Frances Tanner

Eleven potential new #EastMidlands businesses are a step closer to becoming reality after being chosen to join the first VentureVersity Commercial Accelerator. VentureVersity is an initiative aimed at accelerating pathways for the development of university-generated intellectual property (IP) and ideas across the University of Leicester, Loughborough University and De Montfort University. The programme has been funded by Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund, with a £330k grant. The eleven VentureVersity finalists will have access to seed investment and will benefit from a five-month intensive accelerator programme led by entrepreneur and coach Denis Oakley FRSA and Leicester Startups to help them develop their business idea. VentureVersity was launched in November 2023 as part of the Leicester Business Festival. 👉 It kicked off with three mixer sessions, one held at each university, to enable academics/researchers to come together with businesses and students to pitch their IP/ideas. 👉 More than 200 people came along to the events, and a total of 38 proposals were pitched by researchers and academics. 👉 From the 38 proposals, 26 teams completed a pre-accelerator training programme of workshops, mentoring and 1-2-1 support run over eight weeks. 👉 The pre accelerator culminated with all pitching for a place on the accelerator and seed investment. Of the 26 ideas, the judges chose the final 11 winning ideas. VentureVersity harnesses the resources and support from each university and in addition provides resources, including seed capital, to catalyse the IP commercialisation process, including activities such as market research, business planning, technology and market development. The implementation and achievements of the model will be evaluated and recorded to create a scalable framework that can be deployed nationwide. William Wells Nick Gostick Anjuu Trevedi MBE Sam Larke Ben Ravilious Manish Verma Pete Hitchings Rajinder Bhuhi 🍀

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Pleased that our paper that details how CEIC Wales has supported the development of #innovation skills and the #implementation of #circulareconomy principles across the region, has been published in the @Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy & Society. We posit the Welsh Government Beyond Recycling (2021) strategy as as a Mission-orientated Innovation System (Mazzucato, 2013).  We suggest that CEIC Wales, and programmes like it, can both help operationalise and implement strategy within Mission-orientated Innovation Systems (MIS). https://lnkd.in/eXBuJfxK

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📢 The VocTech Challenge IMPACT NETWORK + GRANT FUND opens TOMORROW (11 June) 💡 Join a network of organisations working alongside each other as part of an active, expert-led programme designed to create connections, share knowledge, test assumptions and accelerate adoption and deployment. 💰 Grants of £200-£250K for collaborative applications and bold ideas for how tech can tackle one of 3 specific challenges and help to #GetAdultsLearning. 1. Employer integration: How can technology be used to integrate and reflect employers’ changing needs so that the skills of the available workforce better reflect the needs of local employers? 2. Pathways into and within work: How can technology be used to increase the visibility, accessibility and uptake of pathways from learning into work, or from one type of work into another, particularly in regional growth sectors? 3. Vocational language barriers: How can technology be used to support adults with in-demand vocational skills, but who don’t speak English as their first language, gain the industry-specific English required by employers? #grants #skills #edtech #voctech

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This week I am in #Chesterfield for the thinkingplace event #placepizzazz - over 100 delegates from local government, BIDs, DMOs and other place practitioners. First up - Martin Reeves - Chief Exec Oxfordshire County Council - draws attention to big context shifts in which place operates: 1) Acknowledging disconnection - acknowledge how many people feel disconnected from politics and power - or power to affect change in their lives - what can we do to create compelling and coherent place narratives? 2) Defining a role for local government - legally is bound to improve “place” - shout that “PLACE!” - local government should be place champions - stimulate transformation - even when knowing when others are better placed to lead the change - which means understanding when to let go and let local business and communities lead. Martin urges local government to stop placing things in boxes and recognise the fuzziness of place. If not local government then who are the critcal partners in your place to shape and tell the story? 3) Finally - we need to bin some myths about place narratives - ego, marketing, logos, brands, slogans, taglines - and focus more on the deep DNA of place and allowing passion for place to emerge. Interesting how few people in the room are confident their leadership can amplify the power of their place - fewer than 1 in 3 out of 100+ delegates according to Martin’s poll. The one thing that hasn’t changed over time - the uniqueness and resilience of places - and the potential for place leaders to step up from all communities. Interestingly - Martin is clear on the importance of hyper-locality. Everyday and ordinary place attributes which have meaning to people. Institute of Place Management

