Actions Progress Next Delivery Responsibility Delivery Partners Potential Financial Support 1. Wales will engage productively with external bodies, leading to more collaborations Encourage business people and academics to join and influence external funding bodies EU Funding ‘ambassadors’ produced a report in March 2016. New Welsh Government will consider recommendations to strengthen Welsh EU involvement. Welsh Government Innovate UK, Research Councils HE, Business, Public Sector No budget requirement WG will make more joint investments with funding bodies in areas of strategic importance to Wales Welsh Government to co fund selected competitions e.g. Optronics Launchpad 2016 following successful Med Tech Launchpad in 2015. Continue to work with successful applicants and encourage Welsh applications to further competitions. WG Sector and Innovation teams Innovate UK, Research Councils Existing sector budgets (approx. £500k) New MOU signed between Innovate UK and Welsh Government to deliver KTPs until March 2018. Working with partners to identify high quality projects Innovate UK Innovate UK, Welsh Government £4.2M to cover April 2015 to March 2018 SBRI Accelerator programme (Stage III) launched Winter 2015 Optimise delivery of Stage I & II projects. Select Stage III projects. Welsh Government (Innovation) Welsh Public Sector Public Sector, Innovate UK Existing Innovation budget plus partnership with Innovate UK. £1M+ pa
Funding secured for Aberystwyth AEIC, co funded with BBSRC. The first WEFO ERDF project approved in new programme. Delivery of IBERS AEIC Operation Aberystwyth University, Welsh Government (WEFO) £15M BBSRC funding secured, plus £20M WEFO ERDF
Welsh Government will develop relationships with key funding bodies and disseminate opportunities within Wales (Collaborative Research Innovation Support Programme) and SCORE (Supporting Collaborative Research and Innovation in Europe) continue to fund partnership building. Consider EU Funding ambassador’s report expected to strengthen Welsh Government Business, HE Welsh Government including WEFO Government and Innovation Point to publicise funding opportunities and support applications. Consider new Innovate UK restructure and 2016 delivery plan. Welsh Government Business, HE Government Government will support UK bodies (e.g. Innovate UK and Research Councils) & Welsh companies and IACW contribution has helped build case for Compound Semiconductor Catapult and proposed Metals ‘Innovation District’ for Port Talbot. Continue to identify and support projects Business, HE, RTO Business, HE, RTO Case by case basis, mainly ERDF
universities to develop projects. The SPECIFIC IKC established at Swansea University with Tata Steel has secured WEFO funding for £26 Million project following support from IACW. Assist delivery of ERDF project. SPECIFIC, Swansea Uni. EPSRC, Innovate UK, Welsh Government, Tata plus other business C core funding of £5M EPSRC and Innovate UK. £13 million from WEFO A Centre of Excellence of the new Precision Medicine catapult is to be established in Wales. Help set up PMC Centre of Excellence. HE, Business and Welsh Government (Science and Innovation) Innovate UK, HE, Business Innovate UK Catapult Centre for Compound Semiconductors announced by Chancellor in 2015. Provide support case for Compound Semiconductor Catapult in Cardiff Potential for ‘node’ of Digital Catapult to be brought to at Innovation Point
Digital Development Fund launched Consult Nesta on how to leverage fund WG NHS, Local Authorities, HE IACW Public sector sub group presented a range of challenges to Y Lab. IACW sub group to continue to progress these challenges Nesta, Cardiff Uni, WG Nesta, Cardiff Uni, Public Sector £1M+ from Nesta and Cardiff Uni
4. Innovation and entrepreneurship to be given prominence in the school curriculum. WG to work with educational institutions to build innovation and entrepreneurship into their curriculum Careers and the World of Work now part of the curriculum for pupils aged 11-16. DFES considering further measures as part of curriculum review (To be updated) FE, HE, Schools, Business Welsh Government, Local Authorities, HEFCW National Science Academy has committed funding of £1.3M to a portfolio of STEM enrichment projects. Implement strategic priorities of addressing gender imbalance and at transition stages KS2 to KS3 WG, ES&T, CSA SACW WG Science Division Award schemes established to enhance curriculum content DfES DfES Welsh businesses to adopt training and working practices Working with anchor companies on sharing of best practice on employee engagement Welsh Government continuing to support Alacrity Foundation. Applying for next stage of funding from WEFO. FE, HE, Schools, Business Welsh Government, Local Authorities, HEFCW ICT sector, WEFO
