Innovation and Business Development

Boosting the innovation and science capability of the North East is key to long-term improvements in regional productivity and competitiveness.

The ambitious Strategy for Success Programme has led the way in this area – building our capacity in knowledge intensive areas and we are now moving into a phase of high impact delivery. The approach is underpinned by the Three Pillars, based on our technological strengths in Energy, Process Technologies and Healthcare, as well as our commitment to design and product innovation.

We are accelerating this approach by creating a set of innovation connectors with a geographical focus. These will enable the development of world class facilities, new approaches to integrating business and universities, engaging with the community through education and access to employment initiatives.

Each of the Three Pillars is supported by Centres of Excellence:

• Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (CELS)
• Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)
• Centre of Excellence for New and Renewable Energy (NaREC)

These centres carry out some research and development. They co-ordinate the commercial exploitation of technologies and new products emerging from research activities.

An operating part of CPI, NanoCentral has been set up to accelerate the commercialisation of value-adding nanomaterials. NanoCentral's hub of technical expertise and broad business experience is strategically placed to create a Network of key technology providers, promote awareness of competitive advantages to be gained through nanomaterials, and access targeted Safety, Health and Environmental advice.

NanoCentral assists businesses in achieving success through nanomaterials by the formation of supply chain collaborations to ensure the success of the UK in the race for global leadership in nanotechnology.

 The successful cluster work of Codeworks in the digital and new media sectors is continuing as part of our e-business programme. Particular focus is being placed on research which backs up the practical exploitation of ideas.

To ensure that the benefits of the work done by the centres are exploited to the full within the region, considerable emphasis is being placed on developing suitable premises for research, technology transfer, business incubation and other investment opportunities. Investments are being aligned where appropriate with The Northern Way Growth Strategy and the Newcastle Science City initiative.

There are four key activities underpinning the Innovation & Business Development Programme:

• Energy
• Process
• Health Care 
• Innovation Capacity