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Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Outlines Key Priorities for the next West Midlands   As we approach the West Midlands Mayoral election on 2nd May 2024, FSB has put together a Mayoral Manifesto to help the candidates understand the challenges faced by our members across the West Midlands Combined Authority catchment area, namely; #Birmingham, #Solihull, #Coventry, #Wolverhampton, #Walsall, #Dudley and #Sandwell. This Manifesto outlines areas the Mayor could tackle to help aid small businesses and bolster inclusive growth. This year marks FSB’s 50th anniversary, having been established in 1974 to help our members succeed in business - we are a non-profit making and non-party political organisation that’s led by our members, for our members. In the #WestMidlands we are a trusted voice for small business with more than 10,000 members across the region. We aim to represent anyone and everyone running a business or with aspirations to start a business. With SMEs making up over 99.6% of the indigenous 254,640 enterprises in the West Midlands, 253,575 (99.6 per cent) are small and medium-sized enterprises and, of these, more than 84.2 per cent are sole traders and micro businesses (employing 0-9 employees), it’s easy to see that the West Midlands economy will not be able to boost productivity, tackle the climate emergency or have inclusive growth without small businesses. Small businesses are not only at the heart of the West Midlands economy, they are also at the heart of West Midlands communities. They create local jobs, grow and keep wealth within a local economy and provide vital local services. Our small businesses support communities in the good times and, as we have seen, stick around when the going is not so good. Our manifesto suggests ways that small businesses can help the Mayor create a thriving West Midlands, a successful economy and vibrant communities.   https://lnkd.in/e8ERHqh3 Linsey MIED Mike Goodall Lee Osborne Sue...Sue Tonks Hollie Whittles Rob Harrison Hemant Kalidas Ray Hickinbottom- Supporting Small Businesses Lianne Phillips FSB- Helping Small Businesses Grow Roger Poynton

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FAREWELL TO DOCTORAL THESES Over the last decade and a half I've read numerous complete theses and parts of countless others - my work in this area has involved mentoring the authors and providing development editing. I've had the pleasure of working with several talented authors - take a bow, Dr Rehan Hussain, Miying Yang, Bingqing "BQ" Zhao, and Neil Titchener (to name just a sample). But last week, having just finished work on a particularly well-written thesis, I decided that I'd had enough of the genre. There are, after all, plenty of other genres I want to find more time to read - especially detective fiction, travel writing, and comic novels. And, in my professional work, I want to focus more on the spoken word - presentations, pitches, podcasting, and so on. On which, more anon. PS During my work on doctoral theses I've created many resources for authors. I've decided to keep them online a while longer - mostly at http://frontinus.org.uk/ and https://lnkd.in/esSvwfPn, #theses #authorship #researchwriting

