This session will help businesses to create plans to develop and test innovative solutions in a lean, low-commitment way to confirm you have identified a good fit between the available market and the proposed solution before spending too much time and effort on undertaking the project. Participants will come away with a greater understanding of how to rapidly test and validate innovative solutions with clients and end users.

All sessions will provide information on funding and support available for innovation projects through the DFIB programme as well as opportunities to collaborate and network with other businesses tackling similar issues in the region. They will also include talks from organisations using ElecTech to innovate and share their insights about they have used the approaches the workshop will use to drive growth in their own businesses.

*These Bootcamps have been designed to address different parts of the innovation journey and build on each other, but you are welcome to attend, one, two or all three sessions and will still benefit from building your understanding of how to successfully develop and deliver new solutions and the funding and support available to make this easier.

What is ElecTech?

Electech is the electronics, photonics, electrical optical technology and embedded software that enables a wide range of products, solutions, processes and business models across all industries. ElecTech will be central to delivering the data, digitalisation and automation needed to deliver the

innovation needed across all sectors, including health, energy supply, productivity, mobility and sustainability.

The DFIB programme wants to support the work of innovative ElecTech businesses to help them innovate, grow and deliver the impact for sectors in the North East that need the connectivity and productivity that ElecTech solutions can provide, as well as supporting the growth of ElecTech companies in the region.

This programme is open to any Small or Medium sized Durham-based business that produces electronics, electrical hardware, or electrical software or that operates in the electronics supply chain.

Agenda:

9:30 – Event start, Welcome and an introduction to the Durham Future Innovation Building Programme, including support and grants available

9:45 – Lightening Talk from an ElecTech Innovator

10:15 – Interactive Session – How to build a minimum viable product – Using resources effectively to test whether a solution works before investing

10:40 – Comfort break

10:50 – Interactive Session – Developing your plans for minimum viable products on your own innovation solutions

11:30 – Discussion of support through DFIB programme for innovation projects to test and adopt the solutions developed; Next steps for businesses keen to explore innovation and collaboration projects

11:45 – Networking

12:00noon – Close