Innovation Skills Accelerator

Unlock Innovation for Your Business!

Expo Sunderland is excited to invite Sunderland SMEs to our free Innovation Skills Accelerator on 20 November at Sunderland City Hall! This event, in collaboration with Innovation SuperNetwork, offers an interactive platform for your team to enhance their innovation skills and problem-solving capabilities.

Innovation isn’t just about new technologies; it’s about understanding root causes and engaging diverse perspectives. During this session, attendees will:

• Understand Innovation: Grasp key concepts and the importance of innovation in business.
• Identify Opportunities: Define problems and recognise areas for change.
• Engage Stakeholders: Learn to map and understand stakeholder needs.
• Prototype Solutions: Apply rapid prototyping techniques to test ideas.

Full Agenda

9:30 – 10:00am:           Registration & Networking

10:00 – 10:30am:        What is innovation and why is it important?

10:30 – 11:00am:        Enablers of and Barriers to Innovation

11:00 – 11:30am:        Defining the Problem to be Solved

11:30 – 11:45am:        Break

11:45 – 12:30pm:        Engaging the Right Stakeholders and Stakeholder Mapping

12:30 – 1:30pm:           Lunch

1:30 – 2:15pm:             Understanding User Needs

2:15 – 2:45pm:             Brainstorming Ideas and Considering Future Trends

2:45 – 3:00pm:             Break

3:00 – 4:00pm:             Prototyping Innovative Solutions – How to Test Early-Stage Ideas

4:00 – 4:20pm:             Feedback on Your Developed Solutions

4:20 – 4:30pm:             Wrap Up and Close

Don’t miss this chance to empower your team! Spaces are limited, so be sure to book your spot today. We look forward to seeing you there!