BIRMINGHAM NEEDS A JOINED UP INNOVATION STRUCTURE

The complexities in Birmingham’s Knowledge Economy support structure need to be eradicated if the city is to become a fertile breeding ground for talent and innovative start-up businesses, claims Dr David Hardman MBE, CEO of Birmingham Science Park Aston.

The concept of the ‘Triple Helix’ collaborative unity between the private sector, government and academia is seen as essential and Dr Hardman believes the Science Park needs to be the neutral focal point of Birmingham’s innovation agenda.

In order to drive change and deliver greater success amongst Birmingham’s entrepreneurial community, Birmingham Science Park Aston is creating the ‘Birmingham 2050 Forum’. This will be a think-tank of successful emerging and established business leaders who will meet to spotlight issues and identify how barriers can be broken down to deliver a step-change in the level of new entrepreneurial activity that takes place in Birmingham.

David Hardman comments: “Birmingham’s support for its entrepreneurial community is not making headway because it is too complex and too fragmented, and as a consequence efforts are being diluted. We need to start doing something different so as to make available resources readily accessible and use the strengths of this legacy as the foundations for new growth.  

“By creating the Birmingham 2050 Forum, we want to engage successful and established business leaders in the future of this city. We want to energise them – in association with emerging leaders – as a united force into giving something back and making a difference to the future economy of Birmingham. This doesn’t need to be a time onerous commitment, far from it. We are simply looking to stimulate fresh thinking through informed debate, augmenting ideas from local people who have created successful businesses and know what needs to happen to help to create many more.

“Using the Science Park’s video technologies, we will further add to the debate with input from global entrepreneurs. But action must follow the thoughts, so we propose establishing a group of senior ‘delivers’ who will run with the ideas.

“We want to gather suggestions as to who we can invite to the inaugural 2050 Forum meeting. We need to get talking to the region’s highly impressive industry leaders and entrepreneurs across all sectors and explain the concept. Ultimately, this is about Birmingham working as a union and using the knowledge it already has to unearth and support the potential wealth creators of the future.”

David Hardman continued: “There is a concerning lack of preparedness for the new economies, which needs to be addressed. My vision is that once established, the Birmingham 2050 Forum will identify a roadmap to help ensure Birmingham is a truly global city in 2050. It will engage with all elements of the Triple Helix and work to inform the Local Enterprise Partnership board. This is all about recognising what needs to be done to make a difference and channelling the very limited pool of resources available in this economic climate in the right way.

“By placing Birmingham Science Park Aston at the centre of the city’s innovation agenda, the Park would work with all like-minded agencies and organisations to deliver objectives prescribed by the Birmingham 2050 Forum. The Forum is one of the elements the Science Park is looking to put into place as part of a holistic offering to stimulate, attract and retain talent; the lifeblood of the new economies.”

If you would like to nominate yourself or a business contact for the Birmingham 2050 Forum, please email David Hardman at davidh@bsp-a.com.