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Press Release 22 October 2007 - Innovation, Inspiration, Information

COMING TOGETHER AT A MAJOR CONFERENCE

A major conference and exhibition in November aims to help businesses transform innovative ideas into real products and services – and will show companies how they can get help and support in moving ‘from mind to market’

Innovate07, which will take place in London on 8 November, is hosted by the Technology Strategy Board, the government-funded body that promotes and supports the research, development and exploitation of technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business.

Innovate07 will be of interest to managing directors and senior executives from business and to science and research organisations – indeed to anyone with an interest in using innovation and technology to create new products and services.

In addition to addressing the issue of transforming ideas into new products, processes and services, the conference will look at how networks involving companies, research organisations, academia and public bodies can help to accelerate innovation.  The conference will also explore the funding and services that are available to help companies.

The conference will also consider the recent Sainsbury Review of the government’s science and technology policies, entitled “Race to the Top”. The review recommended an enhanced role for the Technology Strategy Board and charged it with the co-ordination of publicly funded technology and innovation activities.  This was followed by an announcement that the Board is to receive funding in excess of £1 billion over the next three years to help support business-focussed research and development.

“Innovate07 – From Mind to Market” will be hosted by Declan Curry, BBC Breakfast’s business editor and will feature a number of high-profile speakers including Sebastian Conran (Conran & Partners), Steve Bold (Sharp Laboratories), Graham Spittle and Iain Gray (Technology Strategy Board Chairman and Chief Executive) and a senior government minister.

Innovate07 will also feature an exhibition, highlighting the networks and help available to businesses on the innovation journey, and a number of interactive workshops, debates and seminars that will seek to explore opportunities and barriers to innovation generally and in particular technology areas.

Innovate07 will take place at the QEII Conference Centre at Westminster and places can be booked online at http://www.innovate07.info.

Notes to Editors

Media representatives who would like to attend should send their contact details as soon as possible to nick.sheppard@tsb.gov.uk.

The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government.  Its mission is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve the quality of life.  It is sponsored by the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).

Issued by

Nick Sheppard
Media Relations Manager
Technology Strategy Board
North Star House
North Star Avenue
Swindon SN2 1FF

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e-mail: nick.sheppard@tsb.gov.uk