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| What is Innovation? Scientists in white coats? University boffins? Test tubes and science fiction? This is often the image conjured up by the small business owner when the concept of innovation is raised. And often closely followed by the thought: “What has that to do with me and my business?” |
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Well, WIN set out to bring innovation, its concepts and processes, to the doorstep of the small and microbusiness in the western region of Northern Ireland. WIN, the Western Innovation Network, was devised as an integrated series of innovation support projects, delivered by local experts, to encourage owners of small businesses, and sole entrepreneurs, to begin the process of engagement along the ‘Innovation Continuum’ from being aware of what innovation can do for their businesses towards the process of embedding an innovation ethos into all aspects of the business process and across all staff.
Devised by NORIBIC, the Northern Ireland Business Innovation Centre, and supported by DG Regio and Invest NI, WIN consisted of 16 projects that explored all aspects of innovation from the small business perspective and was the first major innovation support programme targeted solely at small and microbusinesses in counties Londonderry, Tyrone and Fermanagh.
We wanted to gauge how small businesses would respond to the concept of innovation and, indeed, to help them to define innovation in their terms. In the WIN context, we chose to characterise innovation as “an approach, new or novel to the business, to product, process or service changes within the business.” This, we felt, would make the WIN programme less daunting and more appealing to that large section of the business community who often felt isolated and outside of the ‘business support’ community. I am delighted to say that over 570 businesses partook of the support provided under WIN. The programmes are outlined within this booklet and there are several examples highlighted as case studies. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those business owners and managers who participated on the programme, for your cooperation and enthusiasm. Without you, there would be no WIN Programme.
Another novel aspect to WIN was the delivery of the projects through locally based actors. Many thanks to all of the Delivery Agents who worked tirelessly to make the programme a success: NORIBIC, Centre for Competitiveness, MTP, the FE colleges of NWIFHE, Omagh, Fermanagh, East Tyrone and Causeway Institute, the University of Ulster, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Countryside Services, North West Marketing, Business in the Community, Redburn Consulting and Strategem, plus many individual experts and consultants who provided invaluable support to the programme.
And finally, the backroom teams. The Steering Committee, the Invest NI Programme Management Team, the NORIBIC Managing Agent Team – without the dedication and unwavering support of all of the members of these groups, it would have been impossible to deliver such a major programme within such a short timeframe.
Please, read this booklet, visit the website, consider what has been achieved in 15 months and remember – innovation is not an option!
Chief Executive, NORIBIC
WIN Managing Agent
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