New Anglia Innovation Board

Wednesday 22 May, 10:30-12:30

Keplar Room, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath

Agenda

Welcome from the Chair: Introductions, apologies and minutes

10:30 - 10:40

Chair

Innovation Board: Introducing CEFAS

10:40 - 10:50

David Carlin

Invest East

10:50 - 11:05

Saffron Myhill-Hunt

Innovation Board workplan:

11:05 - 11:45

Maddie, Bradley, Julian

a) Innovation Board: Terms of reference

b) Activity Plan: Board Champions

c) Investment in innovation

d) Innovation Forum & Ideas Foundation (LIS)

New place branding: Update

11:45 - 11:50

Julian

Sector Industry Councils: New structures being implemented

11:50 - 11:55

Maddie

Innovative Projects Fund & Growth Fund: Updates

11:55 - 12:05

Julian and Maddie

Innovation Board: Member update

12:05 - 12:30

All

Hethel Innovation & Orbis Energy vacancies &

Innovation Board representation

Innovate UK

Personal statement from the Chair

AOB

Invited:

David Carlin

Science Director

CEFAS

Madeleine Coupe

Innovation and Sector Manager

New Anglia LEP

Prof. Mohammed Dastbaz

Deputy Vice-Chancellor

University of Suffolk

Prof. Fiona Lettice

Pro-Vice Chancellor

UEA

Helen Lewis

Director of Research and Enterprise Division

UEA

Julian Munson

Head of Enterprise Zones and Innovation

New Anglia LEP

David Parfrey

Executive Chair of Anglia Innovation Partnership

NRP LLP

Howard Partridge

Regional Manager

Innovate UK

Lisa Perkins

Managing Director, Research and Innovation, BT

Johnathan Reynolds

Board Member

New Anglia LEP

Prof. David Richardson (Chair)

Vice-Chancellor

UEA

Bradley Rowley

Innovation and Sector Development Coordinator

New Anglia LEP

Sarah Steed

Director of Innovation and Engagement

Norwich University of the Arts

Guests:

Vimmi Hayes

Economic Development Manager

Rep. Orbis Energy

Saffron Myhill-Hunt

Innovation Funding Manager

Invest East

David Taitt

Chairman, Hethel Innovation

Rep. Hethel Innovation

Apologies:

Fiona Lettice

Helen Lewis

David Parfrey

Next Meeting: Tuesday 24 September, 14:00-16:00,

New Anglia LEP Innovation Board

Terms of Reference

Draft for Discussion - May 2019

Purpose

To maintain strategic focus and thought leadership in innovation, on behalf of the main LEP

Board and to support the delivery of innovation activity outlined in the Economic Strategy &

Local Industrial Strategy

Strategic Objectives

The Innovation Board has four ambitions for growth, which relate to the Economic Strategy

for Norfolk and Suffolk:

Norfolk and Suffolk are recognised as a centre for pioneering ideas, meeting the

challenges we face globally

ii.

Innovation is a net contributor to the Norfolk and Suffolk economy

iii.

A highly skilled workforce equipped with the skills necessary to access the techniques

and business practices needed for innovation

iv.

Existing assets continue to strengthen and develop into a pan-regional innovation

ecosystem

Responsibilities

The Innovation Board is a formal Sub-Board of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership

Board.

The Innovation Board will:

Provide the leadership to ensure all partners make their contribution to delivering on

the high-level ambitions

Consider the ‘big picture’, providing strategic direction to the LEP Executive on

matters relating to innovation

Drive and coordinate activity which delivers the strategic objectives

Support the development of the Local Industrial Strategy, identifying actions and

interventions and best practice for the Ideas foundation of productivity

Stimulate greater levels of collaboration between university and businesses in the

region

Assess policies, projects and programmes of investment linked to innovation

regionally, nationally and internationally, providing guidance to the LEP on how they

relate Norfolk and Suffolk’s innovation assets and skills.

Work with and challenge other initiatives to provide input from an innovation

perspective, such as the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor, New Anglia LEP sub

groups

Develop links to other LEP areas with similar capabilities and help to instigate

constructive collaboration

Champion and provide input into strategic projects and game changing opportunities

Commission task and finish groups where appropriate and where no other sub-board

or committee can fulfil the task.

Connect to and collaborate with regional and national stakeholders that play a role in

delivering innovation, continuing to identify gaps and opportunities.

