Pictured above: Dr David Hardman MBE, managing director
of Birmingham Science Park Aston
Birmingham needs to replicate its successes in the golden age of
the industrial revolution if it is to take maximum advantage of the
knowledge economy, a seminar featuring some of the region's most
exciting digital businesses was told.
Dr David Hardman MBE, managing director of Birmingham Science
Park Aston, told the seminar held at Millennium Point, that the
city's heritage was built on manufacturing and industrial
innovation.
"This is a very important part of our heritage but in the future
we need to be looking to the knowledge based economy for our
growth.
"There is a serious need to drive the aspirational side of the
knowledge economy in Birmingham and if we are going to move forward
we need exemplars from within Birmingham and the West Midlands
region," he said.
The event, organised by Birmingham Science Park Aston and
sponsored by Birmingham City Council, featured some of the
brightest and best of the region's success stories.
Dr Hardman said: "Today's event is about showcasing the regional
high tech businesses established during the first decade of this
century - businesses that are leading the way and showing how it
can be done locally.
"Building on our industrial heritage it will be 21st century
technologies that will drive the region's innovation economy - this
is our future."
The seminar heard from senior executives of the region's leading
knowledge based businesses including former West Midlands police
officer Phil Cleary, chief executive of SmartWater Technology,
which is using a fine spray containing a unique oxide code to mark
criminals as having broken into specific vehicles or premises.
The technology is being taken up by police forces and security
companies both in the UK and increasingly abroad.
Other speakers included representatives from Majestic-12, Arden
Photonics, Codemasters, Talis Information and Cisco Systems.
Outlining the opportunities in Birmingham and to the wider
global market place were Ian Meikle of the Technology Strategy
Board, Toby Wilson Waterworth from the Global Entrepreneur
Programme of UK Trade & Investment, and Jack Glonek, Assistant
Director Investment, Enterprise & Employment, Birmingham City
Council.
Mr Glonek told the audience that the public sector was at a
crossroads.
"There are four key drivers that will dictate how the future of
the public sector turns out.
"We are under severe financial pressure, there is an expectation
of local delivery, there is an expectation of better delivery and
outcomes, and we are being called upon to deliver on demand," he
said.
"We are public servants so we have to deliver."
He said that Birmingham City Council, with a workforce of 55,000
and a turnover of £3.2 billion, could have a major impact on
the innovation agenda in the city and the region.
"We need to lead the way in market innovation, public innovation
and social innovation. We must provide civic leadership on our
procurement issues."
He invited audience members to visit the new website for "Buy it
in Birmingham" when it is launched.
But he stressed that innovation must be a means to an end and
cited the challenge of the concept of "Total Place" as an example
whereby future civic buildings might incorporate in one premises
bodies such as the council, police, health and library
facilities.
And he highlighted the opportunities for entrepreneurs that a
squeeze on the public sector purse would inevitably bring.
"We will undoubtedly be outsourcing a shedload of services that
we currently do now. That is almost a given."
He offered one seemingly simple example of where innovation
could play a major role in delivering better services in the public
sector.
He cited the PFI contract won by Amey, under which among the
overall road programme, many of the city's 90,000 lamp posts will
need to be replaced over the period of the contract.
"This is not just an opportunity to install low carbon light
bulbs, a lamp post could also be a wi-fi station for broadband and
a charging station for a future generation of electric cars.
"There will be real opportunities for entrepreneurs in the
knowledge economy to drive forward innovative solutions in the
public sector," he said.
Rounding up the seminar with a presentation entitled "Seizing
the Moment", Dr Hardman said the challenge now facing the city and
the region was to address what needed to be done to promote future
success of knowledge based businesses in and around Birmingham.
He said that Birmingham Science Park Aston provided the
opportunity to innovate through partnership.
"We are creating an environment in which businesses can innovate
and grow, not just within the Science Park but also within the
region."
He said the recession could prove to be a catalyst for the
region's knowledge based entrepreneurs.
"Disruption provides opportunity, post the 'perfect storm', to
achieve greater efficiencies and production at lower cost.
"This must be addressed and delivered at a faster rate of change
than ever in a connected world where applications from the
knowledge economy will help reduce environmental impact."
He said that future seminars organised by Birmingham Science
Park Aston could well involve people from all around the world via
systems like Cisco's Telepresence which provides life size video
meetings at very high connection speeds.
"Birmingham Science Park Aston is about driving intellectual
capital by linking physical infrastructure, social and professional
information, technology, funding and people.
"High growth companies only represent six per cent of UK firms,
but they represent more than half the growth in jobs. Most of these
companies are small to medium sized firms.
"In Cambridge, there is 2.5 per cent unemployment and 1,400
high-tech firms where 80 per cent employ less than ten people.
"This is the challenge, this is the opportunity for Birmingham
and the West Midlands region."