A range of initiatives support the promotion of innovation in South West England. These include:

• developing business incubation units and science parks;
• developing a strategy to increase business birth-rate;
• establishing the Regional Venture Capital Fund;
• supporting identified priority sectors for the region;
• developing the South West Observatory.

Examples of projects:

The EU South West Innovation Relay Centre contract facilitates technology transfer agreements between South West England companies and other companies in Europe. This work has a strong sector bias allowing the RDA to capitalise on the work to build sector groups and the widespread adoption of the priority sectors by other organisations in the region. 
Contact: Andy Bates and Chris Pinnell 
 
Knowledge Exploitation South West - a major initiative with the South West Higher Education Institutions through HERDA SW to improve the productivity and competitiveness of regional businesses through better exploitation of the HE knowledge base in the South West. It builds on the Higher Education Innovation Fund and Science Enterprise Challenge funding to provide consistent support for businesses. 
Contact: jill.sheen@southwestrda.org.uk 
 
Inspire South West was a £4 million programme to promote innovation in South West England, jointly funded by the South West RDA and the European Commission, as part of the EU 'Innovative Actions' programme. The funding enabled the RDA to complement mainstream Objective 1 and 2 programmes with experimental initiatives, aimed at changing the behaviour of SMEs in the region. 
 
The programme placed an emphasis on reaching companies that do not currently access innovation support services by encouraging a realisation that innovation is a key driver in maintaining business competitiveness and improving productivity. Inspire South West encouraged organisations across the South West to change their business culture to anticipate change and future developments; build positive attitudes to innovation; and take an innovative approach to all aspects of their business. To read the Inspire SW report please visit Inspire SW - Inspiring Lessons or contact Richard Male 
 
Bristol Silicon Network 
The South West is the European leader in silicon design with 500 silicon design engineers based in the region, 400 of these in Bristol.  
 
The work carried out by these companies has played a critical part in the development of new computers, telephones, games machines and the network backbone all of these require. We have one of the highest concentrations of silicon designers in Europe however there is no facility to bring them all together to discuss issues facing the industry.  
 
The Bristol Silicon Network is a forum for the major drivers in the silicon engineering area and the smaller companies to network, exchange ideas, address areas of concern and engage with the SWRDA. 
 
More Information Contact: s.a.bond@bath.ac.uk or Richard Male 
 
Engineering Physical Sciences Research Councils (EPSRC) 
Through the Industrial CASE scheme, a number of CASE studentships are available for companies to take on PHD students to undertake academic research within their organisations. Funding is allocated to companies in order to enable them to take a lead in defining projects for students and selecting an academic partner of their choice. Projects must be in the engineering or physical sciences and jointly supervised by the academic and industrial partners.  
 
The South West RDA's Innovation Team acts as an agent in the allocation of these awards. For more Information Contact: Richard Male South West RDA - EPSRC Industrial Case Studentships.  
 
South West Science & Industry Council 
There is an increasing awareness of the importance of science and technology to the economy. A strong knowledge base is seen as an essential starting point for successful innovation and central to achieving the Government's and the Region's objective of closing the productivity gap. The increasing importance of knowledge based businesses, the drive to commercialise the outputs of publicly funded research and development and increasing regionalisation of economic development all increase the pressure on regions and RDA's to build capacity to respond to science and technology issues at a regional level, facilitate better links between the science and technology base and business in clusters and sub-clusters.

• Exert strong pressure to improve relationships and cooperation between universities and local authorities in locations such as Bath;
• Develop a consensus view as to major needs and investment priorities, and then pressing for speedy action;
• Drive a process by which sector and cluster groups work together to clearly articulate what they want from the knowledge base, how they propose to get it and what the success criteria will be. (This is the process followed by the Northwest Science Council in developing a regional science strategy.)

For more Information please contact: Richard Male or visit the South West Science and Industry Council website.