Channel 4’s digital investment project 4iP has officially opened its doors for submissions for digital media ideas. The “4 Innovation for the Public” fund is the broadcaster’s £50 million project to stimulate the country’s digital development industry and is now up and running after delays due to the scheme’s sheer size. Channel 4 is contributing £20 million to 4iP—the rest comes from regional development agencies—and its digital managers will take ideas through various stages from planning to launching them as businesses. Social media tech company NinetyTen has created an idea submission system at www.4ip.org.uk and the project is head by former BBC head of broadband Tom Loosemore. Release.

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4iP is the biggest step Channel 4 has made yet on in its Next on 4 initiative launched last year to extend and secure its public service broadcaster credentials—and perhaps win a slice of the BBC’s licence fee money. The BBC is similarly looking to reach out to the country’s digital media industry—its future and media technology director has said he is willing to be more open to the developer community and revealed the Beeb is working on an industry-wide IPTV platform that “any company could build an app for”.