Intec, Parc Menai Pencoed Technology Centre Bangor, Gwynedd Bridgend, South LL57 4FG CF35 5HZ

T: 01248 671101 T: 01656 861536 F: 01248 671102 W: www.bic -innovation.com

INNOVATION NETWORK PARTNERSHIP WALES PARTNERIAETH RHWYDWAITH ARLOESEDD CYMRU

North Wales - Gogledd Cymru

Date: 9 July 2008 Location: NEWI

Delegates:

Name Organization Email

1 Dr Hastings McKenzie NEWI [email protected]

2 Carolyn Turner NEWI [email protected]

3 Stewart Milne NEWI [email protected]

4 Stephen Clegg NEWI [email protected]

5 James Goodman Management Centre [email protected]

6 Bryn Jones [email protected]

7 Roz Jones Bangor University [email protected]

8 Vicky Barwis Deeside College [email protected]

9 Dyfan Searell [email protected]

10 Idris Price Knowledge Transfer Partnerships [email protected]

11 Dr John Parkes Welsh Assembly Government DE&T [email protected]

12 Wendy Boddington Welsh Assembly Government DE&T [email protected] 13 Dr Ann Sudder Welsh Assembly Government DE&T [email protected]

14 Susan Sheridan Welsh Optoelectronics Forum [email protected]

15 Eirian Harrison County Council [email protected]

16 Brian Colley Venture Wales [email protected]

17 Bob Williams Chamber of Commerce [email protected]

18 Matt Jensen Chamber of Commerce [email protected]

19 Huw Watkins BIC Innovation [email protected]

20 Jennifer Rao BIC Innovation [email protected]

21 Claire Lebrun BIC Innovation [email protected]

Chair Huw Watkins Marketing Director BIC Innovation

Comments made by INPART North members at the round table discussion

Huw Watkins – BIC Innovation

Huw opened the meeting officially by extending a warm welcome to everybody. As Dafydd Davies was unable to attend, his apology was noted and Huw Watkins chaired the meeting.

Apologies were received from the following individuals:

Dr Gwion Williams Welsh Assembly Government ITC [email protected]

Dr Nia Roberts Wesh Assembly Government ITC [email protected]

Selwyn Williams Cyngor Gwynedd Council [email protected]

Jon Pinnington Cyngor Ynys Mon Council jdppl@.gov.uk

Caroline Jones Business Eye [email protected]

Caroline Thompson CAST [email protected]

Tanya Keith Management Centre [email protected]

Steve Webb Deeside College [email protected] Gafyn Owen Design Wales [email protected] Nia Môn Menter a Busnes [email protected] Dafydd Davies BIC Innovation [email protected]

Round the table discussion:

Dyfan Searell – Coleg Menai

Dyfan Searell is currently the Coleg Menai Innovation Centre Manager. Over the last three years, the centre has been successful, with various products on the market. The centre has currently 5 staff members. CAM plan to run an event in September, more details to follow.

Carolyn Turner - NEWI

Carolyn Turner is the KTP manager for NEWI. NEWI currently has five active KTPs.

Brian Colley – Venture Wales

Venture Wales have been awarded the “New Business Starts” programme which is directed at clients coming from all sectors. Projects will include innovation, financial services and twelve month post programme support. VW are working in partnership with Techniums OPTIC and CAST. They have also been awarded the G2E programme which will commence September.

Stewart Milne - NEWI

Stewart Milne is Head of Business Services in NEWI. Stewart briefed members on the new NEWI building for art & design, media and technology.

Dr John Parkes – Welsh Assembly Government DE&T

Dr John Parkes is the WIN Innovation Manager. The programme has now been running for 6 years. Members have access to funding opportunities and regular meetings are organized across Wales.

Eirian Harrison – Flintshire County Council

Flintshire County Council has recently merged with Innovation Relay Centres to form Enterprise Europe Network. They are covering and can help with any matters linked to the European Union (help in delivering tenders, etc.)

Matt Jensen – CEPNW Chamber of Commerce

Matt Jensen is the Membership Executive for the CEPNW Chamber of Commerce. He briefed members on a new business start up package which has been established with the British Chamber of Commerce to help new businesses with support services, including deals on banking and telecommunications. The aim is to grow the membership rate for small manufacturing companies in North Wales. A need for grants from North Wales has been evoked.

