Acceleration Through Innovation (ATI)

Acceleration Through Innovation 2 in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (ATI)

Led by the University of Plymouth, ATI 2 is a £3.4 million project designed to reach the wider business community and help bring forward innovations that are new to the firm or new to the market, and drive up growth and productivity.

For SME’s in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

If you are seeking ways to take your business innovation further, ATI 2 has a number of routes to explore your potential and add value to your organisation, offering niche expertise led by recognised specialists and innovation professionals.

We will work with your business to:

• Develop a culture of innovation across all levels
  
• Enable attendance to masterclasses and pop-up innovation centres
  
• Connect you with valuable networks across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Pop-up innovation centres

The pop-up innovation centres will run for one to three months at a time across the county, and will be particularly beneficial to SMEs who are unable to use the facilities at the three existing Cornwall Innovation Centres. 

You can take advantage of advisory sessions to help your business grow to the next level of progression. There will also be available meeting room space, superfast broadband connection and at hand workshops, allowing you and your colleagues to create valuable networks with ease. 

At our Innovation Clubs, be inspired by our innovation advisers while you meet relevant business professionals across industries. These clubs will run alongside the Innovation Surgeries and the unique Master Classes to help you get the most out of our expertise.

At the end of the three year project, you will be invited to an exclusive Cornwall Innovation Conference with recognised key note speakers delivering noteworthy advice, guidance and consultation to innovative businesses.

Our locations

The current Cornwall Innovation Centres are based in Truro, Falmouth and Pool. 

With ATI’s pop-up innovation centres, your business can now benefit from the same calibre of resources on a local level, including:

• Bude
  
• Launceston
  
• Liskeard
  
• Looe
  
• Bodmin
  
• Newquay
  
• St Austell
• St Mary’s (IOS)
• Penzance

Instilling a culture of innovation

We provide a support programme which allows businesses to gain vital skills, peer support, and advice. Part of this offer is the Cornwall Innovation Club; a networking and engagement event at which delegates get to hear about the innovation journey of other local businesses.

Held in the mornings across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, the Innovation Clubs provide an opportunity for businesses to share knowledge and expand local networks.

In addition to the Innovation Club, we also run high-value sessions in the form of Workshops and Innovation Surgeries. Designed around the latest thinking, the Workshops are delivered over 2-3 hours and tackle a range of issues including R&D Tax Credits, Forensic Lab and Intellectual Property.

In response to challenges which are often linked to an Innovation idea, the surgeries provide an opportunity for businesses to interact with a range of industry specialists. The sessions provide intensive high quality information and are designed to be sector specific in order to help businesses grow and develop.

Innovation Masterclass

Our Institute of Knowledge Exchange Masterclass provides businesses engaging with the ATI programme an opportunity to discuss and explore a range of innovative tools and techniques. 

It also offers a platform for those attending to talk through any challenges they have, whilst providing support to businesses with the innovation process and strategic decision making.

ATI have partnered with the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (IKE) to deliver a number of Masterclasses in Cornwall between now and March 2020.

IKE is the UK’s professional body for innovators. It accredits and certifies innovation practice, and influences the inter-relationship between education, business, and government through research and collaborative networks.