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🚀 Exciting Funding Opportunity: Innovate UK SMART Grant Deadline – 22nd January 2025 🚀 Attention Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Game-Changers! 🌟 The Innovate UK SMART Grant is your chance to turn bold ideas into groundbreaking realities. This grant supports game-changing, disruptive ideas with the potential for significant economic impact and global reach. Whether you're in AI, biotechnology, advanced materials, or any other cutting-edge field, this grant could provide the funding you need to bring your innovative project to life. Here’s a quick overview: ✔ What is it? A competitive grant offering funding for innovative projects across any technology or industry sector. ✔ What’s it for? Supporting disruptive innovations with the potential for rapid commercialisation and global impact. ✔ Who can apply? UK-registered organisations, from start-ups to SMEs, as well as academic partners and industry collaborations. 💡 Tips for a Successful Application: 1️⃣ Understand the Criteria: Focus on the project's innovation, market potential, and societal impact. 2️⃣ Be Clear and Concise: Clearly articulate why your idea is game-changing and how it addresses a market need. 3️⃣ Build a Strong Team: Demonstrate the expertise, resources, and partnerships to deliver your vision. 4️⃣ Don’t Skip the Details: Include robust plans for project management, risk mitigation, and expected outcomes. 5️⃣ Engage Stakeholders Early: Collaborate with potential customers, partners, and funders to validate your idea. 📩 Need Support? Applying for funding can be complex, but you don’t have to go it alone! At Straplan, we can assist with everything from eligibility checks and proposal writing to creating a winning pitch deck. Let’s ensure your application stands out. The deadline is fast approaching – 22nd January 2025 – so now’s the time to take action! Let’s innovate together. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need support with your application. #Innovation #SMARTGrant #InnovateUK #FundingOpportunity #UKBusiness #Entrepreneurship #TechInnovation #BusinessGrowth #GrantFunding #DisruptiveInnovation #Straplan #Networking

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Just attended a fantastic bid writing workshop with Macc (Manchester Community Central) yesterday. This is a great opportunity for anyone in the voluntary, community, or social enterprise sector in Manchester. We learned valuable tips on crafting compelling bids to help funding applications stand out and boost success rates. Here are my key takeaways: ✅ Be Detailed: Clearly explain your project/organisation's "why" and "what." You will be very familiar with exactly what your project does, when and with who, but a funder needs to see this detail. ✅Align with Funder Criteria: Know what the funders are looking for and make sure you address all their points. Make a list of the criteria so you can check you’ve hit each point. ✅Evidence your impact: Show the tangible impact you're making with data and stories. It was inspiring to connect with other participants leading amazing voluntary and community projects. Highly recommend checking out future workshops from Manchester Community Central! https://lnkd.in/eTMSpa_r #funding #grants #nonprofit #manchester #charityfunding

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Interested in finding out how LORIC can support B2B businesses? Read the first blog in our new series of updates- LORIC Supports...B2B

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NCUK welcomes the independent findings of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), that the Graduate Route remain in place in its current form, and we urge the Government to quickly accept this recommendation and provide a stable offer to international students. International students are incredibly important, valuable and welcome temporary residents in the UK and politicising the Graduate Route is not helpful to anyone. It seems incomprehensible that the UK would remove the right for international students - students who bring many benefits to the UK, including boosting the economy by £42 billion - to stay and work for a period of time in the UK. It would financially harm our towns and cities across the UK - the net benefit to the UK Exchequer was estimated to be £70 million in the Graduate route’s first year - and changes introduced earlier this year to prevent Masters’ students bringing dependants have already had a big effect on reducing international student numbers.   Post-study work is an essential part of the UK’s offer to international students and to our ability to compete as an attractive study destination. In a recent survey NCUK conducted around the graduate intentions of our pathway students currently studying with our university partners, 81% of those studying in the UK value the opportunity to gain graduate work experience in the UK before they return to their home country. The top reasons for this being that students believe this will give them better career opportunities in the future, better access to specialised professional networks, and better potential for higher future earnings. NCUK are committed to empowering our international students to achieve their ambitions to transform their futures, and the Graduate Route must be retained in its current form. Well done to Universities UK, Universities UK International, UKCISA and so many others across the sector for making the case for the Graduate Route. #WeAreInternational #TransformingFutures Jamie Arrowsmith Anne-Marie Graham Stuart Smith Sophie Hogan Amy Baker Phil Baty Chris Havergal Nic Mitchell Mark Garratt FCIM Malcolm Butler James Richardson Shivani Bhalla Dr Anthony Manning Diana Beech Anna Zvagule Catriona McCarthy Vivienne Stern Jo Johnson Simon Emmett Rachel MacSween Ruth Arnold

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There are so many challenges facing our local councils. We can all play a part in helping them to understand how they can reform and transform how services are delivered. Interesting read from the Accounts Commission.

