David Brown

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David Brown
Innovation and Knowledge Transfer on the ground
the regional dimension
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The modern industrial economy originated in
regional technology-based clusters..
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The shift to the regions

• Devolution of responsibility to the regional
  level is more recent than in, for instance,
  Germany or the US
• Recognition of the knowledge base as a key but
  often under-utilised asset in achieving
  economic transformation
• Culture change in universities and RD providers
  makes them more open to working with business
• BUT its challenging...
• Serious shortfalls in RD investment in several
  UK regions
• Loss of ground in supply of skilled talent
• Patchy industry-science links
• Industrial change in some sectors has damaged the
  ability to understand and apply RT and
  exacerbated skills shortages
• Lack of capacity at regional level

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Addressing the challenge is the task of RDAs

• Creation of regional development agencies - 1999
• Knowledge transfer and innovation as engines for
  economic development
• But how?
• Systematic strategy
• Regional Science Industry Councils
• Science Cities
• Clusters
• A steep learning curve for all the RDAs

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Trigger DIAMOND the Northwest science base

• Loss of the only major non-university public RD
  institute in the NW?
• Hugely damaging negative message about science
  outsidethe Golden Triangle
• Long hard look at the regional science base and
  its links to industry
• NW Science Review
• NW Science and Daresbury Development Group
• RDAs valuable role - facilitating, building
  consensus, taking action

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Public sector science, technology innovation
2000-05
North East Set foundation for 200m research-led
regional strategy advised on Science Industry
Council later work on nanotechnology, process
industries, speciality chemicals, flexible
polymer electronics
Northern Way Assessment of the knowledge base
scoping for proposed new RD initiatives
North West Invented concept of regional Science
Council to bring research and users together -
now national policy assessed significance of
science base and its industry links drafted
Regional Science Strategy work on bioscience,
business support, medical imaging, healthcare,
biotechnology nuclear supported merger of two
major universities to create world player
Yorkshire Humber RD base review 2-year
programme to provide forecasting, technology
awareness and access to RD for five key
industries (digital, chemicals, engineering, etc)
East of England One of Europes
highest-performing RD regions and ADLs UK base.
Assessment of research and innovation strengths
establishment of Science Industry Council
planning of major ICT sector development
business infrastructure review
East Midlands Review of private sector RD
appraisal of support for six vital industries
West Midlands Detailed audit of the research and
innovation base across universities, institutions
and key sectors
London Four staff seconded to help run Londons
innovation programme assessment of RD assets
innovation culture life science and innovation
funding schemes
South West Review of science knowledge base and
new business provision renewable energy status
and forecast trends for key knowledge-based
sectors
South East Appraisal of support for business
innovation in the Thames Gateway Europes
largest development area of its kind case
studies of regional award winners
Central Government Direct advice to the Minister
for Science study of regulation-innovation links
globally support for international trade
Examples only this list is not exhaustive
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Science Industry Councils

• The Regional Science Council concept was
  developed for the Northwest
• The key need was to bring stakeholders together
  at the strategic level
• Relatively few individuals are needed in order
  to access the great majority of the RD base
• Key aims
• establish common understanding, followed by
  common needs and priorities
• drive the development and delivery of a
  systematic science strategy
• agree and present a united front to Government
• identify and develop opportunities for
  collaboration
• unlock
• In the Northwest, a united front was crucial in
  securing Ministers support
• Rolled out nationally at Lord Sainsburys
  instigation

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The boldest commitment was in the North East
Strategy for Success

• The North East aimed to develop a knowledge
  economy, reducing dependence on declining
  sectors
• Regional commitment
• Focus on growth clusters, including
  lifesciences, digital industries,
  specialitychemicals and pharmaceutical
  manufacture
• Review commissioned on Making the most of the
  North Easts research base
• Strategy for Success with very substantial
  funding commitments
• Public investment approaching 200m over 5 years
• 5 Centres of Excellence including CPI, NaREC

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Science Cities and sub-regional action

• Science Cities
• Clear brand and identity
• Innovation for quality of life
• Demonstrators
• High Technology Corridors
• Make new connections- business and science
• Physical sites
• Science parks
• Grow-on
• Incubation
• Hubs

