Issued by University of Leicester Press Office
Wednesday 6th June 2012
University of Leicester serves up recipe for business success
Innovation Partnership Showcase, Thursday 5th July at the Leicester
Marriott Hotel
Reggae Reggae Sauce inventor Levi Roots will add some Caribbean sunshine with a splash of sauce, a dash of business advice and tablespoon of inspiration to this year’s University of Leicester Innovation Partnership Showcase event on 5th July. This timely gathering atLeicester’s Marriott Hotel is designed to give the region’s businesses insight, know-how and confidence to not only survive but thrive in very difficult economic times. The canny inventor and survivor of Dragons’ Den will describe his entrepreneurial journey and encourage guests to look to the University for the kind of practical help needed to move from idea to income.
Levi Roots will be joined by four regional business owners describing how they worked with the University through Innovation Partnerships project and the difference it has made to their business. Sheridan & Co based in Market Harborough is working with the Chemistry Department to find a green alternative to MDF for their bespoke shop-fittings; an internship at Inspiration Healthcare of Leicester introduced Social Media marketing capabilities to the company; Hunter Systems of Nottingham was helped to convert its software making it suitable to be run and hosted from within the cloud, and Lutterworth-based Eartheat used a secondment route to learn how to develop and implement their marketing strategy. In all cases, the companies can quantify the increase in sales, profitability, jobs created and operational efficiencies.
With contributions from publisher David Simms, Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Kevin Schürer and Stuart Creedy of the Department for Communities and Local Government, the audience will be better equipped to gather the best information, advice and understanding on how to access further support. There will be time for making new business contacts as well as tapping into the resources of professional services firms exhibiting during the event.
In order to extend the impact of Showcase beyond the 250 business owners, inventors and entrepreneurs who are expected to attend, the University has partnered with video-conferencing experts Long Eaton based company and Innovation Partnerships beneficiaries Questmark to broadcast the event live across the web. Not only will more business owners benefit from being able to log in and participate, but the environmental aims of the Innovation Partnerships project will be further enhanced by a reduction in travel.
Anjuu Trevedi, Innovation Partnerships project director at theUniversityofLeicester, said: “it is really gratifying to see how many companies we have worked with already and practically helped to deliver business led solutions. The team worked hard to put the right people together and make it easier to engage and access our academic experts from across the University including the School of Management, Computer Science, Chemistry, Maths and Engineering, . This gathering is about telling others just what is possible when world-class research is applied to solve business challenges for companies around theEast Midlands.”
Professor Kevin Schürer, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research andEnterpriseat theUniversityofLeicestersays: “The companies we work with, and the changes they have made, are practical proof of how theUniversityofLeicesteris using its expertise and excellence in research to support them to grow and reach their potential.”
Innovation Partnerships is a University of Leicester scheme, part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, offering up to 100% funded support to SMEs in the East Midlands to tackle some of the major resource and environmental efficiency challenges of today e.g. helping to cut their carbon footprint by identify solutions to reduce energy and materials consumption, use/develop sustainable materials and energy sources, send less to landfill.
Places for this free breakfast event can be booked at www.hollandalexander.com/innovationpart
To join the event online, go to http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ebdo/events
ENDS
Issued by Louise Third
Integra Communications
0115 912 4350
louise@integracommunications.co.uk
Ather Mirza –UniversityofLeicester
Tel: +44 (0) 116 252 2415
Email: pressoffice@le.ac.uk
Fax: +44 (0) 116 252 2485
Out of Hours Mobile: 07711 927821
UniversityofLeicesterExpertise:
http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/research-expertise
Notes to Editors:
More information on the University of Leicester Enterprise and Business Development Office is available from Ms Anjuu Trevedi, Head of Regional Business Engagement, tel 0116 252 3354, email Anjuu.trevedi@leciester.ac.uk.
More information on Innovation Partnerships, ERDF funded project can be found at www.le.ac.uk/innovationpartnerships
About ERDF nationally
The ERDF Programme aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by supporting regional economic development.
The ERDF objectives forEnglandare:
- Promoting innovation and knowledge transfer
- Stimulating enterprise and supporting successful business
- Ensuring sustainable development, production and consumption
- Building sustainable communities
- Improving accessibility and connectivity (forCornwalland the Isles of Scilly only – as part of their Convergence Programme).
A Programme Monitoring Committee consisting of regional stakeholders such as Government Offices, RDAs, Regional Assemblies, Local Authorities, Sub-regional Partnerships, Higher Education Institutions, Trade Unions, and the private and voluntary sectors will monitor and oversee programme implementation in each region.
For more information on ERDF funding generally, please visit www.communities.gov.uk/citiesandregions/european or http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funds/feder/index_en.htm
About ERDF in the East Midlands
TheEast Midlandsis eligible for €268.5m between 2007 and 2013, which when combined with match funding, provides a programme value of approximately €537m – a significant investment in the economic development of the region.
TheEast Midlandsqualifies as a competitiveness and employment region under the EU’s Cohesion Policy, which aims to meet the EU Lisbon objective to become ‘the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social inclusion.’
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is responsible for the programme management and delivery of the region’s 2007-13 ERDF Competitiveness Programme. The responsibility for ERDF programme management was transferred from the Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM) to emda following a decision by the UK Government to seek greater alignment between ERDF and regional strategies and funding streams. The 2007-13 ERDF Programme is therefore set firmly within the framework of the Regional Economic Strategy.
A Programme Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Regional Director of Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM), guides the strategic direction of the programme and works closely with emda.
To find out more about ERDF, the region’s strategy for delivering the funds, how to apply for funding and how the programme is managed, please visit www.eastmidlandserdf.org.uk