A New Chapter for Innovate Suffolk
Igniting Innovation (and a Major Hackathon!) in Our County.
Is Suffolk truly unleashing its full potential? As someone deeply rooted in Suffolk, both personally and professionally, I've seen our beautiful county's strengths and, as a parent, wrestled with a pressing question: Are we doing enough to keep our brightest young minds here? While Suffolk boasts a strong employment rate and a fantastic local university, many young people still feel the need to look elsewhere for fulfilling career opportunities.
I believe the answer lies in our collective ingenuity. Every business, big or small, relies on technology. But what if we could harness that reliance, truly innovate, and solve our own local problems with homegrown solutions right here in Suffolk? I'm convinced we're brimming with untapped talent, quietly achieving significant milestones. At Innovate Suffolk, we're dedicated to unearthing these grassroots solutions, fostering collaboration, and giving a much-needed platform to the brilliant minds among us. We're committed to making things better for Suffolk, whether that means tackling crime rates or improving bus timetables. The solutions are out there, waiting to be discovered, and we're here to find them.
How will Innovate Suffolk enable our entrepreneurs?
1. Fostering Our Talent: From Ideas to Impact
We need to create a fertile ground for talent to flourish, not just for our young people, but equally for more experienced generations who have identified gaps in local government, statutory services, or commercial ventures. Where do you go if you have a brilliant idea but don't know how to bring it to life?
Innovate Suffolk aims to be part of the answer. We provide opportunities for networking and engaging in meaningful conversations about developing and implementing ideas. While Innovate Suffolk offers a platform for those in the tech world and I myself am not a "techy" person, I see immense opportunities for innovation across all sectors. I am incredibly excited that we can help facilitate this. Suffolk's economy has demonstrated sustained growth, contributing £21 billion to the UK economy, with strong sectors in clean energy, agri-food and drink, ports and logistics, digital technology, and advanced manufacturing. We must leverage this economic strength to support new ideas. You can check our website for our diary of what’s happening.
2. A Watering Hole for Growth: Extending Networks, Sharing Knowledge
Many of our hardest-working entrepreneurs in Suffolk are often working alone. While this independent approach can be effective, how do they grow, exchange ideas, and build connections across the broader landscape?
Innovate Suffolk provides access to vital opportunities for both informal meetups and larger-scale networking events. These platforms are crucial for breaking down silos, fostering collaboration, and allowing businesses and individuals to extend their networks further afield.
3. Building Economic Resilience: The Power of the Suffolk Pound
Moving forward, Suffolk needs to be economically resilient. We must build on the achievements of our many market-leading companies. Suffolk boasts an average of 3.3% annual growth over the past decade leading up to 2020 however, growth has slowed and unemployment has slightly increased according to the most recent data. We need to think long and hard about the "Suffolk Pound" and how we can best utilise it for the benefit of our county. This means encouraging local spending, supporting local businesses, and ensuring that the wealth generated here circulates within Suffolk, creating jobs and opportunities.
This is precisely why I am so dedicated to Innovate Suffolk. It's about empowering Suffolk people, fostering new ideas, connecting our diverse talents, and ultimately, building a more prosperous and resilient future for our county.
Get Involved with Innovate Suffolk!
I encourage you to visit our website to explore our work and discover how you can get involved. You'll find all the details there about our Hackathon this November at SuffolkOne in Ipswich. Whether you bring a team or come solo, it's going to be an amazing event, showcasing incredible local talent and the power of collaboration. Join us on this exciting journey as we unlock Suffolk's full potential, together!
