WALES for INNOVATION

1. WALES for INNOVATION Stephen K. Jones Programme Development Manager

2. WALES CYMRU

3. The Wales Regional Technology Plan1993-first proposals-1996-action plan • One of the first 4 in Europe • The first in the UK • The most advanced in implementation • Blueprint for European regions • Model of good practice • laid much of the groundwork to start to address the innovation deficit in Wales.

4. RTP ACHIEVEMENTS • programmes developed for RTP priorities • the Finance Wales Spin-out Programme; • the Knowledge Exploitation Fund (KEF) • new academic Centres of Excellence for Industrial Collaboration (CETICs) • Know How Wales • an enhanced Innovation & Technology Counsellor (ITC) Service • a Technology Exploitation Grant • early Technium developments

5. ORIGINAL OBJECTIVES • ‘To develop a consensus on a • strategy to increase the business growth, innovation and competitiveness of the Welsh economy’ • ‘To create a framework for decision- • making that will encourage better public and private investments to be made’

6. PRIORITIES THAT EMERGED • A culture of innovation is vital for personal and economic success • Companies learn best from each other • Wales must profit from global innovation and technology • High quality business and innovation support is essential • Finance for innovation must be readily available • Education and training for innovation and technology are vital

7. POSITION AT 2001 • 1998 - review - 2001 - RTP 2000 completed • RTP Priorities are now fully mainstreamed: - • - WAG – WDA – ELWa – HEFCW - Objective 1 • The Decision making framework is still relevant • New opportunities are emerging for action • However, increasing feeling that of a loss of momentum – of being at ‘the cutting edge’. • Need for new challenges

8. NEW CHALLENGES WALES INNOVATION AND SCIENCE PLAN (WAG) FUTURE TECHNOLOGY PLAN (INNOVATIVE ACTIONS)

9. INNOVATIVE ACTIONS • OSKaR (Observatory for a Sustainable Knowledge based Region) • LANDMAP extension • WALES SCEnE (Sustainability, Community, Environment, Economy)e

10. INNOVATION TO A YOUNGER AUDIENCE • Engineering Education Scheme Wales – Welsh National Convention of Excellence in Engineering and Technology • WDA Technology Prize Competition • Welsh final of Young Engineers for Britain • 3M primary Awards competition at Techniquest • Inventor’s Competition at the National Eisteddfod of Wales • WDA/WJEC 6th Form Innovation Awards exhibition • Wales Student Innovation Awards finals • Eureka Awards Showcase

11. A WINNING WALES

12. WALES FOR INNOVATION THE VISION

13. THE FUTUREWALES FOR INNOVATION: ACTION PLAN • WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT • new innovation action plan building on past successes • to scale up and roll out activities which have been demonstrated to bring economic benefits to Wales • to address gaps, based on business needs.

14. THE FUTUREWALES FOR INNOVATION: ACTION PLAN • Single Innovation Grant – SMART Cymru • Improved support services – strengthening ITC service • Technium Centre roll-out • Key Action Area 1 - driving forward communications campaign

15. KEY ACTIONS AREAS • Communicating what can be achieved through more innovation • Developing more high growth potential businesses • Better equipping people to innovate • Simpler, more effective, innovation support • Maximising the economic development impact of our universities & colleges

16. ACTION AREA 1 • A wide-ranging innovation communications campaign • The creation of a Wales wide innovation network based on regional partnerships for north, mid, south-west & south-east Wales • Expansion of the Commitment to Innovation Programme to enrol more Welsh companies with an enhanced innovation focussed programme

17. SUPPORT ACTIONmeasurement & monitoring • Innovation Works link to be developed as portal for access from WDA website • innovation events – dates and opportunities • innovation funding and support, best practice and matching technology needs and opportunities • Set of innovation indicators to be developed • Involvement of expert private sector academic representatives in monitoring progress

18. ACTION AREA 1 – COMMUNICATIONS • Better communication of innovation is an important enabler of economic competitiveness and sustainable development • There is an urgent need to embed a stronger culture of innovation across the whole of Wales • A national innovation campaign will address the needs of all our business sectors

19. INNOVATION NETWORK PARTNERSHIPA STRATEGIC NETWORK • LINKAGES: - • STRATEGIC POLICY DIRECT TO PTRS • REGIONAL & LOCAL INPUT TO IAP • DIRECT ACTION AT REGIONAL LEVEL • FOUR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS: - • NORTH • MID • SOUTH WEST • SOUTH EAST

20. ACTION AREA 1 – COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION • Encourages and Promotes Innovative Organisations within Wales • Companies Show Commitment: • Corporate Strategies • Products • Processes • Adopt and implement good innovative management practice

21. INNOVATION WORKS ROLLING OUT THE INNOVATION COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN

22. Innovation Works Aim - To change the way people think and act in Wales using a communications campaign to inspire a culture where the benefits of innovation are understood, valued and achieved Objective - Promote innovation in a way that changes the perception, attitude and actions of people on innovation in its widest sense, including: people, products, processes, marketplaces and marketing

23. Innovation Works • Systems Approach • People Innovation • Process Innovation • Product Innovation • Market Innovation • Marketplaces Innovation

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25. Thank you Any questions?