Bob Williams – Chamber of Commerce

Bob Williams is the Chief Executive of the CEPNW Chamber of Commerce. He pointed out the motivation of the Chamber of Commerce to expand along the North West Coast (i.e Anglesey) to provide better support. Bob is also the director of Business Dragons in North Wales. The purpose of this organization is to set measures and skills which would give prosperity to Wales. The initiative is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government as well as the European Union.

Dr Ann Sudder – Welsh Assembly Government DE&T

Dr Ann Sudder is the Innovation Manager and focuses on technology and innovation advice to all types of businesses. She is also the main contact for the DE&T at NEWI and she is currently developing the KTP programme. Ann also mentioned the A4B programme for academic institutions which supersedes KEF and CETIC.

Wendy Boddington – Welsh Assembly Government DE&T

Wendy Boddington is the Senior T&I Manager at the Welsh Assembly Government. She is also responsible for Technium CAST and OPTIC. Wendy mentioned that the Welsh Assembly Government is currently developing a new website named “Flexible Solutions for Business”. Wendy is also responsible for the Incubation Network North Wales which meets quarterly with the aim of sharing best practice and helping companies in North Wales to learn about incubation. The network are currently looking for a new chair person.

Idris Price – Knowledge Transfer Partnership

Idris Price is the KTP Adviser for North Wales. There are currently 70 live KTPs in Wales, more funding has been secured for KTPs to take the total to 120. Currently, North Wales has 22 live KTPs. In 2009, a new shorter KTP (mini KTP) will be introduced for any business or organization including service industries. The length of the mini KTP will last 10 up to 40 weeks.

Susan Sheridan – Welsh Optoelectronics Forum

Susan Sheridan is the administrator of the Welsh Optoelectronics Forum. She informed the rest of the attendees that the Technium Optic Incubation Centre is nearly at full capacity. It is aimed at helping start-up businesses with its state of the art facilities. The Technium Optic Open day will be held on the 9 th of September 2008 and the Photonics Academy will host the Education and Training in Optics and Photonics conference at Optic Technium in 2009.

Vicky Barwis – Deeside College

The Composites Feasibility Study has been completed and Deeside College are now awaiting feedback from the Welsh Assembly Government. Deeside College has 2 live KTPs. Ten apprenticeships for Optoelectronics will commence in September 2008. Deeside College is currently involved in a “Paper-Making Cluster” which includes three paper mills in Deeside – working with them and Proskills to develop new qualifications.

James Goodman – Management Centre

James indicated that innovative programmes had been launched: - The “Leadership for Collaboration” programme is aimed at the public sector to help people move into leadership - Executive MBA - CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply)

A Special Interest Group are running a conference around the 18 th -19 th of September 2008 on CSR issues. James also mentioned that Tanya Keith has moved from CAST to the Management Centre as Business Development Manager.

Bryn Jones – Bangor University

UIB (University Innovation Bangor) has now changed its name to BIG (Bangor Innovation Group).

It consists of: - a commercialization unit - businesses and enterprise services (in the Bangor Chemistry Tower) - a knowledge economy office (in the Management Centre) - a research office Bangor will house a new Art and Innovation Centre (Deiniol Road) as well as a new Health and Technology Campus.

Roz Jones – Bangor University

Roz Jones indicated that a few PHDs are being undertaken at Bangor University with software companies. Bangor University has also launched new marketing and innovation PHD’s.

Dr Hasting McKenzie’s Presentation “OpTIC Technium and Beyond: a Model for Developing Sector Specific Skills and Research Capacity”

The presentation can be downloaded from BIC Innovation’s website.

An active discussion was undertaken following the presentation focussing on successful collaboration, Welsh Assembly Government Support and Sector and Non-Sector Specific Techniums.

Huw Watkins – BIC Innovation

The next INPART meeting will be held at the Food Technology Centre, Llangefni on the 3 rd of September 2008. Delegates will have the opportunity of a tour of the facilities including the new walk-in blast freezer and bottling machinery.

Members of the partnership will be able to download the minutes of the INPART meetings from BIC Innovation’s website: www.bic-innovation.com