Christmas Blog - networks

A short piece for simple boxing day digestion.

Looking at the complexity and complexity of modern developments we can see how may strands need to be brought together to deliver individual innovation, especially in the technology space. However for current approaches utilising cross cutting fields from finance through design to business practice and standards there needs to be forums for the development of trust, the exchange of ideas and the process of forming collaborations. 

In the UK we see local networks through Chambers of Commerce and civic approaches. One of the most interesting is the Science City concept pioneered in York bringing together industry, civic authorities and Universities to develop coherent approaches than drive networks and deliver coordination and innovation.

On a national scale there is the development of the current 15 Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTN). Emerging from the previous 24 KTNs and the former Faraday partnerships. These provide a unique and admired model than links together researchers industry and interested parties all interested in specific areas, two examples are the Electronic Sensors and Photonics KTN and the Creative Industry KTN. 

An exemplar of KTN activities was the recent Technology World event where a majority of KTNs brought their membership into a forum that showcased UK expertise to a global audience for commercial outcomes. A more common event was the Photonics event in London in December bringing large and small industry and researchers into a two day event to explore where this set of emerging technologies is going and where industry interests are developing. With examples of plastic photovoltaics and the reverse in low energy lighting it is possible to see how the dynamic and strong environment of the UK offers real possibilities in emerging technologies and industries. Indeed this area offers spectacular possibilities in art and other creative industries. The talking posters of Blade Runner are closer than you think!

On a larger European and global scale we can see other networks developing, including within individual multinational companies. Indeed the realities of the Open Innovation movement reaching out from inside secretive R&D centres are critically dependent on good networks.

Within the UK Innovation approach we see an ideal mix of sufficient scale to deliver many possibilities, strength to deliver global interest and optimal community sizes to allow easy networking. A contrast to smaller countries such as Norway or large countries such as the US. The message for interested people is to tie yourselves into these networks e.g. the e-Connect site of the TSB, and get networking.