South West Screen

Welcome to SWS | Login |

iNets

Introducing the Creative Industries Network for Innovation (iNets)
Coming in Autumn 2010

The creative industries have been recognised by government as a significant current and future part of the UK economy. Contributing £60bn a year (or 7.3% of the UK economy), the sector is comparable to the Financial Services sector.  Between 1995 and 2005, 12 jobs were created in knowledge intensive industries for every 1 job in other industrie. The creative industries sector is forecast to grow by 4% between 2009 and 2013 and play a vital role in helping the UK economy exit the recession..

Investment by governments around the world is fuelling global competition, posing a threat to the UK’s traditional strength in the sector. At the same time, digital technologies are rapidly changing the way we create, consume and distribute creative products and services.

The Creative and Digital sub-sectors are a core component of the knowledge intensive industries and include businesses in software development; television production; electronic publishing; digital marketing and computer games.

The Need

In the South West this sector is recognized as a priority sector and a high value added one; directly employing 36,000 people via nearly 8,000 businesses and practitioners.  However, it is also very fragmented and relatively geographically concentrated, hampering its true potential. 54% of companies in the sector employ less than 15 people and 89% employ less than 30 . Research has also shown that these businesses find it harder to access the cutting edge knowledge that drives competitive advantage. The region’s sector strengths have historically been in the north where the strongest international brands, centres of excellence and related supply chains are based.  There are emerging clusters elsewhere in the region and these are an opportunity but overall there is insufficient spread of centres of excellence – especially relating to international trade. There are also are weaknesses in the supply chain in the area of aggregation and distribution . Many businesses suffer from information asymmetry, particularly SMEs, where they often lack the knowledge, financial and human resources to identify and engage with other businesses and the knowledge base to innovate effectively.

The Solution

The iNet, which is to be formally launched in Autumn 2010, has been commissioned to address the above weaknesses and to ensure the SW region retains the capacity to develop this sector, taking advantage of the innovation opportunities and building on its strengths and competitive advantages.

iNets is designed within the Solutions for Business portfolio, ensuring it sits in the scope of publicly funded support for business in England. The Creative Industries (CI) iNet will enable creative businesses in the region through activity in three priority areas:

1. Catalysing innovation
2. Sharing knowledge
3. Connecting

The Impact

The iNet will provide and develop a world-class innovation and knowledge transfer resource for creative business and industry in the South West. Over a three year period, the programme will result in a community of innovation in the sector, with a strong dialogue between businesses and strengthened centres of excellence throughout the region.

This means that the CI sector in the SW will:

  • Be characterised by new products and new business models with a wider understanding of the new digital platforms
  • Increased capability in businesses through acquisition of knowledge – evidenced by growth in employment or turnover
  • Enhanced environmental innovation – evidenced by new mechanisms / resources to aid companies to regulate their impact and develop new ways of working that lower carbon emissions
  • New routes to international and national markets – evidenced by increased FDI or increased levels of exports in SW businesses and an enhanced global profile for the region
  • Community of innovation – evidenced by a new culture and dialog between businesses and centers of excellence


Ultimately, the iNet will create a community of innovation, sharing knowledge, dynamic dialogue and experience to the best advantage informing, inspiring and motivating across the South West. It will proactively raise the profile and reinforce the reputation of the SW, nationally and internationally, as a centre of innovation and dynamic development.

iNets

SWS E-Bulletin

Subscribe to our free e-bulletin to keep up-to-date. By submitting your email you agree to receive communications from South West Screen. Email us your stories for a chance to be included in the next e-bulletin.