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We’re always looking for ways to make our forecasts more accessible and usable as well as more accurate. The Local Authority Climate Service aims to help decision makers see what they might need to prepare for in their local area #climate

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Great to be on this podcast episode, a very hot subject for businesses at the moment. Do give it a listen and please share with anyone who might find it useful 💡 #SkillsEngland #apprenticeships #Labour #Apprenticeshiplevy

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Looking forward to the Royal Society of Edinburgh event this event exploring productivity policies in Scotland and the UK. Particularly keen to explore how we ensure that productivity is used as a vehicle towards an economy which addresses societal need. Currently reading Innovation for the Masses (Neil Lee) and couldn't help but reflect on the links between innovation and productivity, with several countries who have prioritised innovation, leveraging this to address levels of productivity and explore how the benefits can be shared across society. Good to consider some of the early pilot work in areas such as Universal Basic Income and where we can look to further consider the impact of productivity gains as a vehicle for change.

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Government Office for Science have a survey open on 'What Affects Your Engagement with the UK Government'. The survey is open to anyone within the academic community and they would especially welcome the views of academic researchers. The survey is divided into five main sections: (1) engaging with UK government, (2) working with the UK Civil Service, (3) defining what a mid-career scientist is and attracting them into the Civil Service permanently, (4) user information, and (5) further evidence gathering. The survey will close at 5pm on Friday 16 August. https://lnkd.in/grDY-4Yh #research

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🚨 Brrp, brrp FREE STUFF for your business (including cash money) this is not a drill 🚨 Anyone with a business or business idea knows it's a bit tough to find support, even tougher to find some grant money to get ideas rolling - well, lookie here, something *NEW* with a bit of both. Like finding some hen's teeth in a rocking horse's nappy... It's for #creative and #digital businesses and you can apply from next week. Check out the details from Lynn 👇 (if anyone knows about getting some top-tier support to stick a rocket up the bum of your business it's her!) #businesssupport #creativeanddigital #funding

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As the UK approaches the upcoming general election, the contrasting climate policies of our leading parties will immensely shape our economic landscape. The race to Net Zero is a focal point, where Conservative and Labour visions diverge, each crafting a distinctly different blueprint for the UK's pathway to a green economy. Labour's commitment to aggressive Net Zero targets aligns with calls for a robust interventionist role, championing expansive green public investments and strengthening environmental regulations. Their strategy forecasts leveraging significant Government initiatives to expedite the transition towards sustainable industries, potentially harmonising environmental benefits with the surge in labour market demands. Conversely, the Conservative stance traditionally emphasises the free market's role, proposing a less interventionist, but incentives-driven approach aiming to cultivate private innovation and investments within the green sector. Their policy positions suggest a belief in guiding but not steering the economy toward its Net Zero ambitions, underscoring the importance of competitiveness and private enterprise in the ecological transformation. Irrespective of the approach, the economic stakes are high, with Net Zero translating into a golden ticket for the UK's prosperity. Whichever direction the election sways, embracing a green agenda can potentially unlock an extra £90 billion GDP boost by 2030 and a surge in employment, with up to 1.7 million new job openings by 2050 in green industries. Industry transformation, electric vehicles, renewable energy solutions, and innovative low-carbon technologies bear the promise of reinvigorating communities and perpetuating economic robustness. It is imperative that our next government's policy framework aligns with these aspirations to ensure the UK emerges a forerunner in the global shift, converting climate pledges into a narrative of economic success. This election is more than a political contest; it's a deciding moment for our economic and environmental future. Now is the time to champion a roadmap that confidently bridges Net Zero with national prosperity. 🚀🌍🇬🇧 Matthew Adams Mark Constable ⚡️Jordan Marie Brompton Ben Kilbey Quentin Willson REA James Court Claire Coutinho Aidan Stimson #NetZero #EconomicGrowth #GreenRevolution #GeneralElection #ClimatePolicy #Labour #Conservatives #LibDem #ElectricVehicles #InvestorConfidence #Solar #OffshoreWind #EnergySecurity

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This is such an amazing platform in so many ways

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