University’s entrepreneurship experts exhibit at leading technology trade event

Coventry University’s Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship (IAE) is showcasing its expertise and services in London this week at the UK’s inaugural networking trade event ‘Innovate UK’.

The exhibition, which is a joint venture from the Technology Strategy Board and UK Trade & Investment, has brought together the successful Innovate and TechWorld events and is demonstrating the cutting edge innovation on offer to companies across the country.

Handpicked from a pool of the best in British creativity and entrepreneurialism, the IAE is sharing its latest business support package – The Open Innovation Programme – with an estimated 4,000 UK and international visitors who are attending.

The Open Innovation Programme is a European Regional Development Fund-supported initiative devised to match up the innovative ideas of SMEs with the corporate might of larger organisations to bring benefits to both parties – and to the economy.

The IAE is aiming to use the show to forge new partnerships with large organisations as well as promote the programme to SMEs. Interested companies will be invited to join the IAE network, enabling them to keep in touch with future support for small businesses.

As part of the exhibition the IAE is also showcasing its new Open Innovation website – www.opentoinnovation.net – which will act as a hub for the programme’s delivery, knowledge exchange and examples of work they are doing. 

Innovate UK, which is taking place this week at the Business Design Centre in Islington, aims to boost business growth by bringing together international companies and members of government and academia to identify new investment, trade and collaboration opportunities.

Louise Marjoram, Senior Project Manager at the IAE and leader of the Open Innovation Programme, said:

We are delighted to be exhibiting at this event. Increasingly, businesses are appreciating the need to collaborate and that it’s critical to their survival, to job creation and to growth. At the IAE we have a package of support that will allow businesses to work together in this way to encourage innovation.

Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board, said:

All our exhibitors are specially selected by the Technology Strategy Board and UKTI to feature at the exhibition and can demonstrate truly innovative products, services or technologies that have been developed here in the UK. We’re very pleased the Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship is taking part in the event and believe it is a great representation of the UK’s strength in innovative business.

Nick Baird, chief executive of UK Trade & Investment, said:

Over the last two years, businesses that attended Innovate and TechWorld collectively generated over £70m worth of UK trade; 65% of them identified new business opportunities and 77% said they learned something that would help them to innovate. By bringing the events together we hope to deliver even more success for UK businesses whether by helping them grow through innovation, international trade and investment or collaborative opportunities.

Delegates attending Innovate UK can take advantage of one to one meeting opportunities, seminars, workshops, an exhibition and keynote sessions featuring leading business and ministerial representatives. Further information can be found on the Innovate UK website or on Twitter at @InnovateUK.