Design as tool for growth

Engineering and design

• A culture of innovation?• Image and recruitment• Marketing• R&D support• Leadership and management support• Implementation

Culture of innovation?

• 69% say they have a culture of innovation• 64% have refined product design• 51% collaborated on innovation– 36% with clients or customers

• 49% adopted new business models• 43% have an R&D strategy in place

Image and recruitment

• Creative Alliance:2000 contacts across the West Midlands, 100 applications per vacancy

• Walsall College: 416 C&D, 156 engineering• Walsall Works has– 393 young people for mfg & eng– 266 for creative & digital

• Graduate Placement schemes• Walsall Works/Apprentice Grant for Employers

Marketing

• 78% of manufacturers cite competition as a barrier to growth

• 49% accessing new markets• Creative and Digital Industries– 10% of all UK companies– Double the growth of average UK economy– Includes “design”

R&D support

• 46% of manufacturers say growth is due to R&D

• Technology Strategy Board grants– SMART awards– Innovation Vouchers– SBRI– Knowledge Transfer Networks

• Innovation 1st, WMG SME support

Leadership & Management

Leadership & Management

• MAS• Growth Accelerator• 10,000 Small Businesses• SME Fast Track• www.mentorsme.co.uk

Implementation

• Black Country LEP investment fund• Equity funds• Loan funds• Dan_carins@blackcountryconsortium.co.uk• 01384 471115• www.the-blackcountry.com