CHAMBER NEWS


THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM SPONSORED BY:


Chamber sets out its criteria for Government


Free support to enable innovation


By Steve Upcraft Enabling Innovation Director, The University of Nottingham


Small businesses in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are now able to access free innovation support through a new programme being run by the University of Derby, Nottingham Trent University and The University of Nottingham. The aim of the programme,


called Enabling Innovation, is to stimulate research and innovation within small and medium-sized businesses in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The programme provides


help for businesses in sectors such as manufacturing, materials engineering, computing and data, aerospace, food and drink, chemistry and satellite navigation – offering unprecedented access to university expertise and graduate talent. The three universities will be


offering a wide range of services for businesses through Enabling Innovation, including:


· In-depth support from academic experts.


· Workshop programmes designed to help businesses to innovate, explore new ideas and unlock their growth potential.


· Leadership and management development, including mentoring.


· Support for businesses to take on graduates via placement opportunities, allowing them to explore the benefits of employing graduates.


The project has been funded via the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), using funds secured by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).


Businesses interested in finding out about the support offered through Enabling Innovation should visit www.enablinginnovation.org.uk


Scott Knowles 16 business network June 2017


Success for the new Government will be judged on five key criteria, according to the biggest business- representation organisation in the Midlands. Brexit and securing trade deals with the EU,


Commonwealth and other countries and trading blocs will be just one of them. But the Chamber says the new Government must


not allow momentum to be lost on domestic issues during negotiations to establish Britain’s independent global status.


‘We need to boost productivity and business competitiveness by Government supporting businesses from the ground up’


And it has published its list of priorities against which


it believes electoral candidates should be judged. Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at the Chamber,


said: “We have a unique opportunity now to develop an ambitious vision for what a successful UK outside of the EU can look like and the key attributes of the economy that we want to underpin this. “The next Government must deliver a bold and


clear blueprint for economic policy that allows the business community to continue to create success and prosperity locally, nationally and, through trade, around the world. “Even the best Brexit deal will be of little use if


businesses continue to face skills shortages, gridlocked roads, poor digital and mobile connectivity, high upfront taxes and costs and other constraints resulting from inaction or ignorance in Westminster and Whitehall. “We need to boost productivity and business


competitiveness by Government supporting businesses from the ground up,” he said. The five key criteria listed in a manifesto published by the Chamber are:


• To deliver a globally-competitive business environment by closing the skills gap without encumbering businesses with ever-higher upfront costs


• To create local growth by unlocking the potential of business communities through devolution and maintaining the place-based focus of the Industrial Strategy


• To guarantee investment in digital and physical infrastructure such as major road and rail projects and utilising capacity at regional airports


• To support export initiatives and increase investment in trade missions to encourage more firms to export or expand in overseas markets


• To work with businesses to secure the best possible Brexit deal and access to workers with the skills needed to ensure UK success.


Scott added: “The big danger is that local, regional and national domestic issues could be put on the back-burner as Government focuses on a whole new raft of relationships between an independent UK and countries around the world. “And while those deals are crucial to Britain’s future


success, so is making sure we have the infrastructure, backing for innovation and skills needed to compete on an international scale, and that means making sure that UK plc, through domestic investment, sends a message to the world that it will continue to be open for business post-Brexit.”


To view the Chamber’s eight-page manifesto, Brexit and beyond – priorities for the new Government please visit bit.ly/EMCManifesto


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