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Innovation News
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 Intellectual Property (IP) is the name given to all creative ideas and expressions that have commercial value. Most nations have recognised the value to their economic success of attaching legal rights to IP including patents, know-how, copyrights and trademarks. Each has a distinct application, business value and set of protocols but for the purpose of this week’s column I am going to touch specifically on patents – their creation, exploitation and role in open innovation. |
 This month marks the beginning of the last six months of my four year tenure as Vice President for Business and Education in the Institute of Physics; so I hope you will forgive a plug and a small retrospective. As a charitable learned body, when I became involved in the leadership, IOP was just beginning to digest the consequences of the changes to charity law. In particular, it was still reeling from the shock that, as a membership body solely in support of Physics and Physicists, it was forced to lose its “Corporate Members”, organisations highly dependent on Physics and which had been the main-stay of its interaction with industry and business. |
 Warrenpoint-based Squeeze Juice Cafe has been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to develop a new wheatgrass juice for a healthier lifestyle.
Squeeze Juice Cafe has used an Invest NI Innovation Voucher to develop the fresh juice from wheatgrass it is now growing in Warrenpoint using hydroponic technology. The fresh juice, provided in handy sachets, has recently gone on sale through the company’s internet site and is proving popular with consumers of all ages.
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Innovation is the key to creating a thriving business and a successful economy.
That was the message from Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster when she attended an Innovation Seminar at the Old Courthouse in Antrim’s Market Square.
Organised by Antrim Borough Council, in partnership with the Centre for Competitiveness, Randox Laboratories Ltd and McKeever Hotels Ltd, the event was attended by business people from across Northern Ireland. |
 Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has heard how the Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt company in Bangor has almost doubled turnover by investing in innovation.
The company utilised an Invest Northern Ireland Innovation Voucher to develop new products leading to increased sales of yoghurt including to the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.
The Innovation Voucher enabled the company to access the technology team and facilities at Loughry Campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE). |
 Omagh-based Waste Systems Ltd is leading the way in innovation as the local manufacturing company has been announced as a finalist of the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards 2012.
Waste Systems Ltd, which designs, manufactures and supplies turnkey systems and standalone machinery for the waste separation and recycling industries, has been shortlisted in the Green-tech Innovation category and will compete with two other companies across the island of Ireland for the prestigious category title.
Now in its third year, the competition aims to recognise and promote the best service, product or operational innovations throughout the island. |
 The Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF) supported by Northern Ireland Screen and Digital Circle aims to stimulate innovation, R&D and creativity in the economy, and encourage export focused growth, by developing the creative industries.
The 3rd round of CIIF funding opens for applications today, Monday 16th January, and is open to ALL sectors within the Creative Industries wishing to deliver project that will develop commercially viable content, products, services and experiences. All projects must be completed by 31st March 2013. |
 At least three of the 22 in-house companies based at IT Sligo’s Innovation Centre will be announcing significant expansions in 2012, resulting in a 20 per cent increase in jobs there, according to Niall McEvoy, IT Sligo’s Head of Innovation.
While acutely aware of the turbulence in the economic climate, as uncertainty about the euro overshadows the approach of the New Year, McEvoy insists that the outlook for regional entrepreneurial activity is healthy.
“I have no doubt that we will continue to see growth in three key areas – ICT (Information and Communications Technology), the sustainable energy sector and in the whole medical devices/pharmaceutical area,” he predicted. |
Invest NI’s plans to support business R&D
The most recently published figures show that Northern Ireland expenditure on Research and Development in 2010 was the highest ever, with spending by businesses increasing by 6% on the previous year to £344 million, with spend by locally owned companies up 27 per cent to £109.9 million in 2010.
Businesses very clearly recognise the value of investing in new products and processes to keep ahead of the competition and strengthen their long-term position. |
December 19, 2011 |  |
 JamPot Technologies in Belfast has been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to develop radically new app technology for mobile phones.
The innovation-led company, based in east Belfast, is set to turn the mobile phone app industry on its head by enabling companies, organisations and individuals to design, build and launch their own cross platform apps for minimal cost.
