It’s the time of year to start looking forward to the best innovation conference and showcase in the UK – Innovate 2017. This year it is taking place on 8th and 9th November at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham.
Seeing and Being Seen
Innovation is a Conversation, Not a Linear Process
Why do people describe innovation as linear? I have always been fascinated by the process of innovation. How people identify opportunities, organise to create a solution, and then deliver it to the market. I have read hundreds of books, papers,
Let’s Go to San Francisco
A week ago, I returned from the 2017 Clean and Cool Mission to San Francisco and the Bay Area. Twenty of the best young UK clean technology companies, selected by open competition, spending an intensive week studying, debating and learning,
A Technologist Learns to Win Friends and Influence People
Innovators need to be persuasive In my career in industrial R&D and innovation I spent a lot of time trying to persuade people to give me the resources I needed to execute my ideas, or to persuade them to try
Notes on Social Styles
“Social Styles – an Influencing Tool” We all want to influence or persuade other people. We want to recruit their support, to gain investment or access to resources, to form a partnership, or to get them to try something new.
The Challenge of Business Model Innovation
You Need More than Product Innovation Innovation is about much more than just creating a new product or service. Innovation should apply to all parts of a business; from supply chain and logistics to the relationship with customers and how
Beware of Cargo Cult Management
Cargo Cults During World War II, Melanesian islanders were astonished when the Japanese and American militaries arrived with vast quantities of supplies of all sorts, delivered by plane and parachute drop. These supplies found their way into the local economy
Bridging the Gap in Future Cities
There is a lot of frustration in our inability to make our cities work more effectively for citizens. We can see the problems, and we have a large number of solutions being offered by everyone from big multinational engineering consultancies
Why Do Innovations Fail?
Most new products and services launched onto the market fail to deliver the expected results. There is a big debate about how many fail. The numbers range from estimates of 80% – 90% all the way down to around 30%.
Would You Know a Disruptive Innovation if You Saw One?
Since it was introduced to the wider business world by Clayton Christensen 20 years ago in “The Innovator’s Dilemma” the idea of ‘disruptive innovation’and ‘disruptive technologies’ has spread around the world. The insight that Christensen and his colleagues had was
The Business Opportunity of Future Cities
There is a rapidly growing global market out there that you may not yet be thinking about. It is expected to be worth more than $2 trillion p.a. by 2030. It has an insatiable appetite for innovation of all types,
The Clean and Cool Entrepreneur Missions
The right story in front of the right people If you are an ambitious company with plans for rapid growth, one key task is to get the right story about what you have to offer in front of the right
The Power of Limits in Innovation
Sometimes I meet a business that is really keen to innovate, and are prepared to be super open-minded. They say things like: “We want to think out of the box.” “Nothing should be off the table.” “We are looking for
Why Bother with Innovation?
Innovation is risky! Innovation is a risky business. A very risky business. Innovators have to deal with many different kinds of risk throughout the development process: Market risks – are there customers for my new product or service? Commercial risks
Lifetime Achievement Award
On 2nd December 2016 I was delighted to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to clean and green technology at the 2016 businessGreen Technology Awards ceremony held at the IET in London. James Murray, editor of businessGreen, made some
Innovation and Exports
Innovation can fuel British export growth Businesses must think internationally to boost the economy, and innovation can be the secret to global success, says Richard Miller, deputy director at Innovate UK. A healthy export trade is crucial to the economic
Interview with EurActiv
Innovate UK boss: ‘Innovation is always a conversation’ Governments can play a role in innovation by formulating problems and linking people up so that innovators can come up with solutions, Richard Miller told EurActiv Slovakia. Richard Miller is Deputy Director
2006 – Platform Chemicals From Crops
“Platform Chemicals from Crops”. Opportunities to build a new chemical industry based on conversion of crops to key chemicals. Society will continue to need the products of the chemical industry to deliver the quality of life expected by the developed
2006 – Model-Driven Projects in the Chemical Industry
“Model Driven Projects in the Chemical Industry” Knowledge models can provide real benefits everywhere from developing new products and reducing manufacturing costs to helping frontline support staff to solve customer problems. Models allow users to ask questions that are extremely
2009 – Trends and Drivers
Global Trends and Drivers for the Chemical Industry A review of the most important trends and drivers for the Chemical Industry published in 2009. Five key trends were selected for each of the five headings: Societal change Technological change Economic
2004 – Green Chemical Technology Roadmap
“Green Chemical Technology Roadmap” The UK chemical industry is a vital part of our economy. It accounts for 2% of UK GDP and 10% of manufacturing gross value added. It is UK manufacturing’s largest exporter. The industry’s products pervade our