Region is falling behind in innovation stakes

Professor Bob Cryan’s comments come as local authorities work to draw down tens of millions of pounds of public funding to help businesses become more innovative and access greater support from the region’s universities.

The vice chancellor of Huddersfield University claims that Yorkshire is lagging in comparison to national innovation measures in areas like business investment, research and development, intellectual property rates and labour productivity.

Prof Cryan is chairman of the business innovation and growth panel at the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, the two-year-old public-pirvate group charged with stimulating economic growth.

He said: “Although the Leeds City Region performs better than the regional average, we are failing to translate what should be major innovation assets – our large cluster of research-driven universities, our diverse manufacturing base, and our capabilities in growth industries such as healthcare and advanced digital technologies – into commercial value.

“This is why innovation is a core strand of the LEP’s strategy to support sustainable business growth, and why we’re working hard to secure significant funding to unlock innovation within the region’s businesses.”

Most recent figures available show that patent registrations in the Leeds City Region are little better than half the national average rate and only 10-15 per cent of the rates in leading centres such as Oxford or Cambridge.

Figures for West Yorkshire on patents and for research and development spending present a similar picture, according to the LEP.

The organisation is hosting an event for businesses later this month to ask for their input in how an estimated £50m in funding from the UK Government and European Union should be spent to promote innovation.

Prof Cryan said: “This consultation will give business the chance to say how we should prioritise this investment.”

The event on November 26 will also see the formal launch of the £8m Yorkshire Innovation Fund, which is being led by Bradford University.

Dr Suzanne Emmett, director of the fund, said: “We’re looking to help companies realise their ideas and grow their business.

“Collaborating with universities has long been an excellent way to tap into the skills and resources firms need to innovate.

“The Yorkshire Innovation Fund builds upon this and provides a route to accessing much-needed funding to make this happen.

“We look forward to working with the Leeds City Region LEP, and the other LEPs in the region, to ensure SMEs are aware of and can take full advantage of this opportunity.”

To access the Yorkshire Innovation Fund, SMEs and universities must collaborate to develop an application that is based upon a business need.

Applications for funding are competitive, and successful projects will win funding to secure the time and expertise of the partnering university.

The fund will be looking to support projects of up to £10,000 in value – such as proof of concept or technical feasibility study, or prototype new digital service – to larger projects of up to £30,000 for things like helping to develop a new formulation, product design or business model.

Companies wanting to place graduates on projects could access funding up to £30,000 for help with recruitment and mentoring by university experts.

The LEP event takes place at Agfa Graphics in Seacroft, Leeds, and will feature presentations from Roger Marsh, the chairman of the Leeds City Region LEP, and Roland Yarwood, a consultant who will reveal research comparing the region to its rivals.

It will also include roundtable discussions. The Yorkshire Post is media partner for the event.

To attend, call 0113 247 4227 or visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/roadmap-to-a-more-innovative-leeds-city-region-registration-8191686555

Agfa sets the example

AGFA Graphics, the Belgian analogue and digital imaging giant, is hosting the innovation event at its base in Leeds.

Site manager Graham Cooper said: “Innovation is central to our business model and it takes many forms.

“We are extremely innovative in developing the products and services we offer to our customers to improve their own businesses and offerings through to applying constant innovation internally in the way we organise and operate our own processes. This approach has allowed us to remain strong in an extremely competitive environment.”

Parent Agfa-Gevaert reported third quarter revenues of 689m euros, down 10 per cent on the same period last year.