Membership and Appointment

The Innovation Board will be chaired by a member of the LEP Board and will consist of the

leaders of the five main Innovation hubs and universities in Norfolk and Suffolk:

Adastral Park

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS)

Hethel Innovation Centre

Orbis Energy

Norwich Research Park

University of East Anglia

University of Suffolk

Norwich University of the Arts

A representative from Innovate UK will attend Board meetings as an observer.

The board will be supported by the LEP executive.

Board membership will be for a period of three years initially, with an option to be re-

appointed. No more than a third of the board will stand down on an annual basis. Board

members will be responsible for attending at least three meetings a year. Members failing to

take part in at least three successive meetings will have their membership revoked. In line

with LEP policy, Board members are not able to nominate a substitute if unavailable to

attend the meeting.

Board members, including co-opted members, or additional observers, are selected by

nomination; at least two Board members and the Chair are required to nominate a Board

member or observer and final decisions will be made by a majority vote of the Board.

Decisions will be based on how well nominated individuals can represent their sector and on

ensuring a balance of representation across the Board by geography, size of businesses

and sector. Decisions on co-opted members, observers and working party membership will

be based on the specialist advice, knowledge and networks required.

The Board may co-opt up to three specialist advisors to support specific project development

and delivery.

The Board may invite observers from other LEP groups or interested parties, on a reciprocal

basis and for a fixed period of time.

If a vote is required on any matter it will be decided on a simple majority with the chair

person having the casting vote.

Operations and reporting

The LEP will provide secretariat support for the Innovation Board. Minutes will be circulated

and published in the LEP website no later than two weeks after the meeting has taken place.

The Board will determine the frequency and timing of meetings according to the programme

of work required.

Attendance of non-members at meetings

Members of the LEP executive team, sub-boards and committees may also be invited to

attend meetings where appropriate.

Delegated Authority

Can hold other groups - including Task and Finish groups - to account. It has the authority

to task a sub-board, group or committee to deliver action within the deliver plan.

Innovation Forum

The Innovation Board will convene an open Innovation Forum bi-annually to bring together

regional partners.

The Forum will provide wider engagement and constructive feedback to the Innovation

Board helping to set the strategic objectives and focus.

Managing Conflicts of Interest

Members of the Board are all representatives of their industry sector or community of

interests and have a responsibility to act on behalf of their wider constituency at all times in

relation to the work of the LEP Innovation Board. Members of the board will be asked to

complete an annual declaration of their interests which will be held in a register at the LEP

office and members will be asked at the beginning of each meeting to declare any conflicts

of interest pertaining to the agenda items to be discussed.

New Anglia Innovation Board

Wednesday 22^nd May 2019, 10:30-12:30

Keplar Room, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath

Agenda Item 3.b

Activity Plan: Board Champion

Authors: Madeleine Coupe

Summary

This paper summarises the progress on the Innovation Board activity plan and sets out the

proposal to nominate a Board Sponsor for each workstream.

Background

At the last Innovation Board meeting, the Board approved the proposed new structure,

membership, purpose and workstreams. It was agreed that proposals for each workstream

would be presented in turn at the Innovation Board to refine and identify activities. This will

help to define a delivery plan the Innovation Board. The first workstream to be discussed will

be Investment in Innovation (Item 3.c).

To ensure effective delivery of the workstreams and defined activities, the role of a ‘Board

Champion’ is being proposed. A Board Champion would take ownership of a specific

workstream, providing feedback and input into activities. Champions will, with support from

the executive team, report back to the Board on progress, challenges and opportunities at

the quarterly Board meetings.

Workstream

Objective

Champion

Develop the evidence we have about innovation

IB1

Evidence Base

activity and its contribution to Norfolk and Suffolk

economy

Improve the innovation infrastructure in Norfolk and

IB2

Strategic Projects

Suffolk

Investment in

IB3

Increase public and private investment in innovation

Innovation

Assist and develop the best talent for delivering

IB4

Skills for Innovation

innovation at the scientific, technical and business

levels

Cluster

Support a range of coordinated activities which

IB5

Development

create-grow-develop-sustain innovation capacity

IB6

Catalyse collaborations and consortia for innovation

Community Building

challenges

New Anglia Innovation Board

Wednesday 22^nd May 2019, 10:30-12:30

Keplar Room, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath

Agenda Item 3.c

Investment in Innovation

Authors: Bradley Rowley and Madeleine Coupe

Summary

This paper outlines proposals for activity which supports the Investment in Innovation

workstream to increase the amount of public and private sector innovation in Norfolk and

Suffolk. This paper looks specifically at public sector funding and potential interventions

which could form part of the Board’s activity plan.

