Production Park which hosted yesterday's Innovate Local West Yorkshire was a very different venue from the Great Victoria Hotel in Bradford or Dean Clough Mills in Halifax where previous Innovate UK Local events had been held. Production Park describes itself as "a curated community of studios, technology and talent," It claims to have "helped the world’s biggest artists, brands, companies and channels produce world tours, shows, product launches, films and more." It is also an educational institution offering courses leading to first and postgraduate degrees in subjects relating to Production Park's activities,
As it is located on an industrial estate in South Kirkby, Production Park is not easy to find. Google Maps led me through residential streets and country lanes before delivering me to my destination. By the time I arrived, every space in the car park had been taken, so I parked in the widest and quietest part of the street, several hundred yards from the entrance.
However, the moment I entered the room where the plenary sessions were taking place I could see why that venue had been chosen. The room was cavernous. It seemed as big as an aircraft hangar. Tables lining the walls were occupied by exhibitors and caterers. Several flights of stairs led to the ceiling, An enormous screen projected images of the speakers who were seated on a dais overlooking the audience. Two years ago I attended the opening of Aria Studios just outside Llangefni (see Jane Lambert Aria Studios - its Importance to Northwest Wales 29 Jan 2023 NIPC Wales). Production Park was on a completely different scale.
The day began with a welcome from Megan Kearns, Knowledge Transfer Manager - Place (Local Partnerships), Jim Farnery, Director of External Affairs at Production Park, Sarah Bowes, Head of Business Innovation and Inclusive Economy at West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Lee Viney, Regional Manager at Innovate UK (Yorkshire & Humber and the North East). They were followed by representatives of business support agencies in a session called "The Power of the Ecosystem in West Yorkshire."
In a Q&A session, my former MP, Jason McCartney, observed that the increase in defence spending announced by the Prime Minister was a business opportunity. He set up a company earlier this year that trades as Innovate Yorkshire, According to its LinkedIn page, "Innovate Yorkshire is dedicated to helping businesses, charities, and organisations across Yorkshire and the North of England navigate complex challenges and unlock new opportunities." He said that local companies were already winning defence business.
The last plenary session before lunch was called "My Business Innovation Journey," A panel of local business owners who had been assisted by Innovate UK were interviewed by a moderator about their dealings with Innovate UK. They also took questions from the floor, The industries represented ranged from medical devices to digital marketing.
Our buffet lunch was tasty, I chose couscous, prawns, salmon, mackerel strips, vegetables and onion bhajis. I shared a table with Thierry Delange, Business Development Director of RTC North. In Rise & Design in Marshall Mills on 28 Feb 2024, I noted that RTC North describes itself as "one of Europe’s leading technology transfer companies with a trusted reputation for delivering services in innovation and business growth." During the lunch break, I visited the stands of ClimbUK, Leeds University Nexus, Leeds Beckett University's Knowledge Exchange, Trio and Innovate UK. I was particularly interested to learn about Innovate UK's "No Limits" programme.
After lunch, we were offered the choice of three breakout sessions between 14:00 and 14:45:
- Driving Your Business Forwards: Innovate UK Business Growth;
- Financing Your Business Innovation Journey; and
- No Limits To Innovation: Breaking Barriers and Building Futures.
- Creative Innovation Powering West Yorkshire;
- Empowering Innovation: Meet the Associates; and
- Powering HealthTech Innovation: Unlocking West Yorkshire’s Ecosystem.
