Join our Recovery Innovation workshops series to kick-start your innovation journey.

Our Recovery Innovation programme will develop your innovation skills and capability to create new products, services, processes or a new business model in response to the impact of Covid and Brexit. 

Delivered by our top team of University business innovation experts, this flexible series will build your knowledge and confidence to drive innovation in your business.   

It will give you the tools you need to become resilient and agile, providing you with a competitive advantage in the future. 

Why do we need to innovate?

If we don’t change what we offer the world or how we create and deliver our goods and services we may not survive so how do we create value from new ideas?  

All too often innovation is just a slogan, a handy phrase to trot out without really understanding what it involves and how to organise to make it happen. The good news is that the RISE team know a great deal about this process – how to translate ideas into value.  We have two leading Universities’ expertise to share so that you can apply this knowledge to improve your own approach to innovation.

Helping you get in good shape to manage innovation

This workshop will explore the challenge of innovation. It will draw on a variety of real-life experiences and introduce some practical tools.  A key feature (and take-away) will be the chance to try out the ‘Innovation Fitness Test’ – a framework for assessing your own business in terms of its readiness and capability for innovation.

By the end of the workshop you will;

• Understand how to use innovation as a manageable business process and the key factors which influence successful innovation

• Have a framework to use and prepare your own strategy for innovation challenges

• Know how to take next steps in building and strengthening your innovation capability

Workshop led by innovation expert John Bessant

He is the author of over 45 books, monographs and many articles on the topic and has lectured and consulted widely around the world. His most recent books include ‘Managing Innovation’ (2020) and ‘Riding the Innovation Wave’ (Emerald, 2017). You can follow his blog at https://johnbessant.org

Who should attend?

This workshop is suitable for business owners or those driving forward innovation in small or medium sized business. The workshop is an introduction to managing innovation so no prior knowledge of innovation projects is required.

The workshop applies to not-for-profit ventures as long as there is a trading arm. EDRF eligibility rules apply. Spaces will be prioritised for West Sussex based businesses.

Eligibility and how to book

This workshop has been designed for businesses operating in the West Sussex area who are actively working on an innovation idea. However, businesses from across the region are also able to attend. It is FREE to attend if you have joined the RISE project – either as a friend or member.

This workshop will be hosted at Rooms, Worthing.

To reserve your place, please email your name, business name and contact details to RISE@brighton.ac.uk and joining instructions will be sent to you.

This workshop is delivered through the support of West Sussex County Council and ERDF funding. For more information on our funders see our About page. Participation in any RISE project activities are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

Confidentiality

This is an ‘open’ workshop (i.e. both RISE members and non-members may attend) so we suggest that no commercially sensitive information is discussed. Any innovation project details and any new intellectual property information should be shared during a 1-2-1 session with our Innovation Advisors.

Access up to £5000 free expertise to develop ideas

RISE members will receive a RISE Recovery Innovation Certificate of Attendance when they complete 12 hours or more workshop time or support from the RISE project. As a RISE member there is also the opportunity to work with and access up to £5000 worth of academic expertise across both Brighton and Sussex Universities to develop your innovation project through our Access to Experts programme.

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More RISE Recovery workshops in the series

Members of RISE can attend more workshops in the series including;

• Recovery Innovation – strategy and leadership to overcome challenging times
• Innovating for new business development
• Managing Innovation: Lift Off! identify strengths and weaknesses in your innovation project
• Innovation profiles and talents
• Open Innovation: Develop and benefit from partnerships

Watch out for new dates listed on the RISE events page or announcements in the RISE members portal.

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This event is valued at £120 of State Aid support. State aid information is detailed in our T&Cs.