Creu llwyddiant gyda’n gilydd dros Gymru Creating success together for Wales WALES for INNOVATION Stephen K. Jones Programme Development Manager

The Wales Regional Technology Plan 1993-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.

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

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’

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

POSITION AT review 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

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

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

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

A WINNING WALES A Winning Wales Innovation Action Plan Skills & Employment Action Plan ‘The Learning Country’ & ‘Reaching Higher’ Infrastructure Improvements Sustainable Business Wales Tackling Economic Inactivity Broadband Telecoms Utilisation Cymru Ar Lein Entrepreneurship Action Plan

WALES FOR INNOVATION THE VISION MORE PROSPERITY, MORE VALUE ADDED JOBS, MORE & GROWING INNOVATIVE BUSINESSES 1 COMMUNICATING WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH MORE INNOVATION 2 DEVELOPING MORE HIGH GROWTH POTENTIAL BUSINESSES 3 SIMPLER, MORE EFFECTIVE, INNOVATION SUPPORT 4 BETTER EQUIPPING PEOPLE TO INNOVATE 5 MAXIMISING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPACT OF OUR UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES

THE FUTURE WALES 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.

THE FUTURE WALES 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

KEY ACTIONS AREAS 1. Communicating what can be achieved through more innovation 2. Developing more high growth potential businesses 3. Better equipping people to innovate 4. Simpler, more effective, innovation support 5. Maximising the economic development impact of our universities & colleges

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

SUPPORT ACTION measurement & 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

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

INNOVATION NETWORK PARTNERSHIP A STRATEGIC NETWORK LINKAGES: - 1.STRATEGIC POLICY DIRECT TO PTRS 2.REGIONAL & LOCAL INPUT TO IAP 3.DIRECT ACTION AT REGIONAL LEVEL FOUR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS: - NORTH MID SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST

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

Creu llwyddiant gyda’n gilydd dros Gymru Creating success together for Wales INNOVATION WORKS ROLLING OUT THE INNOVATION COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN

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

Innovation Works Systems Approach  People Innovation  Process Innovation  Product Innovation  Market Innovation  Marketplaces Innovation

Creu llwyddiant gyda’n gilydd dros Gymru Creating success together for Wales Thank you Any questions?