Events

Growing the Innovation Business Opportunity - the Solent is Open

Event details

Wednesday, 7 March 2018

9:30 am – 16:40 pm

The CECAMM Centre - The Isle Of Wight College, Whippingham Road, East Cowes, United Kingdom

Overview

Sometimes, what you need as a technology business to grow is right in front of you, if only you knew it existed.

Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) have been looking at the potential around the Solent and we are seeing some interesting opportunities beginning to emerge. The Isle of Wight has often felt a bit disconnected from the hive of activity over the Solent but this has not stopped them from nurturing some interesting ideas.

And likewise, organisations including R&D centres around Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth are on a keen trajectory for impacting innovation. They too are looking for partners to foster programmes that could maximise the economical impact.

It makes sense to marry up the capability and unpack what may be slowing up the relationships.

This event sets out with a simple objective: to give you the opportunity to showcase your thinking and forge collaborative partnerships that so far have been outside your field of vision. Importantly, to also get first hand how the family of Innovate UK business support operations could take your new partners to new and impacting business opportunities.

Format: The day will be structured to set up a dialogue between those with challenges and others with solutions. The day will have a heavy focus on networking, giving you plenty of opportunity to meet new contacts and solve the missing pieces in your growth strategy. This will be fortified with the tools that Innovate UK, KTN, European Enterprise Network, the Local Enterprise Partnership and local Business Growth programmes can provide to give you the best chance to achieve success.

Programme will also include a session on Accessing Private Equity and Investor Markets.

NEWS for Mainland delegates: A special Networking Red Funnel Ferry will be leaving Southampton at 7:15am. Delegates will enjoy a £10 foot passenger return crossing to the Isle of Wight and receive breakfast.

Who should attend:

Technology businesses and commercially orientated R&D centres that are engaged in new disruptive innovation landscapes
The event is open to all and organisations outside the Solent are warmly encouraged to attend alongside the indigenously based groups
Those who are challenge owners where new thinking is sought to provide additional solution avenues

Programme

07:15 Optional networking ferry from Southampton including breakfast

09:30 Registration

10:00 What’s in Store & Warm-Up

Bruce McLelland, Urban Living Specialist, Knowledge Transfer Network

10:10 Welcome

Dave Evans, Director, CECAMM

10:15 The Catapults Supporting Business Growth

Liz Flint, Interim Chief Operations Officer, CSA Catapult

10:30 The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) Supporting Business Growth

Alastair Mackenzie, Innovation Specialist, EEN

10:45 Isle of Wight Businesses Leading Business Innovation

Geoff Underwood, CEO, IFPL

11:00 Streamlining R&D Centres with Business Led Innovation Need

Sarah Duckering, University of Portsmouth

11:15 Break & Networking

11:45 Knowledge Transfer Network, Supporting Business Growth

Bruce McLelland, Knowledge Transfer Network

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Stephen Woodhouse, Knowledge Transfer Advisor, Knowledge Transfer Network

12:00 A Discussion in the Round – The Emerging Solent Opportunity

Colm Watling, Regional Manager SE, Innovate UK
Chris Ashman, IoW Council
Denise Barlow, The Solent Growth Hub

An active delegate participation session that will examine the Solent’s strengths and where these strengths are set to expand the new business opportunities

12:50 Reflecting on the factors that are holding the opportunities back – facilitated discussion

13:30 Lunch & Networking

14:45 PARALLEL SESSIONS

SESSION 1: KTN & European Enterprise Network B2B Managed Networking Zone