Background

At the last meeting, the Innovation Board approved the proposal to develop a set of five

workstreams and requested a proposal on the Investment in Innovation workstream.

Innovation is a key driver to growth and productivity, and for the purposes of this paper a

brief high-level overview of innovation funding in Norfolk and Suffolk has been sought,

drawing on a variety of sources. Although Norfolk and Suffolk have world-class innovation

assets, as we’ve known for some time the data suggests that organisations are either not

applying for external funding or their applications have not been successful.

Potential Interventions

Working with colleagues across the LEP Executive, a set of potential interventions have been

proposed to stimulate greater levels of applications for innovation funding. These will support

and enhance the High Growth Programme, Innovation Forum and R&D grants scheme already

being delivered.

1. Developing an innovation supply chain: identification and consortium building

Identification: In order to successfully support and develop an ‘innovation supply chain’ the

LEP needs greater levels of engagement with innovation active businesses in the region.

Building on the Growth Hub’s High Growth Programme which has identified a list of companies

who are high growth/ scale up - a database of businesses who are either experienced at

building successful projects or innovation ready could be created.

This database will:

• Expand the LEP’s knowledge about the innovation ecosystem

• Enable the LEP and Growth Hub to target any interventions with the group of

businesses most likely to be successful.

• Speed up the development of any LEP or partner funding bids in response to specific

calls, such as Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

Consortium building: The next stage would be to build capacity within the innovation supply

chain through facilitating greater levels of collaboration. Partnering businesses who have been

successful at securing funding and have the necessary skills and confidence with those who

are identified as innovation ready would enable the ‘upskilling’ of an additional cohort of

businesses. These in turn could go on to collaborate with another cohort of businesses. The

LEP and Growth Hub have a clear role to play in facilitating these interactions.

In addition, approaches could be made to funders regarding the development of a pilot

initiative to partially replicate the Partnering Service currently offered through Enterprise

Europe Network. As the UK exits the EU, it is unclear whether this service would be accessible

in the future. The Norfolk and Suffolk pilot would promote innovation projects, and potentially

included as a part of the LEP’s place branded website, currently in development. If successful,

this facility could be white labelled and used on partner websites.

2. Upskilling businesses: funding workshops

New Anglia LEP and Growth Hub are already active in promoting funding calls from national

funders including UKRI, raising awareness of opportunities. However, a more involved

approach is needed to stimulate greater levels of bids from our region.

The Growth Hub has in the past organised workshops in partnership with EEN. These were

conducted as a presentation during a general event and provided a good way to stimulate

interest in funding opportunities.

Working with the Growth Hub and EEN, the proposal would be to design an ongoing series of

intensive workshops purely focussing on the application process. This would be with a group

of businesses selected from the innovation database (outlined above). The workshops would

enable businesses to gain the basic skills and terminology necessary to be successful and

could be held at the main innovation hubs and tailored to the sectors they represent. Linking

with programmes such as EIRA, specific workshops could be held on obtaining funding in

collaboration with academics and researchers.

3. Joining up the support offer and communication

The innovation ecosystem in Norfolk and Suffolk is supported through a number of

programmes offering business support and grants. These programmes target different priority

areas and can make interventions at different points on a business’s innovation journey.

Consideration could be given to ensure all are aware of each other and the services and funds

they provide. Cross referrals and targeted activity could be promoted as a result.

The Innovation Forum would be an ideal vehicle to instigate and promote this activity and to

identify any gaps in provision.

4. Building the evidence: innovation spend capture

As innovation funding cannot clearly be evidenced, there is the need to capture this

information locally where possible.

Consideration could be made to ensure business facing organisations capture innovation

spend (including claims) during any diagnostic. The New Anglia CRM currently has the facility

to collect this information, and working with Growth Hub, thought should be given as to how

best to capture this data,

New Anglia Innovation Board

Wednesday 22^nd May 2019, 10:30-12:30

Keplar Room, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath

Agenda Item 3.d

Innovation Forum: Ideas Foundation of Productivity

Authors: Madeleine Coupe and Bradley Rowley

Summary

This paper outlines the proposals for the Innovation Forum set to take place on 17^th June 1-

4pm at John Innes Conference Centre. The June forum will support the Ideas Foundation

of the Local Industrial Strategy by exploring the key issues and identifying opportunities

relating to innovation in Norfolk and Suffolk. This will form part of a wider programme of

engagement for the LIS development.

