Driving growth with effective innovation management

Innovation is the lifeblood of any thriving economy, driving progress and fostering sustainable growth. Innovate UK Business Growth, delivered by Business West in the South West, understands the challenges that innovative companies face in navigating the complexities of the market.  

Our mission is to provide tailored support that enhances the capabilities of these companies, enabling them to manage innovation more efficiently and achieve their growth objectives. Through our comprehensive mentoring and strategic advice, we help businesses in areas such as business planning, market analysis, and scaling operations. 

This blog will explore how we achieve this with key examples from businesses across the South West. You can also learn about how we deliver wider growth support in our Impact Report.  

Tailored Support for Innovation 

Our tailored support encompasses a wide range of services designed to meet the unique needs of each business. These include: 

• Design Thinking: Helping companies understand their customers and develop products that meet their needs 
• Agile Project Management: Enabling businesses to adapt quickly to changes and deliver projects efficiently 
• Building Innovation into Strategy: Integrating innovation into the core business strategy to drive long-term success 
• Lean Manufacturing / Supply Chain Development: Streamlining processes to improve efficiency and reduce waste 
• Business Model Refinement and Intellectual Property: Enhancing business models and protecting intellectual property 
• Forming Effective Partnerships and Alliances: Building strategic partnerships to leverage additional resources and expertise 
• Secure innovation: Ensuring new products are launched in an optimal and secure manner. 

We’re proud to deliver these support services across the South West and see tangible impacts. Here are a few examples:  

 

Alt Farms: Design Thinking 

Alt Farms, a Somerset-based innovator, has developed a high-protein, low-fat vegan cheese that matches the taste and texture of traditional cheese products. With the help of Design Thinking Specialist, Sarah Dickins, Alt Farms gained a deeper understanding of their prospective customers. This process helped them develop a robust customer journey and route to market, focusing on the hospitality industry. As a result, they secured large orders from catering companies and restaurant chains, including the Hard Rock Café. Sarah also assisted Alt Farms in growing their brand awareness through digital marketing channels, leading to increased followers and engagement rates. 

 

Ergochair: Lean Supply Support 

Bristol-based Ergochair specialises in bespoke ergonomic seating for people with specific postural needs. Innovation & Growth Specialist, Paul Albone, helped Ergochair refine their process frameworks by conducting an audit and providing suggestions on production automation. This guidance enabled Ergochair to implement a sustainable approach to supply chain management, focusing on immediate needs rather than overreaching. 

“With Paul’s support, we were able to implement a concerted approach to our supply chain management. Importantly, he also highlighted areas that we don't want to change – which was really useful for planning a strategy moving forward,” says Ben Caton, Managing Director, Ergochair.  

 

The Far Out Thinking Company (TFOTC): Strategic Partnerships 

The Far Out Thinking Company, based in the Isles of Scilly, developed an AI-powered tool to track the spread of Asian hornets across the UK. Innovation and Growth Specialist, Angelo Spencer-Smith, facilitated an introduction to Digital Jersey and its IoT Sandbox scheme, which enabled TFOTC to test their systems.  

“The partnership with Digital Jersey is enabling us to test a tripod mounting system, which is a big improvement on our previous wall-mounted version,” says Matthew Elmes, Director at The Far Out Thinking Company (TFOTC). 

“The introduction from Angelo was absolutely critical, and he’s also connected us with experts at the University of Exeter who we’ve gone on to partner with on innovation projects.”   

 

Duku: Bringing Products to Market 

Cheltenham-based Duku developed an accessible EV charging station that caters to people with various disabilities.  

“The support from Innovate UK Business Growth was instrumental in helping us to transition from a design company with a nice idea, to a business prospect that is investor and customer ready,” says Andrew Aylesbury, Director, Duku.  

“I think it really transformed the way we think about all opportunities. So beforehand, we were very focused on the day-to-day with a very short view of what to do next.  

“The support has taught us to be far more strategic and long-term with our goals and planning, with better-defined targets and metrics.” 

“It's also made us far more pragmatic and realistic – and I think we would have struggled to get that kind of outside input, unless we had spent a lot of money.” 

 

Enabling Growth Alongside Our Partners 

As part of Innovate UK’s national growth and scaling service, we collaborate with a robust network of regional and national partners. This collaboration drives innovation and business success across the UK, providing companies with access to a wealth of resources and expertise. 

Since April 2022, the Innovate UK Business Growth service has enabled South West SMEs to access various national programmes:  

Conclusion 

Through the delivery of the Innovate UK Business Growth service, Business West is dedicated to fostering innovation and supporting businesses in their journey towards sustainable growth. Our tailored support and strategic advice has enabled numerous companies to enhance their capabilities, refine their strategies, and achieve their objectives. By working alongside our partners, we continue to drive innovation and business success across the UK, helping companies navigate the complexities of the market and bring their innovative ideas to life. 

To learn more about how Business West is driving growth through Innovate UK Business Growth and other services, read our impact report.

And to get started on your scaling journey with Innovate UK Business Growth, make an enquiry here.