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Spotlights
Innovation plan launched by Welsh Assembly Government
(December 2002)
A £260 million action plan which gives innovation top economic priority over the
next 3 years has been published. 'Wales for Innovation' offers a proactive and flexible approach to helping businesses be more innovative.The plan will be delivered in close partnership with the Welsh Development Agency, ELWa
and the Higher Education Funding Council Wales.
Specific funding proposals include:
- a £150 million investment in rolling out the Technium Centre concept
throughout Wales, creating incubators for key hi-tech growth sectors
- some £60 million to programmes to spin-out ideas and talent from Welsh universities into commercial successes
- a £4 million campaign to drive home the importance of innovation to
business, higher and further education and the general public
- a new £25 million innovation grant scheme to streamline funding sources
for innovation
- a £15 million drive to exploit new and existing technologies, focusing on indigenous developments and attracting high quality investments
- a £5 million investment to boost specialist hands-on innovation support
and advice for business
The plan was debated in the National Assembly in November 2002 and the consultation period has ended however copies of the document can still be downloaded at: http://www.wda.co.uk/resources/innovation-e.pdf or are
available from IAPrequests@wales.gsa.gov.uk
Over the past year, the WDA have launched/redesigned a number of websites, each promoting different aspects of innovation within Wales:
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This website aims to give the latest information about innovation in Wales. The latest developments from education and business are covered including grant sucesses and research breakthroughs.
The site promotes technology transfer through its technology brokerage service where requests and opportunities can be posted and searched. This site is also the home of the ''Wales Innovators Network' which was launched in 2002 and aims to provide practical help to inventors in Wales.
The network operates through 4 regional clubs which are run by the Welsh development Agency's Technology and Business Counsellors. It aims to ensure that inventors have access to the best professional support to assist with promotion and retention of ownership of their inventions.
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Launched in 2003, this website supports the Future technologies programme which is a process of research, consultation, debate and dissemination which is enabling Wales to identify and invest in new technologies that will create and support jobs and businesses in the medium and long-term.
The programme addresses:
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Traditional sectors, where technologies will be identified to enable these sectors to sustain jobs and grow through innovation and diversification
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Emerging sectors, where technologies, expertise, education etc. will be identified and introduced and embedded into the Welsh economy.
The website assists with the programme's need for debate by offering discussion forums for business, education and the general public.
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The Centre has just launched its new website, aiming to stimulate transnational technology transfer and innovation. The new site has the advantage of detailing all the technology offers and requests generated by the Relay centre network.
Registered users of the site can be alerted to relevant technologies, once they have selected their relevant keywords. The website also includes information about the technology transfer process, research and development funding and international brokerage events.
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