5. Wales will seek to ensure post graduate training continues to be supported in key strategic areas on successful post graduate EU programmes. Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarship KESS II approved. Identify new projects New HE, Business, Science division HE, Business, WG (WEFO) WEFO ESF Develop more graduate collaboration schemes in the ‘grand challenge’ areas Material Academy project post graduate training linked to Tata Steel supply chain. HE, Business HE, Business, WG (WEFO) ESF WEFO 6. Wales will present itself to the world as an attractive place to WG will introduce a headline Challenge Prize competition. Other means to raise Wales’ profile wrt innovation being developed Business Support Organisations, Welsh Government Business, HE, FE
locate and grow innovative businesses, seeking to attract mobile research and innovation projects Develop a PR stream, showcasing Welsh R&D & innovative successes Innovation Summit idea being developed by IACW Welsh Government Business, HE, FE Programme of case studies & PR stories. Explore & put in place either an internal or external contract for case studies & stories during 16/17 to support the new programmes. Welsh Government Marketing budget within the three new programmes Social media channels for innovation stories have now been established. Over 6,000 followers on Twitter Keep fed with material. Grow followers. Welsh Government
7. WG & partners will develop financing products to bridge the gap between research and the deployment of new products and ideas WG to work with e.g. Finance Wales and venture capital organisations to develop fresh sources of finance. Prof Dylan Jones-Evans published report recommending establishing Development Bank for Wales. New Technology Ventures fund established by FW New Government will consider implementation. Finance Wales, Welsh Government Private sector business support sector, accountants, Private sector Develop mechanisms for preparing investor readiness of Welsh companies and Welsh IP Agored IP exploitation project approved with IACW support. Life Sciences Investment Fund has made a series of initial investments Evaluate initial investments and consider further funding Finance Wales, IP Group, HE Finance IP Group, HE WEFO
8. Develop more flexible sources of R&D funding which respond rapidly to the requirements of business WG will adapt a range of interventions to increase levels and types of R&D and innovation in Welsh businesses. New suite of RD&I support operations approved; SMART Cymru, SMART Expertise and SMART Innovation SMART Cymru already funded approx £9M of projects in 2015. Increase in BERD of 8% in 2013 following 37% increase in 2012. Wales currently one of strongest performing UK regions Operations in mobilisation phase. Welsh Government, Business HE, FE From Innovation budget. Core funding plus WEFO and Private sector match Total approx. £110M over 5 to 6 years 9. Support for research and innovation needs to be delivered in a clear, more flexible WG to work with the private and third sectors to deliver new innovation activities in a Life Science Hub launched July 2014. Membership increasing. Build relationship nationally and internationally Welsh Government Business, Third Sector, HE, LA Welsh Innovation Centre for Enterprise (ICE) fully occupied Further opportunities for third party delivery, e.g. Techhub Private sector Currently Welsh Government supported
economic and social impacts. Improve access to expertise and advice available from the IPO IP Information Centres across Wales. Affiliated to the Europe-wide ‘PATLIB’ network. Develop plan with IPO to maximise value to Wales HEFCW, HE, NHS IPO, Welsh Government 11. Wales should seek to develop a culture of open innovation WG to invite anchors to propose for collaboration with SMEs and universities which develop a culture of ‘open innovation’ in Wales Open Innovation Project ended March 2015. Ten anchor companies helped to various open innovation approaches. Develop follow on activity and mainstream. Business, Welsh Government, HE Business support organisations SMEs supported by WG Innovation Division trial
12. The public sector in Wales should be encouraged to support innovative methods of procurement Work across the public sector to identify opportunities for Innovate UK collaboration & SBRI competitions 11 active SBRI competitions launched between 2013 and 2015 valued at over £5m. 54 R&D contracts in place. Cross departmental support through ESF ‘Home grown talent Programme’. SBRI delivery Promoted at key Welsh procurement conferences and events during 2015. Continue roll out of SBRI through the SBRI Innovation Accelerator, share best practice, dissemination of results and learning from UK government departments. Public Sector Business, particularly SMEs Collaborations involving WG, Innovate UK, DECC, SW Police, Health Boards, Cardiff Council and NRW. £5M+ from Welsh Government plus match funding from Innovate UK and public sector Value Wales to raise awareness of innovative procurement in improving outcomes Value Wales fully engaged in innovative procurement process Longer term aim to ‘mainstream’ SBRI and innovative procurement Welsh Public Sector Innovate UK, Business, particularly SMEs