DDU Newsletter for January 2010: Issue 75
Monthly news and events from Regenerate Pennine Lancashire's Innovation & Technology Service
DDU joins a new economic development company created for Peninne Lancashire
Free event to help local manufacturers with compliance issues
New BBC show looking for entrepreneurs
Regenerate Pennine Lancashire
From the 1st January 2010, the Digital Development Unit has joined a new organisation, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire.
Regenerate is owned by the seven Pennine Lancashire local authorities: Lancashire County Council and the borough councils of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale. It will be led by a governing body made up of the leaders of the seven councils, and by a board mostly made up of the councils’ chief executives, together with representatives from the private sector.
The company was formed to help seven councils deliver projects in the most effective way possible, i.e. by pooling expertise and resources, achieving greater value for money and attracting more private sector investment.
Free event for Pennine Lancashire Manufacturers
If you need advice and support about how to comply with European directives, this event is for you. Whatever you make, trust Directory Advisory Services to make it comply!
At the January event we will be looking at complying with EMC and supplying to the military, advising on industry standards and how they differ from customer requirements and introducing the new Manufacturing Advisory Service. These events are free to Pennine Lancashire businesses.
Date: Tuesday 19th January, 9:30am to 1:00pm, lunch provided
Venue: Blackburn Technology Management Centre, Challenge Way, Blackburn BB1 5QB Directions
To book your free place email s.thornton@salford.ac.uk or call 0161 2782700.
Health Tech Hub Event
This free event is for companies in or diversifying into the Medical Sector. The Health Tech Hub (an industry/academic platform for the medical sector) invites you to attend the next meeting which looks at all aspects for succeeding with your medical sector project/product delivery. The Health Tech Hub is an initiative of the University of Central Lancashire and is supported by the No Limits programme.
Date: Tuesday 9th February 2010 from 13:00 to 16:30, lunch provided
Venue: The Innovation Centre, Evolution Park, Haslingden Road, Blackburn BB1 2FD
Book your free place by emailing enquiries@healthtechhub.co.uk or calling 01254 584444
Forum to share industry knowledge
The Knowledge Vine is an extremely simple and powerful new way of using email using a single sentence email format. It allows you to tap into the knowledge of other professionals in the same business or interest sector as you. It is free. A measure of its success is that no-one has unsubscribed from the system since it started in October 2006.
The Knowledge Vine networking system is operated by the UMIP® (The University of Manchester Intellectual Property Ltd) in the UK and has been developed in partnership with the Nordic Technology Transfer Network.
Government levy to increase broadband speeds
Business secretary Lord Mandelson has launched a consultation into how the £1bn Next Generation Fund raised by the 50p phone levy is spent, Computing Magazine reports. The fund aims to ensure 90 per cent of the UK population has access to superfast broadband. The 50p per month will come from a levy on fixed landline connections due to be included in a Finance Bill before an expected May general election.
Mandelson said of the fund and related proposals: “This investment is about bringing the future of broadband to areas of the country that would otherwise not have it."
Worlwide healthcare market opportunities
Medilink North West and the Northwest Development Agency are delighted to be hosting the next ‘Healthcare Industry Briefing Course’ taking place w/c 15th February. The event involves a number of Commercial Officers from around the world visiting the North West in order to gain a better insight into the UK healthcare sector and predominantly the North West and its strong healthcare and medical sector.
On Monday 15th February (pm) we are offering you the opportunity to have a one-to-one meeting with one (or more) of the CO’s where you will be able to gain firsthand knowledge of conducting international trade with the respective country. Email Kirsten.smith@medilinknw.co.uk or call 0161 660 9480 for further details.
BBC series looking for entrepreneurs
Two Four Broadcast is making a business series for BBC1 and wish to contact small businesses who make and sell their own products.
The premise of the series is that perfume and beauty products guru Jo Malone will give 12 small businesses or individuals the advice and support they need to get their products onto high-street shelves. It will be a fantastic opportunity for anyone who has a unique product but perhaps not have the resources to turn it into ‘the next big thing’. If you know anyone who might be interested in this opportunity you can find all details on the Two Four website.
Innovation & Technology Case Studies: January 2010
Decorated with success
The Directors of Direct Wallpapers (Retail) Ltd started trading in Burnley in 2007 following the sale of a previous successful business. They specialise in the wholesale and retail sales of designer wallpapers sourced from the UK and Europe. The business has successful sales from their warehouse on Plumbe St, Burnley. The business management team recognised an opportunity to create demand for their products on the internet but were keen to ensure that they choose the best way of approaching this route to market.
Direct Wallpapers (Retail) Ltd approached the Digital Development Unit for advice and assistance to help them to develop a successful on-line retail business. We were able to assist them with a requirements specification and find the best supplier agency for them.
Harnessing new technology
Capsool Limited has been established to provide a unique internet based service for customers across the world. The basis of the Capsool offering is a website that enables manipulation and storing of multimedia content into digital time capsules. These digital time capsules, or capsools, can be constructed, stored and delivered to recipients in a number of different ways.
Internet access via mobile devices is seeing a significant increase. With the advent of higher resolution screens, improved touch technology and the integration of standard browser technology, websites accessed on mobile phones are now able to offer the same functionality as their desktop versions. The iPhone has accelerated this trend.
The DDU has been helping the company with advice and access to local specialists. Funding under the No Limits Eureka project was granted to enable the project to go ahead.
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