TheAppBuilder, launched recently at major telecoms events in the US and Europe, was developed with £160,000 of Invest NI support, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. |
December 14, 2011 |  |
 The construction of a £1.58 million Innovation Growth Centre for Omagh took a step forward with the appointment of a design team for the ambitious project.
Belfast based consultants Edmond Shipway Ltd will take charge of designing the new 14,000 square foot state of the art building, which will provide a purpose built, technology focused, business environment for 20 new and expanding businesses in the town. |
Annagh Ltd has become the 600th recipient of an Invest NI Innovation Voucher, a scheme which has proved to be highly effective in helping small businesses to engage in innovation.
With expertise accessed through the Innovation Voucher, Annagh Ltd, based at C-TRIC, Altnagelvin, Londonderry, is developing remote sensor technology that could help save the lives of Type 1 diabetics.
The aim is to devise a communications protocol between a device worn by the diabetic and a mobile phone and to develop an application on the mobile phone which will alert the diabetic that there is a problem and send SMS messages to friends or neighbours to summon help. |
 Innovate or stagnate…this was one of the key messages delivered to the best innovative and entrepreneurial students from schools across Northern Ireland who were invited to become the first members of ‘Generation Innovation’ – a new initiative delivered by NISP CONNECT in partnership with representatives from the business community to help stem and eventually reverse the brain drain from Northern Ireland.
‘Generation Innovation’ is a physical and online network for Northern Ireland’s young talent deemed most likely to succeed in the new knowledge economy. The purpose of the network is to build and maintain a life-long relationship with this generation, be they high academic achievers, natural born entrepreneurs or both. |
 Pupils from 19 schools in Northern Ireland will gather in W5 29th November to take part in FIRST LEGO League (FLL), the world’s biggest interactive robotics challenge for young people. The budding scientists will design, build and program a winning robot to perform a series of set tasks linked to a research presentation on the theme of ‘The Food Factor – Keeping Food Safe’. The young Northern Ireland talent will join over 200,000 9-16 year olds from over 55 countries to explore this year’s topic. |
November 14, 2011 |  |
 TotalMobile, have been highly commended for 2011 Mobile IT Innovation of the Year at the UK IT Awards last week. The Charted Institute of IT, BCS held the ceremony at Battersea Park Events Arena; TotalMobile representatives including CEO Colin Reid attended to accept the Medal.
Mobile IT Innovation of the Year recognises organisations who provide leading-edge mobile technologies that create new ways of working and have shown measurable success and customer satisfaction. |
 Budding Entrepreneurs and Innovators join NI Tech Founders at Inaugural ‘Generation Innovation’ Event
One hundred of Northern Ireland’s most innovative and entrepreneurial students from a wide range of backgrounds, deemed most likely to succeed in the new knowledge economy, have become the first members of the exclusive ‘Generation Innovation’ network at a launch event in Belfast City Hall. The new initiative delivered by NISP CONNECT in partnership with representatives from the local business community is designed to stem and eventually reverse the brain drain from Northern Ireland by building a physical and online network of Northern Ireland’s best young people, before, during and after their third level studies or initial career choice. Following a nomination process open to all Northern Ireland secondary schools and colleges, over 100 budding entrepreneurs and innovators attended the inaugural ‘Generation Innovation’ networking event where they were inspired by leading global technology experts such as Gail Power, Director of Online Sales Operations for Facebook, herself originally from Northern Ireland. |
 Belfast-based Simple Steps has won business in Portugal for pioneering multimedia technology, developed with assistance from Invest Northern Ireland, to help the parents of children on the autistic spectrum.
Simple Steps is investing over £140,000 in developing the world’s first parent-led, interactive online teaching-tool that enables parents to harness Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), a scientifically validated treatment for autism which is effective in improving behaviour.
The technology is now being made available to parents in Portugal through a contract with My Kid Up - Centro de Intervencao Comportamental of Morada, near Lisbon. |
Innovation is the best way for local businesses to grow in these uncertain economic times.
