Spring

How we will accelerate innovation

Our Innovation Journey

Ideation and collaboration incubator

I want to know what the sector needs

I have an idea, product or service that will solve a sector priority

I want to collaborate with others on my idea

Innovation adoption incubator

I want to prove my innovation

I want my proven innovation to be adopted

I want to share the success of my innovation

Ideation and collaboration incubator

Simply, incubators help things grow. We exist to help grow innovation and innovators across the sector.

There are three parts of the innovation journey, above, that sit within the ideation and collaboration incubator. “I want to know what the sector needs”, “I have an idea, product or service that will solve a sector priority” and “ I want to collaborate with others on my idea”.

The activities identified to bolster these efforts are:

 

 

 

  • Identification of opportunities and challenges – Driving strategic priorities by sharing information about the latest opportunities and challenges​
  • Creating opportunities for collaborative projects – By giving water companies sight of supplier applications and an opt in/out for projects, innovators will be able to pitch directly to water companies and receive constructive feedback
  • Community library – Access to, and information on, communities of knowledge and practices to foster collaborations and expertise across the industry

Innovation adoption incubator

How can the best help the rest? That’s the purpose of this incubator.

The innovation adoption incubator is different as it helps with the ‘doing’ and ‘streamlining’ of innovation.

The parts of the journey here are “I want to prove my innovation”, “I want my proven innovation to be adopted” and, “I want to share the success of my innovation”.

The activities identified to bolster these efforts are:

 

 

  • Demystifying the sector – Signposts to accessible funding, standards and testbeds and providing clarity on IP rights and protections
  • Changing the narrative – Advocating for innovation in the sector​ and promoting the UK as being leaders in open innovation
  • Knowledge transfer – Sharing innovation including case studies and testimonials​, removing institutional barriers to knowledge sharing and creating sector knowledge

There are also activities that sit underneath these processes, being end to end on the innovation journey, an example being:

  • Open data – We will support efforts to open and share valuable data and drive an open innovation ambition