Background

At the last meeting, the Innovation Board approved the proposal to set up an Innovation

Forum and tasked the LEP executive with developing proposals for the first forum.

The Innovation Forum

The Innovation Forum is to be a bi-annual facilitated session which brings together regional

partners to discuss key issues and opportunities. The forum will be used to capture the

insights of a group of innovative individuals, and business facing stakeholders across Norfolk

and Suffolk. Outputs from the Innovation Forum will be presented to the Innovation Board for

discussion and will help shape and inform the Innovation Board’s priorities and activity.

The Innovation Forum will consider subjects relating to the Innovation Board workstreams:

Evidence base

Strategic projects

Investment in innovation

Cluster and community development

Skills for innovation

In addition, the Forum will consider regional and national programmes such as Local

Industrial Strategy, Sector Deals, Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund etc.

Membership of the Forum

It is anticipated that there will a core membership from a range of business facing

stakeholders, and businesses, such as the Growth Hub, KTN, Enterprise Europe Network,

Universities and Innovation Hubs. For each session, additional invitations will be sent out

dependent on the topic being explored.

The Forum will provide the structure through which to engage with the work of the new

Industry Councils (Energy, ICT and Agri-Food), Sector Groups as well as other innovation

stakeholders and programmes.

Local Industrial Strategy: Ideas Foundation

New Anglia LEP is working with Government to develop a Local Industrial Strategy for

Norfolk and Suffolk. A number of engagement events will be taking place over the summer in

order to help develop the actions and investments needed to maximise our region’s

economic opportunities.

One of the national Industrial Strategy’s five foundations of productivity, Ideas looks at how

innovation can transform the economy. The Strategy identifies four barriers to innovation

which is limiting productivity nationally:

1. Investment: the UK invests less in R&D than competitors, greater levels of private

and public sector investment is needed.

2. Commercialisation: the UK has world class science and research but needs greater

levels of commercialisation to capture the full economic value.

3. Ecosystem: barriers to growth in specific clusters, highlighted by the Science and

Innovation Audits need addressing in order to create strong innovation ecosystems.

4. Competitiveness: the UK needs to retain its leading position in science and

innovation, continuing to attract talent from around the world and international

partnerships.

Key policies:

• Raising R&D investment to 2.4% of GDP by 2027

• Increasing the rate of R&D tax credit to 12%

• Investing £725m in new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to help deliver the

Grand Challenges:

o Clean Growth

o AI and Data

o Ageing Society

o Future of Mobility

• Develop a ‘Strategic Priorities Fund’ with UKRI to invest in multi and

interdisciplinary research

Norfolk and Suffolk’s innovation hubs together with region’s universities have clear strengths

that cut across the Grand Challenges and can help to deliver them. Given this important

topic so closely aligns with the priorities of the Innovation Board, the first Innovation Forum,

taking place on 17^th June will explore the Ideas Foundation.

The session will focus on how - collectively as a region - we can better leverage our local

assets to make the conditions right for innovation. The purpose of the session will be to

identify game changing interventions which can be included in the LIS. The session might

pose questions linked to the 4 barriers to innovation:

Investment: the region has a key challenge to address and is often in the lower percentile of

LEP areas in innovation rankings: How can we improve the amount of private and public

sector investment in innovation?

Commercialisation: Norfolk and Suffolk world class science and research at our innovation

hubs and universities. How can we facilitate more connections between business and

academia and fully capture the economic value of this research through commercialisation?

Ecosystem: A strong ecosystem will support an idea through a network of regional

organisations, allowing it to develop into a new technology or service, bringing economic

growth to a region. Factors relating to a place’s ecosystem are generally easier for local

actors to influence. The region has many of the components of a strong innovation

ecosystem such as a robust research base, vibrant business networks and innovation

infrastructure. How can we create the conditions for greater levels of innovation?

Competitiveness: For a place to compete internationally, attracting greater levels of talent

and investment, its capabilities and competitive advantages need to be understood and

communicated. How can we as a region be recognised as a centre for pioneering ideas, and

meeting the challenges we face globally?

Next Steps

The first Innovation Forum will be held on 17^th June and the outcomes of the session will

help to shape and inform the Local Industrial Strategy.

A full report and evaluation of the event will be presented at the next Innovation Board with a

proposal for second Forum’s topic. The second Forum will be held in autumn.