That is the key message that Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ernest L Arbuckle Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, will deliver at Queen’s University Belfast to the InterTradeIreland All-Island Innovation Conference. The InterTradeIreland conference, entitled Building Capability for Innovation, is taking place over two days, 4-5 October, and is organised by the External Affairs Office at Queen’s. |
As the final countdown to NISP CONNECT’s £25K Awards gets underway, the quality of entries from NI’s various publicly funded research institutions has received high acclaim from the judging panel. Following the final presentation of their innovative ideas and business models to a panel of business experts, the Top 10 finalists have all successfully demonstrated their commercial potential and in the words of the Judges some are ‘potential world beaters’.
With the category winners and overall winner due to be announced at a gala dinner on 29th September, the £25K Awards, are sponsored by the Bank of Ireland UK, QUB, University of Ulster and AFBI (Agri Food and Biosciences Institute) and supported by NI’s Health and Social Care Trusts. |
September 26, 2011 |  |
 Belfast, Northern Ireland, 26th September 2011 – Queen’s University Belfast’s Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) today announced that it has become a member of the Network Intelligence Alliance (NI Alliance), a new industry organization created for collaboration among the Network Economy’s technology providers. Participation in the NI Alliance will help CSIT to engage more closely with industry specialists in the area of network intelligence and further enhance its leadership position in secure information technology research.
In today’s Network Economy—a world that now depends and runs on networks—accurate visibility and precise tracking of data crossing networks have become crucial to the availability, performance and security of applications and services. |
 Leading Northern Ireland technology entrepreneur, Dr Hugh Cormican, has been announced as the NISP CONNECT ‘Innovation Founder’ of the year after receiving overwhelming support during a public nomination process to recognise the contributions of entrepreneurs who’s innovative ideas and positive contribution to the community have helped put Northern Ireland innovation on the map.
The Innovation Founder Award recognises community leaders who have achieved distinction in founding, leading or building a Northern Irish life sciences or technology based business organization and has contributed to our region individually and through their organisations to build and shape our local economy and significantly improve our quality of life.
After further deliberation by a judging panel that assessed the various public nominations, Hugh is now set to be recognised as the guest of honour at this year’s £25K Awards Gala Dinner for his contribution to innovation in Northern Ireland. |
 A World Masters champion, a computer software specialist and an internationally renowned marketing guru will share their expertise with local entrepreneurs at a breakfast seminar in the Great Hall at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus this Friday, September 16.
The event – which is open to anyone who wants to know how to improve their firm’s performance – is part of the prestigious Irish Times Innovation Cities Roadshow series being staged throughout Ireland.
Hosted by the University’s Office of Innovation, the Northern Ireland seminars will delve into leading business issues and offer practical ideas on how to develop performance. |
September 09, 2011 | |
 One of JamPot’s core values is to encourage & support the next generation of entrepreneurs coming through in Northern Ireland. So today James (our CEO) was delighted to help launch Generation Innovation at the Northern Ireland Science Park.
Generation Innovation is a new initiative designed to build a physical and online network of Northern Ireland’s best young people, before, during and after their third level studies or initial career choice. |
 Call for Nominations of Students Most Likely to Succeed in the New Economy
A new initiative, designed specifically to help stem and eventually reverse the brain drain from Northern Ireland has been launched today by the Northern Ireland Science Park and other representatives from the local business community. Generation Innovation is a new initiative designed to build a physical and online network of Northern Ireland’s best young people, before, during and after their third level studies or initial career choice.
At a time when Northern Ireland has the opportunity to become one of the most entrepreneurial knowledge economies in Europe, key to this economic transformation is the availability and active engagement of new young talent who can be tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, business leaders and innovators. |
 Around 70 companies from across the province attended the Innovation Roadshow event which took place in the University of Ulster’s York Road Campus in Belfast and saw the launch of the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards. Now in its third year, the competition aims to recognise and promote the best innovations within organisations of all sectors and all sizes across the island.
Companies can enter in one of six categories and each winner will secure a €10,000 Irish Times media deal and compete to win the overall title of ‘Innovation of the Year’ and a communications and advertising package from the Irish Times worth €150,000. |
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