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Conditions for business success
Entrepreneurship Attitudes to risk Aspirations Rep
utation
Sites premises Incubation facilities Science
parks Business parks Access ICT
Continuum of finance Different stages Different
scales Different business types
Scientific technical Business Technicians Contra
ctors Skills development CPD / training
Market data Business support Mentoring Networks Co
ntacts Technology intelligence IP advice
Regulation Policy Career alternatives Investment
promotion
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Clusters

• Cluster and sector support shown to be potent as
  innovation drivers
• Cambridge (x2)
• Northern Italy
• Most regions identified key clusters
• Cluster support organizations varying widely in
  impact, scale, credibility and success
• Success depends on realism and focus
• Successful examples
• regional aerospace alliances
• motorsport
• bioscience clusters - ERBI, BioNow
• Chemistry-based clusters in 3 northern regions
  and Scotland

West Midlands clusters Aerospace Automotive Buildi
ng Technologies Business and Professional
Services Environmental Technologies Food
and Drink Interiors and Lifestyle ICT Manufacturin
g Medical Technologies Rail Screen Image and
Sound Tourism and Leisure
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Does it work?

• Example the NE process industries
• 2001 Strategy for Success focus on process
  sector as NE strength
• Creation of Centre for Process Innovation
• Cluster support high volume pharms and
  specialities merged to form NEPIC
• 2003 outlook bleak after two decades of
  closures up to 11,000 job losses anticipated
• 2008 NEPIC 430 members 1.5 bn investmentsin
  4 years with up to 7bn in pipeline est.13,000
  jobs by 2015
• Challenge finding the people!

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Key lessons are common across the regions

• Focus on distinctive strengths dont play
  catch-up
• e.g. oncology in Manchester, renewable energy in
  NE, plant biotechnology in Yorkshire
• Put business at the centre
• Build stakeholder consensus around agreed
  objectives
• Use/establish effective networks centred on
  credible individuals
• Extend and enhance industry-research base
  relationships
• Reduce duplication and confusion among policy
  interventions
• Build systematic exploitation capacity

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The most important factor of all is people

• Knowledge transfer is still a body contact sport
• UK and overseas experience clearly shows that
  innovation policy measures work best if mediated
  through people
• The key to success - individuals who are credible
  with business and who understand the research
  base
• Informal as well as formal networks play a vital
  part

The rapid and informal diffusion of ideas and
information through social channels is considered
a major factor in the success of many of the
worlds most competitive regions such as Silicon
Valley in the US and Emilia Romagna in Italy.
Lena Tsipouri, University of Athens
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Does it work?

• Businesses perceptions of their region (strong
  positives)

Good at putting ideas into practice?
Networks in place to support business?
Ipsos MORI for AWM, 2007
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Does it work?

• Businesses perceptions of their region (strong
  positives)

Entrepreneurial spirit?
Changing for the better?
Ipsos MORI for AWM, 2007
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Professional scientific / engineering communities

• Weaknesses
• Patchy links between bodies
• Apathy
• Lack of sense of mission
• Some regional activity moribund or usual
  suspects
• Age profile
• Little money

• Strengths
• People!
• Existing networks
• Access to wide (inter)national knowledge base
• Enthusiasts
• Renewed commitment to collaboration
• ..and to regional support
• Hence e.g. role in KTNs

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Suggestions

• Encourage individual members / staff to engage
  with cluster and sector support initiatives
  e.g. as mentors, brokers, advocates
• RDA innovation directors as first points of
  contact
• Representation on cluster leadership teams,
  Science City bodies, regional skills
  partnerships, etc
• Connect regional to national initiatives e.g. in
  STEM education
• Spread knowledge of best practice and proven
  ideas
• Joint events with e.g. cluster bodies
• Use house publications to encourage regional
  involvement
• And in so doing, raise our regional activity and
  give it a purpose
• Do it together inter-organization co-operation
• A dual objective
• enhanced innovation performance in business
• a really vibrant professional engineering and
  scientific community at the regional level.