Liverpool Science Park News & Press

NW Business Pitch Event
Advanced Engineering & Instrumentation

Thursday 30 September

One Central Park, Manchester
msp

The North West Innovation Network and Manchester Science Parks (msp), with support from Business Link and Northwest Automotive Alliance, are holding the ideal pitching and networking opportunity for companies operating in the Advanced Engineering and Instrumentation sectors.

It will give you a chance to hear first hand about the technologies and innovations available from some of the leading companies in the North West. It will help you identify potential business opportunities with companies on your doorstep.

The event will be of benefit to the following companies:

• Those based in the North West of England
• Developers of products and expertise in the Advanced Engineering and Instrumentation sectors
• Suppliers of products into the Advanced Engineering and Instrumentation sectors
• Users of products, technology and expertise from Advanced Engineering and Instrumentation companies

Previous collaborating organisations have seen the value of rapid pitching and networking activities to help support the growth of businesses. In particular it helps to quickly identify business development opportunities, sourcing of business-critical expertise, or development of collaborative routes to market. The aim of the event is to very efficiently integrate our networks to create new opportunities for all. Past experience has shown that this event can help you to identify as many as 4-5 very relevant business contacts that you didn’t know existed.

The main content of the event will be for companies who are supplying products and expertise to give a 90 second elevator pitch covering the following points:

• Who you are?
• What is your business?
• What you have to offer other Advanced Engineering and Instrumentation companies?
• What do you need from other Advanced Engineering and Instrumentation companies?
 
Details of companies pitching will be circulated to help you identify potential companies of interest.  Following the elevator pitches there will be time for informal networking to further explore opportunities with companies of interest.  Details will also be provided in case you don’t have the opportunity to meet with the companies that you wish.

If you don’t want to pitch, then just come and be part of the audience, with the chance to identify new companies of importance to your business.

                 Agenda

10:30   Registration, refreshments and informal networking

11:00   Welcome and introduction to the NW Business Pitch Event

11:10   Elevator pitches

12:30  Informal networking time

12:45  Lunch and more networking

13:30   End of the event/continue networking

If there are other sector businesses or key individuals who would benefit from this event, please do let us know and we will make sure we extend an invitation.

If you would like to pitch at the event, please complete the attached registration form and return it to nodumo.moyo@mspl.co.uk by 16 September 2010.  It may not be possible for everybody who applies to pitch, but we will confirm if you have been selected shortly after the deadline.  If you do not want to pitch on this occasion but would like to attend please state this in the appropriate section on the enclosed registration form.

Following the success of the Creative Apprenticeship Programme [outline as attached] and the increase in Creative organisations recruiting apprentices,  Vision+Media are keen to work with Merseyside Creative & Digital Media companies to achieve the same success. The training provider is Liverpool Community College, Arts Centre, the Project Manager for Creative Apprenticeships, Merseyside is Julie Lau

The Creative & Digital Media Apprenticeship is a 12 month programme with the apprentice spending one day each week at college [during term time only].  The current minimum wage for an apprentice is £95.00 per week; this is covered by the employer.  The recruitment process is in line with the employer’s requirements, for no fee, Vision+Media and Liverpool Community College will advertise your post and deliver all application forms to you for you to short list, or you can recruit your apprentice independently. 

When you are engaged with the programme Vision+ Media & Liverpool Community College, funded through the Liverpool LARC / Thrive project, can offer [it is not essential to participate] ILM accredited Line Manager training and Mentor training to two employees within your organisation.  There is also support available, for the apprentice and the employer, from Liverpool Community College.  For more information please contact: 

Julie Lau  juliel@visionandmedia.co.uk

Links to attach to feature:
Vision+Media                                                    http://www.visionandmedia.co.uk
Liverpool Community College                     http://www.liv-coll.ac.uk
National Apprenticeship Service               http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/

The Most Creative GUI category recognises creativity in touchpanel design

Winner: Ultamation for a great example of control technology that is simple to operate and as intuitive as possible, the onboard Crestron touchpanel interface is tailored for ease of use. Clean and uncluttered, the interface can be understood at first glance by anyone who uses the AV and entertainment equipment.

In a very competitive category, the choice for the judges was a tough one, and Oliver Hall of Ultamation, when presented with his trophy said:  "We're absolutely delighted to have won the category of Most Creative GUI.  Crestron's products provide a rare opportunity to blend artistic and technical effort to create intuitive, fun-to-use, interfaces and to have your work recognised in such a way is tremendous.  When I formed the company just two years ago, one of my goals was to win a Crestron Integration Award, so I'm very pleased that we've achieved it so quickly."