Recommendation

The Board is asked to

• Note the contents of the paper and provide any ideas and feedback

• Endorse the proposal for the first Innovation Forum.

New Anglia Innovation Board

Wednesday 22^nd May 2019, 10:30-12:30

Keplar Room, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath

Agenda Item 6

Capital Growth Fund and Innovative Projects Fund

Authors: Madeleine Coupe

Summary

In October 2018, the LEP announced two calls for projects:

1. Capital Growth Programme: £19m (capital) call for projects with a focus on skills,

innovation and productivity. This funding has been secured as part of New Anglia

LEP’s £290m Growth Deal with Government.

2. Innovative Projects Fund: £0.5m (revenue) call for innovative projects which support

the Economic Strategy. This revenue funding has been generated through the

Enterprise Zones.

After independent appraisal using a comprehensive range of criteria and decision by the

LEP Board and Investment Appraisal Committee, the successful projects were announced in

March 2019.

This paper provides further detail on the successful projects.

Capital Growth Fund

The projects which secured funding through the Capital Growth Fund are:

1. University of Suffolk: Digital Skills & Innovation Accelerator.

£6.497m. Establishment of a new, nationally significant ICT research and training

centre, combining high quality academic capabilities, world-leading industrial

research and development. 1,600 m² of space focussed on education and growth in

the regional digital economy to enhance productivity in sectors which use ICT as a

key enabler. The centre will leverage the capabilities of the University of Suffolk, BT

and the Adastral Park tech cluster. Projected outputs: 520 new learners (level

6+),145 apprentices (level 6+), 36 new jobs.

2. City College Norwich: Digi-Tech Factory. £6.098m. A 2,780m² building to be

focussed on education, with innovative workshops and IT facilities, enabling a

number of interconnected Digital Technology, Engineering and Design Courses to

come together in a purpose-designed building. The project has been designed to

enable students, apprentices and local SMEs to increase their digital capability.

Projected outputs: 477 new students,100 new apprentices, 6 FT and 2 PT new jobs.

3. Suffolk New College: Digital & Technology Skills Hub. £1.6m. To provide new

skills for local SMEs seeking to increase their digital capability. The Hub will offer a

range of courses and also provide the building blocks for individuals to progress into

Higher Education and Higher-Level Apprenticeships. A new 462m² building will be

located near to the College’s current campus in Ipswich and so will benefit from the

existing support services in the College. Projected outputs: 264 new students, 28

new apprentices, 7FT and 5PT jobs.

4. Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils: Norfolk & Suffolk Innovation Network.

£440,000. To create a network across Norfolk and Suffolk to enable private, public

and educational sector organisations and the public to explore, trial and implement

Internet of Things (IoT) technology. This is a network that can send and receive low

power signals from digital sensors used in a wide variety of sectors, including flood

and traffic management, agri-tech etc. Projected outputs: 75 new jobs, 40 new

products developed, increased efficiencies & improved productivity in the ICT sector.

Innovative Projects Fund

Three projects in the Visitor Economy and Offshore Energy sectors will receive a share of

£230,000, with further projects in the pipeline to receive funding in the future should they

secure the required match funding. The successful projects are:

1. Norfolk County Council - Building Supply Chain Capacity in the Offshore

Industry: £22,000 (overall project cost: £59,000). Delivered in conjunction with

offshore energy company Vattenfall and Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, this project

seeks to alert SMEs to supply chain opportunities in the offshore energy industry and

get ready to bid for them. Supporting the creation 15 full time high value jobs, 47

learners and 40 apprenticeships.

2. Visit East of England - Growing the Year-Round Economy: £110,000 (overall

project cost: £180,000). To establish an online booking service and develop an

itinerary planner to encourage increased visitor stay time and spend. Using data

collected on the region’s existing tourism offer, it will confirm tourist hot spots,

concentrated visitor time frames and popular activities. The booking service would

generate a sustainable revenue stream for Visit East of England, which in turn would

help generate increased tourism activity of £1m per annum. The project will create 4

full time positions.

3. Great Yarmouth Borough Council - Norfolk and Suffolk Offshore Wind

Programme: £98,000 (overall project cost: £300,000). To create a branding and

marketing campaign to establish Norfolk & Suffolk as a world leader in offshore wind

with visibility to Government and potential investors, both domestically and globally.

Forecast to create 24 businesses.

Recommendation

The Board is asked to

• Note the contents of the paper