TSB and UKTI show Best of British at Innovate 12 March 2013

New networking event Innovate UK – a joint venture from the Technology Strategy Board and UK Trade & Investment – launched yesterday (11 March 2013) to showcase engineering developments ranging from robotics to facial recognition and grapheme.

The organisers say their event is about providing opportunities for UK companies to accelerate their growth through innovation, international trade and investment.

The event – which combines Innovate and TechWorld and runs until 13 March at the Business Design Centre, London – should also steer engineering organisations towards technology innovations and collaboration opportunities.

Over two years, businesses that have attended Innovate and TechWorld generated over £70m worth of UK trade as a direct result.

The agenda include keynote presentations from ministers, including Dr Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade, as well as David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science.

A schedule of sector specific seminars and workshop sessions aims to facilitate learning, debate and knowledge transfer, providing delegates the opportunity to access the UK's research base and discover new market opportunities.

Innovators selected to share their experiences include multi-award winning entrepreneur Jenny Griffiths, of digital company Snap Fashion, and Sean Redmond, CEO of IT firm Coveritas, who was selected to represent the UK in a technology trade mission to India last month.

Today, delegates are being promised exclusive access to developments across areas including robotics, high-end material development and graphene in the UK.

"All our exhibitors are specially selected by the Technology Strategy Board and UKTI to feature at the exhibition and are ones that can demonstrate truly innovative products, services or technologies that have been developed here in the UK," states Iain Gray, chief Executive of the TSB.

And Nick Baird, chief executive of UK Trade & Investment adds: "Over the last two years, 65% of businesses that attended Innovate and TechWorld have 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."

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Innovate UK
UK Trade & Investment

This material is protected by MA Business copyright
See Terms and Conditions.
One-off usage is permitted but bulk copying is not.
For multiple copies contact the sales team.