawkes. This one is going to run and run!

Oh, check out Matt's cartoon today in the Telegraph too. Brilliant!

Fund, fund fund, 'til Daddy took the T-bird away

And if your business is into ELV's, or any other 're-initiative', this may be for you: WRAP launches new funding scheme

I'm betting Junkk.com or RE:tie won't qualify. But I gladly 'share the lurv'.

Don't like the answers? Get rid of it!

This little article reports on some Canadian scientists who are involved with the IPCC reports. It seems that their government has withdrawn the funding for further research into some aspects of climate change. It "it has shut down a federal climate change research network and blocked new studies on the impact of rising greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere."

I guess in many ways, it is the prerogative of the funder to decide whether or not to continue funding. Yet this is another in a long line of climate change research projects which have been terminated by governments who appear to be in thrall to the companionship of the big oil brigade.

Meanwhile, others seem to have little or no problem in obtaining research funding

Talking of big oil, Exxon has lost its status as the planet's most valued business to Petrochina whose valuation exceeds $1 Trillion! (That's larger than Russia's entire stock market value!)

Sometimes non-disclosure can tell you a great deal

In the great global warming debate, there has long been a succession of 'experts' wheeled out to denounce any statement suggesting the climate change is anthropogenic in any way. One of these experts is Patrick J. Michaels of the Cato Institute, who has appeared in dozens of media reports, live talk shows and debates in the USA.

This from PR-Watch.Org reports on how Michaels has withdrawn as a witness from a high profile Vermont court case rather than be forced to disclose his sources of funding.

Surely he hadn't got something to hide, had he?

Its a shame to waste

Money 'is wasted'

At least a third of the £555m spent each year on business support by the Regional Development Agencies is claimed to be wasted on administration...

Only a third?