“Customers seek
out companies that offer
added value” – Barry Dodd,
chairman of GSM Group,
on the importance
of innovation
THE pROGRAMMES WILL
ENGINEERING
NOT
“
ONL

Y HELp COMpANIES
DEVELOp SpECIFIC pIECES
OF INNOVATION, THEY WILL
pOTENTIALLY CREATE
LASTING RELATIONSHIpS
INNOVATION.
BETWEEN BUSINESSES
“
AND KNOWLEDGE BASED
INSTITUTIONS
over three years. Yorkshire Forward assistant director – business
Jim Farmery says: “In order for innovation to have a really major
INNOVATION AWARDS
impact upon the region’s economy it is important that it is widely
embraced. However, business expenditure on research and Yorkshire and Humber’s most innovative companies
development in Yorkshire and Humber, expressed as a percentage and individuals will be celebrated in the second annual
of GVA, is currently the lowest for all UK regions. These new
regional innovation awards hosted by Yorkshire Forward
initiatives will help to increase investment in R&D by providing
on 5 March.
companies with the support they need.
“The programmes will not only help companies develop
A record number of entries have been received for the
specific pieces of innovation, they will potentially create lasting
prestigious Innovator/09 awards, which is backed by the
relationships between businesses and knowledge based IoD, CBI, Technology Strategy Board, Research Councils
institutions that will have much longer lasting innovation benefits UK, UKTI and Business Link Yorkshire.
for our region.”
Dodd adds: “The majority of companies find it very difficult to
This year winners across six new categories will be
take that first step towards innovation, that’s why the two new
presented with prizes of £3,000 that they can use to
services being offered by Yorkshire Forward are so important.
further their innovation.
They will help our region’s companies take those vital first steps.
Guest speaker for the prestigious awards ceremony
All they have to do to get started is understand their own business
at Leeds Town Hall will be European business guru Dr
and how they would like it to be.
Jonas Ridderstråle. Ranked 13th in the 2007 Thinkers
“In the current climate, innovative companies will find it that
much easier to survive. The message we need to get across to the
50 – the world’s first ranking of management thinkers
vast majority of companies in Yorkshire and Humber is it’s never
– Ridderstråle is widely admired for his fresh take on
too late to start.”
contemporary business life.
www.businesslink.co.uk/yorkshire
www.yorkshire-forward.com/innovator09
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