To help stimulate economic development in Norfolk, the Norfolk Knowledge Innovation Panel has set up two practical workshops. The full-day and half-day sessions have been designed to help people take their rough ideas for an enterprise through formal business planning, to strengthen their business case and to improve the chance of success. To maximise the opportunity for people living across the county, these comprehensive workshops will take place in Norwich on 7th and 9th February and will be repeated in Kings Lynn on 14th and 16th February.
The Innovation Panel supports innovation through mentoring performed by members of Norfolk Knowledge. To support regional development, they may also make a small contribution to the cost of realising innovations. Since the inception of the Innovation Panel last year, £30,780 has been allocated in funding to support innovation development and 16 businesses and individuals have been helped through targeted mentoring. The programme is supported by Norwich Business School at UEA who have drawn some preliminary conclusions from the Innovation Panel activity over the last 12 months.
“People are great at coming up with innovative new ideas but we found that when they sought to translate the concept into a business plan, they needed help with some of the more technical elements of the process” stated James Cornford, a Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour at Norwich Business School. James highlighted this as one of the main focal points for the support being provided at the workshops in early February.
A key element of a successful business case for innovation stems from knowing, understanding and quantifying the market and its potential size. An experienced professional who knows all about this is John Chapman. John held a number of senior marketing positions with companies such as Cadbury. Although now semi retired he is an active member of Norfolk Knowledge. John Chapman stated “all 45 applications received by our Innovation Panel could have benefited from some additional targeted research into potential markets in order to strengthen their business case. If we can illustrate how this can be achieved during our workshops then many more innovations may turn their potential into reality.”
Spaces at the innovation workshops are limited – this is the last chance for support as the trial comes to an end in March 2012. Enquiries for a place at either of these workshops in both locations are welcomed by calling 01603 591816 to book a place.
Norwich - University of East Anglia:
Tue 7th Feb: Business Planning for Innovative Ideas (full day)
Thu 9th Feb: Researching your Market (half day)
King’s Lynn – Yours Business Networks Centre at 18 Tuesday Market Place
Tue 14th Feb: Business Planning for Innovative Ideas (full day)
Thu 16th Feb: Researching your Market (half day)
See details of the past recipients of awards made by Norfolk Knowledge Innovation Panel in the panel opposite. Or to learn more about the support and fundraising directly from the Chair of the Innovation Panel, listen to his interview with Norwich’s Future Radio, using the following link: http://futureradio.co.uk/podcast/2011/may/norfolk-knowledge-enterprise-project
Norfolk Knowledge's partners are:
Norfolk County Council
North Sea Region Programme 2007-2013
Vital Rural Area
Norwich Business School at the University of East Anglia
- Norfolk Knowledge Innovation Panel Application Form
15/02/2011
Click here to access the Norfolk Knowledge Innovation Panel Application Form...
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- The Awards
15/02/2011
Norfolk Knowledge Innovation Panel Awards...
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- The Process
15/02/2011
The Norfolk Knowledge Innovation Panel process...
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